The impact of federal and state educational reforms on teaching art in selected elementary schools in Florida

The purpose of the study was to determine the conditions and perception of change in conditions amongst Florida elementary art teachers in regards to federal and state education reform. To comprehend the impact of federal and state reforms on elementary art teachers in the state of Florida, the project compared elementary art teachers at high-performing schools with low-performing schools in the state of Florida. The study provided a descriptive overview of what it means to be an art teacher in the state of Florida at both high- and low-performing schools. The study examined teachers' assignments, responsibilities, and expectations and assessed the perception of change in their conditions under federal and state education reforms. The research provided an analysis of the status of teaching art in Florida and changes in the profession in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing art teachers in elementary schools in Florida. The study was a criterion group design that contrasted two groups: elementary art teachers in high-performing schools with low-performing schools. The criteria to participate in the study included teachers had to: (1) teach in one of the 13 districts containing both "A" and "B" and "D" and "F" schools, (2) instruct students in grades kindergarten through sixth in art, and (3) voluntarily complete the elementary art teacher questionnaire. Respondents from schools receiving an "A" or "B" were part of the high-performing group. Respondents from schools receiving a "D" or "F" were part of the low-performing group. Results from elementary art teachers in high-performing and low-performing schools were compared to provide the picture of teaching elementary art in Florida. The findings suggest that there are minimal differences between high- and low-performing schools that impacts elementary art teachers. With respect to indicators that determine the quality of art education there is little difference across the groups. The impact of grading schools and categorizing schools based on performance is having little impact on the quality of art programs offered. The quality of art programs is supported with adequate planning time, art teachers with art classrooms and not on a cart, and minimal non-art duties. Originally, the research set out to identify separation and inequity amongst the groups, yet surprisingly that was not the case.