Nine out of 10 California schools may not be living up to state arts education standards, according to a first-of-its-kind report released Thursday by Menlo Park-based SRI International.

The study, conducted by the nonprofit SRI's Center for Education Policy, is described as the first comprehensive examination of arts education in California.

It concluded that 89 percent of K-12 schools statewide fail to offer courses in all four of the arts subjects called for by state recommendations: music, visual arts, theatre and dance.

In addition, 29 percent of schools did not offer a course in any of the four subjects, and 61 percent did not have even one full-time arts specialist on staff, the study reported.

Results were gathered from more than 1,100 schools that responded to a survey, and from case studies of 31 schools in 13 districts throughout California, from 2005 and 2006, the study's lead author Katrina Woodworth said.

According to Woodworth, school principals described inadequate funding and a focus on improving test scores as major barriers to arts education in California schools.

"Schools are allocating the bulk of their instructional time for mathematics and reading at the expense of the arts and other core subjects," Woodworth said.

In addition, Woodworth noted, "Students are often receiving arts instruction from regular classroom teachers that are often not prepared for arts disciplines."

In Bay Area schools, arts education numbers were slightly better, "but not dramatically different from the state as a whole," Woodworth said.

According to the survey, statewide student enrollment in music courses was 8.3 percent, and 10 percent in the Bay Area. Enrollment in visual arts was 9.8 percent statewide, and 12.5 percent in the Bay Area. In theatre courses, enrollment was 2.2 percent statewide, and 2.7 percent in the Bay Area. And in dance, student enrollment numbers were 1.2 percent statewide, and 1.4 percent in the Bay Area.

Within the Bay Area, Marin County had the highest rates of student enrollment in music, visual arts and theatre courses, and Sonoma County had the highest rate of enrollment in dance.

Study results also showed an economic disparity in arts education, with schools in lower income regions having less access to arts instruction, according to Woodworth.

In addition to increased funding and technical assistance for schools, the study's authors recommended greater accountability for school districts, improved arts training for teachers, long-range strategic plans for arts education in schools, and involvement and advocacy on the part of parents.

The study, "An Unfinished Canvas, Arts Education in California: Taking Stock of Policies and Practices," was commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and is available online at www.sri.com .