On February 14, 2012, the National Endowment for the Arts hosted a day-long series of panels and presentations to examine the latest trends, current practices, and future directions for arts learning standards and assessment methods. In addition to moderated panels of experts, the roundtable featurded a presentation of the NEA's latest research report, Improving the Assessment of Student Learning in the Arts: State of the Field and Recommendations. The entire event was webcast live. [Speaker bios].

The sessions are archived below.

Welcome and Goals of the Convening

Rocco Landesman
Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

James H. Shelton III
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education

[13:23]

Panel 1: Greater Scope for the Arts

Panelists will address whether and how the arts can drive innovations in K-12 education.

Moderator: Sandra Ruppert, Arts Education Partnership

Panelists: Stuart Elliott, Board on Testing and Assessment, The National Academies; Mary Crovo, National Assessment Governing Board; Samuel Hoi, Otis College of Art and Design

[1:03:04]

Panel 2: Arts Learning Standards for the 21st Century

Panelists will discuss planned revisions to the national arts education standards, which seek to support the 21st-century needs of students and teachers, help ensure that students are college-and career-ready, and affirm the place of arts education in a balanced core curriculum.

Moderator: Tim Magner, Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Panelists: Philip E. Shepherd, National Coalition for Core Arts Standards; Nancy Rubino, College Board; Karol Gates, Colorado Department of Education

[56:31]

Presentation: The Current State of Arts Learning Assessment: Findings from a Recent Study by the Arts Endowment

This session reviews key findings from a study commissioned by the NEA and conducted by WestEd that describes the state of arts learning assessment in our nation's schools and arts organizations.

Presenters: Daniel Beattie, National Endowment for the Arts; Patricia Moore Shaffer, NASA (formerly with National Endowment for the Arts)

WestEd Report (pdf)

[43:11]

Panel 3: Innovative Practices in Arts Learning Assessment

Panelists will address innovative tools and strategies in arts learning assessment in both community- and school-based settings.

Moderator: Dennie Palmer Wolf, WolfBrown

Panelists: Jean Hendrickson, Oklahoma A+ School; Steve Seidel, Harvard University; Tom Cahill, Studio in a School; Francisco Núñez, Young People's Chorus of New York

[57:01]

Arts Learning Standards & Assessment: How Do We Shift the Paradigm?

Following its national study of arts learning assessment, the Arts Endowment has taken several steps to heighten the role of student assessment in its grants portfolio. Yet more can be done; roundtable participants will be asked to propose ideas for moving the field forward.

Facilitator: Jack Lew, Laguna College of Art and Design

Audio [1:07:29]

Closing Comments

Sunil Iyengar, National Endowment for the Arts, Office of Research & Analysis

Audio [4:25]