Arts Administrators’ Beliefs About Policy

• In Event: Music Education Policy: Perceptions, Practices, and Purposes

Abstract

This phenomenological study seeks to understand arts administrators’ beliefs about education and arts education policies as well as their role in the policy process. The collision of the differing value systems held by arts administrators, non-arts administrators, and teachers emerged as a prominent theme. Additionally, arts administrators used different discourses when speaking with various constituents. Arts administrators valued assessment and accountability, but they believed that arts teachers did not care about assessment and rather preferred to maintain the status quo and create fun classrooms. When speaking with arts teachers, arts administrators used strong and often frustrated or condescending language. Arts administrators chose more sophisticated language in their conversations with non-arts administrators and advocated to the community using a third discourse.

Author

• Lauren Kapalka Richerme, Arizona State University