Senator Serrano recently chaired the New York State Art Teachers Association / NYSUT United Student Art Exhibition in Albany. There, he spoke about the importance of arts education and the transformative effects it has on students.

“I strongly believe that a robust arts education is critical to young people's development. It's much more than ‘something nice’. I believe it should be considered one of the main pillars of the educational foundation we expect for our children. Beyond Common Core and the punitive high-stakes testing that comes with it, the arts and music ensure that students enjoy school and embrace a lifetime of learning. I'm sincerely appreciative of the hard work our art teachers do every day to enlighten and transform lives.”