This keynote address presents three key elements to arts education and educational reform. These are: partnerships, compassion, and imagination. There is a symbiotic relationship, or partnership, between schools and businesses, political offices, cultural institutions, and other community organizations. These partners, having a stake in public education, must be made aware of the importance of the arts to education. Compassion, requires that potential partners understand the needs and concerns of each others's lives. Compassion also recognizes that different levels and kinds of support are needed to enable students to reach standards which are uniform for all. Imagination, which is the essence of the arts, must be used to promote and support the arts. The address is followed by position statements of the California Arts Council, the California Department of Education, and the Getty Center for Education in the Arts. (MM)