Pass / Fail : Arts education — or the lack thereof — at LA Unified by the numbers | 89.3 KPCC

Pass / Fail : Arts education — or the lack thereof — at LA Unified by the numbers | 89.3 KPCC:

Arts education — or the lack thereof — at LA Unified by the numbers

by By Tami Abdollah

L.A. plans to unveil a major initiative to save public arts education. Meanwhile, L.A. Unified's school board is looking at a measure that would make arts a "core subject." Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC
In the last three years, Los Angeles Unified has had to cut nearly $1.5 billion from its annual operating budget, which is now roughly $6 billion. "Arts education is one of the most impacted components of LAUSD instruction as a result," according to the district.
I'm still working on getting specific breakdowns on arts education funding from L.A. Unified, but in the meantime, here are some numbers the district had handy.
In 2008, L.A. Unified employed 345 art specialist teachers — the district called that year its "peak." Now there