§814. Board duties

(a) Awards program established

The Board shall establish and administer an awards program to be known as the "Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program". The purpose of the program shall be to-

(1) celebrate the positive impact and public benefits of the arts;

(2) encourage all elementary schools and secondary schools to integrate the arts into the school curriculum;

(3) spotlight the most compelling evidence of the relationship between the arts and student learning;

(4) demonstrate how community involvement in the creation and implementation of arts policies enriches the schools;

(5) recognize school administrators and faculty who provide quality arts education to students;

(6) acknowledge schools that provide professional development opportunities for their teachers;

(7) create opportunities for students to experience the relationship between early participation in the arts and developing the life skills necessary for future personal and professional success;

(8) increase, encourage, and ensure comprehensive, sequential arts learning for all students; and

(9) expand student access to arts education in schools in every community.

(b) Duties

(1) School awards

The Board shall-

(A) make annual awards to elementary schools and secondary schools in the States in accordance with criteria established under subparagraph (B), which awards-

(i) shall be of such design and materials as the Board may determine, including a well-designed certificate or a work of art, designed for the awards event by an appropriate artist; and

(ii) shall be reflective of the dignity of Congress;

(B) establish criteria required for a school to receive the award, and establish such procedures as may be necessary to verify that the school meets the criteria, which criteria shall include criteria requiring-

(i) that the school-

(I) provides comprehensive, sequential arts learning; and

(II) integrates the arts throughout the curriculum in subjects other than the arts; and

(ii) 3 of the following:

(I) that the community serving the school is actively involved in shaping and implementing the arts policies and programs of the school;

(II) that the school principal supports the policy of arts education for all students;

(III) that arts teachers in the school are encouraged to learn and grow in mastery of their art form as well as in their teaching competence;

(IV) that the school actively encourages the use of arts assessment techniques for improving student, teacher, and administrative performance; and

(V) that school leaders engage the total school community in arts activities that create a climate of support for arts education; and

(C) include, in the procedures necessary for verification that a school meets the criteria described in subparagraph (B), written evidence of the specific criteria, and supporting documentation, that includes-

(i) 3 letters of support for the school from community members, which may include a letter from-

(I) the school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA);

(II) community leaders, such as elected or appointed officials; and

(III) arts organizations or institutions in the community that partner with the school; and

(ii) the completed application for the award signed by the principal or other education leader such as a school district arts coordinator, school board member, or school superintendent;

(D) determine appropriate methods for disseminating information about the program and make application forms available to schools;

(E) delineate such roles as the Board considers to be appropriate for the Director in administering the program, and set forth in the bylaws of the Board the duties, salary, and benefits of the Director;

(F) raise funds for the operation of the program;

(G) determine, and inform Congress regarding, the national readiness for interdisciplinary individual student awards described in paragraph (2), on the basis of the framework established in the 1997 National Assessment of Educational Progress and such other criteria as the Board determines appropriate; and

(H) take such other actions as may be appropriate for the administration of the Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program.

(2) Student awards

(A) In general

At such time as the Board determines appropriate, the Board-

(i) shall make annual awards to elementary school and secondary school students for individual interdisciplinary arts achievement; and

(ii) establish criteria for the making of the awards.

(B) Award model

The Board may use as a model for the awards the Congressional Award Program and the President's Physical Fitness Award Program.

(c) Presentation

The Board shall arrange for the presentation of awards under this section to the recipients and shall provide for participation by Members of Congress in such presentation, when appropriate.

(d) Date of announcement

The Board shall determine an appropriate date or dates for announcement of the awards under this section, which date shall coincide with a National Arts Education Month or a similarly designated day, week or month, if such designation exists.

(e) Report

(1) In general

The Board shall prepare and submit an annual report to Congress not later than March 1 of each year summarizing the activities of the Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program during the previous year and making appropriate recommendations for the program. Any minority views and recommendations of members of the Board shall be included in such reports.

(2) Contents

The annual report shall contain the following:

(A) Specific information regarding the methods used to raise funds for the Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program and a list of the sources of all money raised by the Board.

(B) Detailed information regarding the expenditures made by the Board, including the percentage of funds that are used for administrative expenses.

(C) A description of the programs formulated by the Director under section 816(b)(1) of this title, including an explanation of the operation of such programs and a list of the sponsors of the programs.

(D) A detailed list of the administrative expenditures made by the Board, including the amounts expended for salaries, travel expenses, and reimbursed expenses.

(E) A list of schools given awards under the program, and the city, town, or county, and State in which the school is located.

(F) An evaluation of the state of arts education in schools, which may include anecdotal evidence of the effect of the Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program on individual school curriculum.

(G) On the basis of the findings described in section 811 of this title and the purposes of the Congressional Recognition for Excellence in Arts Education Awards Program described in subsection (a) of this section, a recommendation regarding the national readiness to make individual student awards under subsection (b)(2) of this section.

(Pub. L. 96–114, title II, §205, as added Pub. L. 106–533, §1(a), Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2546 .)

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 811, 813, 815 of this title.