Community arts educators advocate strongly for the importance of arts integration in K-12 schools. However, it’s not always clear how much data—particularly robust quantitative data—there is to back up the case. New research from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is helpful for starting to fill that gap. According to the Wallace Foundation, the research “finds that high-quality programs that incorporate music, theater or other arts into core subjects such as English and math can make a difference in learning.” Furthermore, the study details how specific arts integration programs may be eligible for funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“AIR researchers scoured studies of arts-integration programs and found 44—a substantial number—that meet the standards of evidence the law requires. Programs that fit the bill incorporate a range of activities, including teacher professional development, school improvement efforts, procurement of instructional materials and supports for English learners,” writes the Wallace Foundation.
You can see the presentation given by AIR on the report or read the full document here.
Published: May 31, 2018