Celebrating the History of the Theatre and Dance Credential
Embracing the work that is still ahead...
Timeline
1960’s Many teachers were certified to teach dance and theatre in California under the Fisher Act of 1961, and some teachers nearing retirement still hold Standard Secondary Credentials in dance and theatre;
1966 SCD President, Charlotte Motter went before the California Board of Education to request that theatre and drama be included among undergraduate majors required of all persons seeking credentials to teach grades k-12.
1967 The California Curriculum Commission obtained funds from the Elementary and Secondary Education At to support a committee to write the Drama/Theatre Framework which was adopted by the California Board of Education, and published in 1974
1969 When the Fisher Act on Teacher Licensing was passed requiring an academic major of people seeking a certificate to tech in California’s public schools, CETA convinced the Curriculum Commission that drama or theatre should be listed among approved academic majors. At the same time CETA was able to have drama listed as one of the fine arts required for high school graduation which previously had listed only music and art.
1970 The Ryan Act is passed into law. It helps to establish teaching as a recognized profession in CA. In its drafting, the letter “s” was omitted from the statement “music and arts credentials.” That “s” represented dance and theatre. For the subsequent 52 years, CA dance teachers had to hold a credential in PE to teach Dance.
1972 California Dance Educators Association is created to fix the “s” mistake
1973 First legislative attempt at the Dance and Theatre Credential failed by one vote
1979 Next legislative attempt: State Assembly passed it, Senate rejected it
1982 1 year of VAPA included in the new A-G Requirements
1989 California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (CAPHRED) forms a task force to support advocacy for a Dance Credential
1992 State Senator Patrick Johnston authored SB 762 to establish dance and theater credentials; this plan was presented to the CTC which rejected the idea; Johnston withdrew his bill due to a perceived lack of support from the legislature
1993 CDEA and CAPHRED board members work with Senator Patrick Johnston and Assembly Member Susan Davis who authored legislation to establish Dance and Theatre Credentials - the bill did not pass.
1995 Education Code Number 5121 Course of Study: Grades 1 to 6 (e) Visual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression
1995 Education Code Number 51220Areas of Study: Grades 7 to 12(g) Visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater, and visual arts, with emphasis upon development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
1996 Discussions regarding the credential took place with the California Commission on Credentials (CCC) as well as with the Legislative Action Committee for Arts Education (LACAE). Although LACAE was supportive of the credentials, CCC made it very clear they would not support the recommendation.
1997 CTC reports the results of a survey that did not support a single-subject credential in dance and theatre based on perceived employment needs. They also communicate that dance and theatre educators should not expect a credential to be developed because of the high cost of creating a Praxis or CSET
1998 With the hiring of legislative analyst Kathy Lynch, Assembly Bill 1024, Credentialing and Curriculum: Dance and Theatre, was introduced into the California legislature in 1998 by Assemblywoman Susan Davis and Senator Patrick Johnston, By the time it got to Governor Wilson's desk, the single-subject credentials had been amended out of it - he vetoed the bill.
1998 CETA worked as an advocate for the California Visual and Performing Arts Framework. Utilizing expertise from the California Department of Education. In 1998 the CDE published the Challenge Standards for Student Success in Visual and Performing Arts, the forerunner to the Standards in Visual and Performing Arts that would be adopted later.
1999 Both UC and CSU systems changed admission requirements to include one year of visual or performing arts, beginning in 2003.
2000 AB 752 (Davis); Credentialing and Curriculum: Dance and Theatre. CTA opposed it and it was vetoed by Governor Davis.
2001 “No Child Left Behind” includes the arts as “core academic subjects”.
2001 The State Board of Education adopts content standards for the arts.
2003 California Arts Council budget cut by over 90%
2003 Several bills advance the cause of Arts Education, demonstrating the need for credentialed teachers to be delivering arts education to all K-12 students. These include SCR 15 (Scott) sponsored resolution affirming the importance of standards based instruction in the visual and performing arts. SB469 (Scott) a bill that elevated the Visual and Performing Arts in the Instructional Materials bill that was passed in 2002. AB1512 (Cohn) Established the CDE Arts Work Grant Program into statute, as separate and distinct from the Local Arts Education Partnership. SB611 (Ducheny) Makes clear the intent of the Legislature to support all Subject matter Projects, including the arts, with the intent to encourage the University of California to continue to maintain funding for the arts. $6 million eliminated by Governor Davis’ budget and was later restored.
