Superintendent Carstarphen: APS Is Not Getting Rid Of Arts
Hear the broadcast version of this story.
The Atlanta Public Schools will cut 18 band and orchestra positions next year. But, Superintendent Meria Carstarphen says APS is still committed to the arts.
“It’s true that we’ve had a rough budget year,” she says. “It’s true that we’ve had to rethink our model.”
Carstarphen says the cuts were mostly in elementary schools and for programs that had low enrollment. Even though one-third of all music positions were cut, Carstarphen says APS is not ditching the fine arts.
“High school has visual arts, general music, performing arts, band and they have the option of doing orchestra too, but they have to do all of those,” she says. “At middle school, they do visual arts, general music, they have to do band, and they have the option of adding more performing arts and orchestra.”
One way schools can soften the blow is by sharing a music teacher with another school. Carstarphen said this year schools will have more leeway on how they spend money for teachers.
Click here to read Dr. Carstarphen’s blog post about the cuts.
A note of disclosure: WABE’s broadcast license is held by the Atlanta Board of Education.
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