On November 8, 2022, Proposition 28: The Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act was successfully passed by California voters. This measure mandates the establishment of ongoing support for arts instruction in schools starting from the academic year 2023-2024. Specifically, one percent of the K-12 portion of the Proposition 98 funding guarantee from the previous fiscal year, excluding funding allocated for the Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) program, will be earmarked for this initiative.

The California Department of Education (CDE) will determine the allocation of grants to individual school sites on an annual basis. Subsequently, each school will have the autonomy to decide which arts education programs they wish to offer. In this decision-making process, school leaders will collaborate with teachers, families, and students, ensuring that the choices made best serve the unique needs of their local school community.

The funds from Proposition 28 can be utilized for a wide range of arts education purposes. These include, but are not limited to, providing instruction and training, acquiring necessary supplies and materials, and establishing partnerships with arts organizations for enhanced educational programs. The supported art forms include dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts, which may involve folk art, painting, sculpture, photography, craft arts, creative expression (such as graphic arts and design), computer coding, animation, music composition, ensembles, script writing, costume design, film, and video.  Prop 28 funding is intended to expand existing arts education at all school sites.  The site specific plans below share a simple description of how programs are expanding their arts programs using their Prop 28 yearly allocations.  This description does not include all aspects of visual and performing arts (VAPA) offerings.