Citation
Benge Steele, C., Woodworth, K. R., Baeta, D., & Terrell, E. (2025). California arts education landscape 2025. SRI.
Abstract
Commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and conducted in collaboration with Education First, this report examines how new funding and policy shifts—especially the 2022 Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) Act—are reshaping arts education in California. Drawing on a document review, interviews, and a convening of Hewlett grantees, the report identifies seven key levers: Data, Accountability, Research, Advocacy, Policy, Planning, and Resource & Capacity Building.
The AMS Act represents a major investment and opportunity, but gaps in data, workforce capacity, and accountability present challenges to successful implementation of the new law. Prior to passage of the AMS Act, only 11% of schools met arts access mandates, and now over 5,500 arts teachers are needed statewide. The report calls for infrastructure investment—especially in planning, data, and research—to ensure that all students, particularly in under-resourced communities, benefit from high-quality, culturally responsive arts education.
