Chula Vista Elementary warns teachers of ‘potential changes’ to arts education program

Chula Vista Elementary School officials reviewing its visual and performing arts program have told the teachers union about potential arts education changes, but Giovanna Castro, the district’s director of communications, told inewsource that at this time “there is no final proposal to redesign the program.” 

That’s a departure from a couple of weeks ago, when district leaders denied social media rumors claiming they were considering cutting the nearly $10 million budget of its Visual and Performing Arts — VAPA — program by more than half.

District officials didn’t respond to specific questions inewsource asked this week about whether it has a long-term plan to cover the program’s costs without making cuts. But they said the district remains focused on supporting student access to “meaningful, high-quality arts education.”

The VAPA program at Chula Vista Elementary School has received state and national recognition. 

Earlier this year, it received Best Communities for Music Education recognition from the NAMM Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to music education nationwide. This is the eighth year that the district has received this distinction. 

While district leaders have yet to present a plan, they have notified its teachers union about “potential changes to the structure of VAPA allocations,” said Rosi Martinez, president of the Chula Vista Educators.

Martinez added that district, union and VAPA leaders plan to meet next week and that the union has been assured no VAPA teachers will be laid off in the spring. 

“Once we have a plan, we can bargain any impacts and effects it may create for our members’ working conditions,” she said. “At this point, since we don’t have any further information, there is nothing more for us to do but to advocate for having our members’ voice be part of any potential changes in the future.” 

 The Chula Vista school board made an unprecedented investment during the 2014-15 school year of about $15 million over three years to beef up its program. The funding became possible because of the state Legislature’s support for the Local Control Funding Formula — LCAP.

Then in 2022, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 28, which sets aside $1 billion a year for arts education, distributed to schools based on enrollment and their share of low-income students. 

The money is meant to supplement arts and music education and expand access for all students. 

Chula Vista Elementary receives roughly $3.4 million annually in Prop. 28 funding, about a third of the program’s cost.  The district stopped contributing general funds to the program after the 2024-25 school year and is using state funding from Prop. 28 and the Arts and Music in Schools block grant to sustain its program. 

Last year, inewsource reported the district cut dozens of positions, including arts and music teachers, while sitting on Prop. 28 dollars.