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Oklahoma High Schools Drop art Requirement for Diploma

WAURIKA, Okla. – Oklahoma high school students will no longer be required to take an art course to earn a diploma, a recent decision impacting school programs statewide even as some districts, like Waurika Public schools, are actively expanding arts education through grant funding adn community projects. The change, finalized by the Oklahoma State Board of Education, removes fine arts from the core curriculum requirements, giving students more adaptability in course selection but raising concerns about access to arts education.

The decision comes as schools across Oklahoma grapple with budget constraints and evolving educational priorities. Previously, students needed one credit in fine arts to graduate. The removal of this requirement allows students to focus on other areas, such as STEM fields or career-technical training.

However, advocates for arts education emphasize the benefits of these courses, citing their positive impact on student engagement, mental health, and overall academic performance. “The arts offer students a chance to express something complicated in a safe and healthy way,” said Allen-Barron of the Oklahoma Arts Council, wich distributes grants to support arts programs in schools. “I hope that school leaders looking for solutions to absenteeism and mental health issues will find some answers in the arts, as we see so frequently enough what an impact the arts can have for students dealing with those things.”

Despite the statewide shift, some schools are proactively bolstering their arts offerings. Waurika High School, such as, has seen a resurgence in its art programme thanks to grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council. Last spring, students painted a mural on the side of a pizza shop in downtown Waurika. The school has since moved the art program into a larger classroom and is investing in new equipment. Plans are underway for another community mural this fall, and the school hopes to add a ceramics class.

“I think we’re on the right track to really do some good things with our art program,” said art teacher Kevin Howard.

Other rural schools have used grant money for programs in stop-motion animation, mask-making, and music. The Oklahoma Arts Council continues to support these initiatives,hoping to inspire more enterprising projects and expand access to the arts for Oklahoma students.

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