Announcements and Resources

News and Current Information

New Leader for Arts Education Partnership

Sandra S. Ruppert, currently senior associate for policy and research of the national Arts Education Partnership (AEP), has been named its new director. Ms. Ruppert replaces Richard J. Deasy who retires June 30. The selection was made by a committee of senior representatives from the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Department of Education, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. The four organizations are the Governance Committee of AEP. AEP is a coalition of national and state education, arts, government and philanthropic organizations founded by the four organizations in 1994 to advance the role of the arts in public education. AEP is widely recognized as the primary source of research on the effects of the arts on student achievement and school quality.

Welcome to NASAA's Learning Services Manager

Please join us in greeting Dorothy Williams, the latest addition to the NASAA staff team. As NASAA's Learning Services Manager, Dorothy will be coordinating a variety of programs and services that support state arts agency learning, including Web seminars, conference offerings and orientation programs. She has a background in instructional design and adult education, and is an avid dancer and salsa instructor. Welcome, Dorothy!

The Consumer's Guide to Grants Management

This independent Idealware report is geared specifically to help grantmakers understand and compare the available software packages and pick the one that will work best for them. This 89-page report provides a rundown of common features and overviews of eighteen systems, as well as detailed reviews, prices, and a comparison chart of nine of the software packages most widely used by grantmakers. Registration on the website is required, but the report is available for free download here.

Revitalizing Arts Education through Community-Wide Coordination

This RAND study, commissioned by the Wallace Foundation, examines initiatives to form coordinated networks of schools, cultural organizations, funders, local government and other groups. Initiatives in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles county, New York City and Alameda county (CA) are examined. Download the report for free here.

Still Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year Impact of Americorps on Alumni

This survey, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, tracks over 2,000 individuals before, during and after their Americorps service periods. Findings reveal a significantly higher proportion of Americorps alumni entering public and noprofit service, particularly those in minority or disadvantaged groups. The full report, along with an executive summary and accompanying issue briefs, is available for free on the National Service website here.

Public Engagement: A Primer from Public Agenda

The Center for the Advancement of Public Engagement has released a primer on ways to cultivate greater community engagement with public life and a more citizen-centered approach to politics. Download the primer here.