Music standards in Lithuania

ENDuring the last few years while the arts education community in the United States has developed standards in the arts, other countries have also been working to refine curriculum in various subjects emphasizing standards. The development of standards in the arts became a national issue in the early 1990s when Music Educators National Conference and other national arts organizations began a concerted effort to establish voluntary national standards in music, visual arts, dance, and theatre. As a result of this national effort, during the spring of 1994 the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations developed the National Standards for Arts Edu- cation and presented them to Richard Riley, Secretary of the Department of Education. In accepting the proposed voluntary arts standards, Riley strongly urged each state educational establishment to adopt or adapt them after suitable review. As a result of this national initiative, most states have reviewed the National Standards for Music Education.