This article is adapted from the Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education. Elliot Eisner and Michael Day (eds.) [c] 2004 by Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates, Mahwah, NJ, and the National Art Education Association. To study art education is to discover and engage a field rich with achievement and promise. On one hand, this comes as no…

Describes the origin and development of the National K-12 Standards for Arts Education. Discusses issues related to the fine arts being left out of the original national standards documents. Maintains that the standards are essential if the fine arts are to maintain parity with other curriculum subject areas. (CFR)