2003 CDEA formed a Steering Committee to develop a Pedagogical Competency Certification Process
2004 CTC altered requirements for multi-subject accreditation to include some training in the teaching of visual and performing arts
2004 Visual and Performing Arts Framework adopted by the State Board of Education for grades K-12; this version includes the K-12 content standards for Dance, music, theatre, and visual arts
2005 Additions to Tile 5 Sections 80089.3 and 80089.4, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing put into place the Subject Matter Authorization in a variety of subjects, including theatre and dance, Teachers may attach a Single Subject Authorization in Theatre or Dance to another credential they already hold, and teach Theatre. This authorization, offered by CCTC, requires 32 coursework hours and provides the teacher with NCLB compliance in theatre. .
2006 AB 1802 (Laird)/ SB 1131 The Governor and the Legislature establish $500,000,000 for Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Physical Education one-time monies for grades K-12 within the school day for professional development and for the acquisition of supplies and equipment support standards-aligned instruction.
2006 CETA and CDEA join forces with other Arts Organizations in the development, approval and implementation of a California Single Subject Credential in Theatre and Dance.
2007 CDEA develops “Strategies for Obtaining a Credential in Dance and Theatre”
2007 CETA publishes and award-winning position paper on the state of the Arts in California
2007 SB 77 (Ducheny) The governor and Legislature provided for the Arts and Music Block grant on-going funds at $109,757,000 per the same guidelines as the 2006/2007 funding but accompanied by need for a resolution by governing boards around use of funds and a summary report due to CDE February 2, 2008.
2008 Continued advocacy for dance and theatre credentials. “The 4 Arts Ed Orgs” is formed - a coalition of the board presidents of all four of the arts education associations in the state representing Dance, Theatre, Visual Art, and Music: CDEA, CETA, CAEA, and CMEA. This coalition is still working to help align policy and agenda for Arts Education in CA.
2008 Sharon A. Herpin, Adrienne Quinn Washington, and Treseen McCormick submit a report to the California Alliance for Arts Education entitled Summary of Findings from the Preliminary Study to Determine the Need for Single Subject Credential Programs in Dance and Theatre. This report “indicate(d) the possible need for a single subject credential in dance” however, “the creation of a single subject credential in theatre was supported, but interviewees were uncertain about the practical application of the credential.
2009 In the face of unprecedented budget shortages, school districts throughout the state are fighting to protect arts education programs that have been established in recent years, and to implement recently adopted district wide plans to ensure that every child receives the benefits of arts education.
2010 Jack Mitchell, Joe Landon, and Cathy Lynch meet with Patricia Rucker at CTA to help alleviate some of the roadblocks of implementing a theatre and dance credential.
2011 CFT adopted a resolution titled “Fully Implement the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards”
2014 Jessy Kronenberg and Nancy Ng (Luna Dance Institute) testify at the CTC on the need for Dance and Theatre credentials
2015 Nov 6, Joint Commission on the Arts, Ed. Code Compliance Hearing - Beverly Hills. Senator Ben Allen is inspired to author legislation, “There’s a bill in that.”
2016 February – Senator Allen Announced SB 916 (7th legislative attempt) TADA! The Theatre and Dance Act
April – CTA votes to Support SB 916
Summer – Unanimous bi-partisan support, the bill passes in the Senate and Assembly
September – Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill into law
2019-2021 Development of the CSET in Dance and Theatre
2021 Summer, CSU East Bay program for the Single-Subject Teaching Credential in Dance and Theatre begins
2021 Fall, CSET Exam in Dance and Theatre goes live
2022 Spring – application window open for the second cohort of teaching candidates through CSU East Bay
2022 Summer – first cohort of teaching candidates will complete Single-Subject Teaching Credentials in Dance and Theatre
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