Mountain View Schools Up Their Art Spend

For decades, arts and music programs in Mountain View public school has been kept alive through support from nonprofits, school foundations and public agencies, giving children a chance to dabble in everything from painting and ceramics to playing the flute and singing in a choir, from the moment they hit kindergarten through eighth grade. But buying and maintaining cellos and trumpets can be expensive, and with major plans in the works to ramp up art and music electives at Crittenden and Graham middle schools, district officials say its time to pitch in more money to make sure individual schools aren't forced to use discretionary funds on a thriving arts program. More