Celebrating March of 2026 as “Arts in the Schools Month” in the State of Rhode Island

WHEREAS, The arts enhance and enrich the lives of every Rhode Islander; and

WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island has clear evidence that the arts contribute significantly to our quality of life, the education of our citizens and the economy of our state; and

WHEREAS, Arts learning fosters school attendance and participation, as well as teamwork and collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, public speaking, cultural competency, and resiliency, all essential skills that employers require in a st century economy; and

WHEREAS, With new regulations and policies in place, arts education in our schools can be quantified to present a full picture of arts education in the Ocean State; and

WHEREAS, The R.I. State Council on the Arts went through a public process to overhaul the Project Grants in Education application and evaluation criteria to better deliver support and services to arts educators and teaching artists; and

WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Education has published an Arts Curriculum Framework to support high-quality, standards-based arts instruction for all students; and

WHEREAS, Arts education in the schools provides substantial, unique educational benefits to all elementary, middle and secondary students, helping students stay engaged in school and graduate with proficiency ready to enter the R.I. workforce; and

WHEREAS, The National Art Education Association, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Educational Theatre Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the National Dance Education Organization designate the month of March as “Youth Arts Month”; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates March of 2026 as “Arts in the Schools Month” and urges all the citizens of the State to join us in the observance of this month, and to recognize and applaud the efforts of arts educators, artists, and administrators, who work diligently to ensure that all young people have access to the arts in their school throughout the school year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.