Identifying disparities in K-12 dance education in the state of Florida: the need for consistency in curricular choice and instructional design

The purpose of this study was to identify disparities in the delivery of standards based
dance education in the K-12 learning environment in the state of Florida and to give specific attention to curricular choices and instructional design. A mixed-methods
approach was used and included a survey of K-12 dance educators in Florida as well as
interviews with leaders in dance and arts education in the state. This inquiry identified
common areas where curriculum choice and instructional design meet the barriers of
time, space, place, learner population, expected educational outcomes, and teacher
preparation. Each of these areas suggested specific limitations singularly, but when
considered together, the effectiveness of K-12 dance programs appeared compromised by disparity and difficult to assess. By centralizing the focus of this inquiry on the realities of the learning environment in K-12 dance education in the state of Florida, the results of this study identified disparities in one state that may inform future research in the broader field of dance education. A set of Core Dance Education Values has been recommended as a guideline to better unify dance teaching goals in light of the research and in support of developing best practices for sustainable K-12 dance programming.