Editor’s note: This story was produced in partnership with ArtDesk , published by the Kirkpatrick Foundation. The Kirkpatrick Foundation is also a donor to The Frontier.

In his small rural town near the Texas border, Oklahoma art teacher Glenn Howard is trying to rebuild. The high school in Waurika, population 1,800, has only intermittently offered art classes over the years, facing a lack of supplies and funding.

Starting with eighth-graders this year, Oklahoma won’t require fine arts credits to earn a high school diploma. Under the new requirements set by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2024, fine arts credits can fulfill some graduation requirements, but they are optional.

The decision to offer fine arts curriculum will now be left up to school districts across the state.

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