| In the United States educational system, time spent in art, music, and physical education is increasingly being reduced within the school curriculum (Giambo, 2010; Housner, Metzler, Schempp, & Templin, 2009). The subject matter erosion is a concern, because students do not have the opportunity to experience a comprehensive education. The combination of "core" and "non-core" subjects make-up a well-rounded education in the K-12 public schools. It is important to examine this phenomenon before art, music, and physical education suffers more losses. The purpose of this study was to examine Hawai'i's educational governance and structure, and determine how these systems influence decision-making regarding art, music, and physical education.;Using Crotty's (1998) framework for social science research this study employed, an epistemological framework of constructivism, a theoretical perspective of interpretivism, the phenomenological case study as a methodology, and multiple data collection methods. Governance member interviews (N = 19) were 37-102 minutes in length, and served as the primary data source. An archival analysis presented the case context, while a policy analysis represented the case description.;Data analysis specified the educational structure, governance, and detailed how decisions made by policy makers are impacting art, music, and physical education in the State of Hawai'i. Creswell's (2007) case study analysis guidelines served as the umbrella framework for analysis. Four themes arose from the data: Fundamental curricular issues, changes that the State of Hawai'i and the federal government has made, educational governance "conglomerate" as an impediment to reform, and Hawai'i's unique dilemmas. Overall, all governance members mentioned how they value art, music, and physical education; however, federal and state laws, mandates, guidelines, and programs make it difficult to have any consistency within these subject areas across the state.;Governance member interviews, artifacts, and archival records analyzed in this study have depicted how educational structure, governance, and policy in Hawai'i impact art, music, and physical education. There is a perceived lack of communication between the state-level governance structure and the principals of K-12 schools. Results indicated that improved communication between all levels of the governance structure is needed for the betterment of art, music, and physical education programs across the state. Finally, educational policy at all levels makes it very hard for principals to know which policies are most important to comply with, and many times art, music, and physical education policy are dismissed. |
