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Arts teachers warn Bellflower Unified that a single 'college and career readiness' bucket could squeeze arts and languages
Summary
Multiple VAPA teachers told the board that grouping world language, visual and performing arts, AP/dual enrollment and CTE into one College & Career Readiness bucket risks turning arts education into a checkbox and reducing students' future CSU/UC eligibility without careful safeguards.
A coalition of visual and performing arts teachers told the Bellflower Unified board they support strengthening college and career pathways but object to a proposed structure that would group arts, world language and CTE into one requirement, potentially forcing programs to compete for elective slots.
“By forcing these distinct disciplines to compete for the same pathway, we risk hollowing them out,” Heidi Gamboa said, speaking for VAPA staff. Jennifer Campbell, a Mayfair choir director, urged the board to preserve at least one guaranteed year of VAPA so students have equitable access to arts instruction that supports social‑emotional learning and lifelong skills.
Teachers proposed alternatives: keep a standalone one‑year VAPA requirement, allow CCR to stand on its own while protecting a–g alignment, and present multiple implementation options (including mock schedules) when the board next considers policy. “We have come with solutions, not just a complaint,” Gabby Gutierrez, an art teacher, said, urging the district to maintain a minimum VAPA pathway so graduates remain UC/CSU eligible without needing community college catchup.
