Touring a Las Vegas magnet school, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. called for a return to a more "well -rounded" education.
During his visit to the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, King spoke of balance.
"It's fair to say we need to do much more," he said. "Part of the goal of the speech today was to encourage states and districts to seize the opportunity to ensure the success of every student. We need to make sure more students get the kinds of opportunities that students are having here."
Those opportunities he spoke of included the importance of a curriculum that goes beyond writing and arithmetic.
King called on school leaders to make sure administrators are meeting student needs beyond the classroom. He spoke of the importance of extracurricular activities and programs that offer dance, music and the liberal arts.
He witnessed three performances from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.
"The vibe here is different," said Las Vegas Academy of the Arts student body president Amanda Rust. "This is a place students want to be. It's zany, unique, and there's passion."
That passion echoed King's message. Earlier in the day he addressed staff on the recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, a replacement to the Controversial No Child Left Behind.
"We know that test scores aren't a definitive measure," he said. "School leaders and teachers need to work together to make sure the curriculum is well-rounded. We know that students will do better in reading if they're getting quality science. We see that students do better in math if they're getting access to music education."
