May 5, 2021
Supported by The Barr Foundation, The Arts Advantage: Impacts of Arts Education on Boston Students is a longitudinal research study was conducted by Dr. Daniel Bowen (Texas A&M University) and Dr. Brian Kisida (University of Missouri), who have a track record in conducting influential arts education research studies. The study encompasses an analysis of eleven years of arts education data and district data regarding student engagement, school climate, and traditional academic outcomes to examine arts educational impacts for students, and includes over 1,500 variables and 615,000 student-level observations. The ongoing BPS Arts Expansion collaborative effort between the Boston Public Schools, EdVestors, local and national funders, arts organizations, and community members has had remarkable impact. Some highlights from the study’s findings include:
- Positive effects on student attendance over the course of a school year, including a reduction in chronic absenteeism
- Increased levels of student engagement through gains in effort and participation in class, school belonging, and enthusiasm for the arts
- Higher levels of parent engagement with the school community, their child’s teachers, and being advocates for their school’s improvement
The breadth and depth of the study provides strong empirical evidence to strengthen case-making and inform decision-making around policy matters particularly involving allocation of resources for arts educational opportunities. This study provides a much-needed foundation for future research in arts education and generates new hypotheses for the field that can be utilized in building theory, designing interventions, and guiding future evaluations.
The study was covered in an article in CommonWealth Magazine.
Read the full report here.
Published: May 05, 2021