This report provides national data on arts education in public elementary and secondary schools during 1999–2000. Five surveys were employed in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the state of arts education. The first two surveys captured information from elementary and secondary school principals on a wide variety of topics related to how the arts were delivered in the nation's regular public schools, such as: the availability and characteristics of instructional programs in music, visual arts, dance, and drama/theatre; staffing; space for arts instruction; and funding sources. Other topics included supplemental programs and activities in the arts, administrative support, and the perceived status of the arts among school staff and parents. As a complement to the elementary school survey, the elementary school music specialist, visual arts specialist, and self-contained classroom teacher surveys provided data on a broad range of topics regarding how the arts were taught in the nation's public elementary schools in 1999–2000. Topics included: the educational backgrounds (e.g., degrees, certification, years of experience) of music specialists, visual arts specialists, and classroom teachers; participation in professional development activities; teaching load; teaching practices; collaboration and integration of the arts into other areas of the curriculum; and teacher involvement in arts-related activities outside of school.
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