Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, Supports Proposition 28 - The Arts and Music K-12 Education Foundation Initiative

Riverside, CA.- Arts education has always been a priority for California, with specific requirements for public schools outlined in state law.  However, a lack of resources and a shortage of qualified teachers in the various arts disciplines have created challenges for schools in turning the promise of arts education into reality.

This November, California voters have an historic opportunity to make lasting change by ensuring all California students have access to the arts.  Proposition 28, which will be on the statewide General Election ballot in November, would dedicate more than $900 million in additional funding for arts and music education in public schools.

Proposition 28 will not raise taxes on California residents, and the funding provided for arts education will be in addition to the state funding currently provided to California public schools.  The measure includes strong accountability and transparency measures, including annual public reports to verify that the funds are spent as intended.

When students take arts classes, they benefit in many ways.  Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of arts & music education in the development of children and their success in school and life.  Arts & music education improves cognitive development, reasoning, and language acquisition; it correlates with higher student achievement in reading and math; and it leads to increased school attendance.

It is my great pleasure to join organizations including the California State PTA, the California Teachers Association, the California Music Educators Association, and the California Art Education Association in support of Proposition 28 – the Arts and Music K-12 Education Funding Initiative.