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House approves amendments to Elementary Arts Learning Program, expands endowed-chair and arts options
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 75 amending the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Elementary Arts and Learning Program to allow endowed chairs at higher-education institutions, broaden arts-integrated instruction and authorize related professional development; the bill passed 71–0.
Representative Val Peterson, sponsor of SB 75, told the House the bill adds flexibility to the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Elementary Arts and Learning Program by allowing an endowed chair at a higher-education institution and expanding the range of integrated arts taught in elementary schools.
"An endowed chair...is a position at an institution which is dedicated to that program and is endowed in perpetuity," Peterson said, and the bill also authorizes that chair to conduct professional development for local education agencies.
Representative (supporting) described studies tying arts exposure to improved performance in other subjects, including STEM, and urged passage. Discussion was brief and summation was waived.
Voting was opened and SB 75 received 71 yes votes and 0 no votes; the bill was signed by the Speaker and sent to the Senate for the president's signature. The bill’s sponsors said technical changes and added funding and program-structure flexibility were the primary aims.
The House made no further amendments on the floor; the bill will proceed to the Senate for final consideration.
