The Visual, Performing and Applied Arts DRAFT guidelines are now available for review until July 14th, 2006 at:

www.michigan.gov/documents/Art_Guidelines_163780_7.pdf

On April 20, 2006, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed into law a rigorous new set of statewide high school graduation requirements called the Michigan Merit Curriculum that are among the best in the nation. (Public Acts 123 & 124)

The Michigan Merit Curriculum will be required for graduation starting with the Class of 2011. The curriculum requires 16 credits for graduation, which could be acquired through subject and integrated (mixed subject) classes, as well as, career and technical education programs and requires the Michigan Department of Education to develop credit guidelines for all of the Michigan Merit Curriculum credits including Visual, Performing and Applied Arts.

To develop the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts guidelines, the department established an Academic Work Group, co-chaired by Aaron P. Dworkin, Sphinx Organization; Robert Root-Bernstein, Michigan State University; and Sharon L. Vasquez, Wayne State University with representation from higher education, K-12 education, and the cultural and business sectors.

The committee has met and drafted the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts guidelines. We value your input and would like to invite you to review these DRAFT guidelines and provide input by completing the survey by July 14, 2006.