This monograph stresses the importance of art education in elementary and secondary schools and explains how school/community partnership in the arts can help keep arts education programs alive. Part of a series containing background information on arts programs in schools, this document is intended to aid individuals and school art advocacy groups as they urge support from educators, school board members, parents, artists, arts administrators, students, community leaders, legislators, and government agencies. Reasons why art programs are being reduced or eliminated in many schools include declining enrollment, vandalism, low test scores, the back to basics movement, spiraling inflation, and budgetary priorities. In spite of these problems, however, arts programs are expanding in some school districts. Examples of communities with expanding arts programs include Minneapolis, Ann Arbor, Cleveland, Boston, and Luling (Louisiana). Although programs in these communities are dissimilar with respect to size, specific objectives, funding, and level of student participation, they are all the result of strong and sustained leadership of at least one individual and all rely heavily on school/community partnership. Specifically, they stress cooperation among parents, educators, artists, and local art resources such as museums, historic preservation societies, art galleries, local presses, theaters, recital halls, broadcast media, and music and dance companies. The conclusion is that schools will improve their chances for a successful arts education program if they take inventory of local resources, enlist the aid of a wide variety of local artists and resources, investigate and borrow ideas from effective programs in other communities, and seek committed and professional leadership. (DB)