Mary Plummer|A group of 19 students from the Academy of Music at Hamilton High School performed the hit song "on stage at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday: "It was a dream."
Arts teachers cry foul over officials' plan cut elementary kids' musical instrument lessons from a full year to just one semester to squeeze in more schools.
A Los Angeles Unified administrator unveiled an arts education budget for the district that will boost funding by $15.7 million by the '16/'17 school year.
New proposed national arts teaching standards are open for public review. The draft is expected to be finalized and unveiled for a first look in San Diego in March.
During a report on status of arts instruction, board asked pointed questions about whether instruction was equitably distributed and what it would cost to expand it.
Even as it passed an initiative to increase arts instruction, L.A. Unified cut arts teachers in 2012-13. About 200 have been cut since the 2010-2011 school year.
Arts for LA has created a parent action center on its website to prompt parents to write to L.A. Unified school board members to demand budget for new arts plan.