Fine Arts Funding

The article “Book Tackles Old Debate: Role of Art in Schools” by Robin Pogrebin explains the influence of art and the conclusion of two researchers, Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland. “Students who study the arts seriously are taught to see better, to envision, to persist, to be playful and learn from mistakes, to make critical judgements and justify such judgements,” conclude both researchers.

By having art programs in schools students gain skills such as, problem solving, critical and creative thinking, integration of multiple skill sets, and working with others. Qualities such as these are very necessary for creating exemplary students. Arts have already proven to help with many long standing problems but critical thinking is needed for jobs in the outside world. “ … Creating art supports problem-solving, creative thought and critique like no other discipline.” ( Schoales,2) By participating in artistic classes students gain discipline that most classes fail to teach. These valuable lessons learned from art can’t be found anywhere

One reason they should not be cut from schools is, fine arts have tremendous benefits. The arts also help with early childhood development. Some say they are the building blocks of child development. Arts education helps with motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness and diversity, and even improved academic performance. High arts education in a school engages, learning, results in higher test scores, and lowers drop out and truancy rates.

A student who does not enjoy the fundamental classes might not find interest in going to school. The innovated minds that find tranquility in a music class or rather a basic art class is more likely to look forward to attending school the next day. Fine arts enhance the mind. It enhances what is already there or

Ruppert, S. ( 2006) Critical evidence: how the arts benefit student achievement. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Retrieved from

“Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance” ("11 Facts about Arts in Education"). Music and art are clearly not two subjects that schools today can afford to cut off funding for based on this evidence. Music and art programs are responsible for increasing school attendance, which can lead to being one of the most important things in a student’s academic success in school. Students have to attend school and be present in order to attain the information from their classes and teachers if they wish to succeed. Better attendance means more students are in class, which means more students are getting the information they need to excel from their teachers, which ultimately means better grades and test scores for schools. As of today, arts are defined as core subjects in only twenty-six states in America (Mandel). If only twenty-six states are treating art education as a core subject, that means that twenty-four states are currently neglecting art programs and not considering them important to their student’s education. If more states are educated on the importance of art programs for young students, and the arts are defined as core subjects nationally, then there will be a

• Visual art classes help develop motor skills in young children in elementary schools. Topic 3: Fine arts can be beneficial on student’s performance. • Art education improves student’s performance in core academic subjects. • Students with four years of art courses scored 91 points higher on SAT exams than those who took half a year or less.

Having arts in school is a way a student express himself or herself in ways they are unable to in any other classroom. It is important for each student to have their own identity and have ways of letting their talents and personalities shine. For some, it may be sports or scholars bowl, for others it is art, music, or theater. “I have several students who don’t care to be on the football field or on the basketball court. These students find their nitch in the practice room, on the stage, or in front of an easel surrounded by paints and brushes. As sports are a release for athletes, music and art are ways to express feelings and emotions. Fine arts has helped many of my students find their identity” (Wildeman). There are many benefits to music education include being disciplined, learning a skill, being part of the music world, managing performance, and being part of something you can be proud

Fine arts are one of the first things that get cut when school budgets are getting tight. Administrators even question why we have a fine arts program if it’s not beneficial to the curriculum. You need fine arts to improve creativity and mindset for whatever you may want to do, and help kids see a way to have a place to belong and get in where they may feel left out or otherwise rejected. Research shows that low poverty areas that have fine arts programs keep kids occupied and out of trouble. Fine arts should be kept in schools because it keeps kids out of trouble, improved school results, and the outcome of fine arts involvement.

Fine arts should be school sponsored and implemented in the school curriculum. First of all it has tremendous academic benefits. Studies done at the University of California Irvine, or UCI, show when children and teens are exposed to music, preferably classical music (which is a common theme among school bands), they tend to have better memories and they are able to retain information better than students who aren’t exposed to music. Chris Brewer, founder of Lifesounds Educational Services, says that music also helps with focus and attitude, both in school and out. Music, however, isn’t the only art that promotes academic achievement. Choosing to be a part of or even being exposed to the opportunity of arts such as theater, vocal and

It can improve test scores and educational ability in many different ways. Participation in the arts program shows higher levels of confidence in academics than those who don't have instruction in this area. A study was done in 2004 addressing Psychological Science it was discovered that there is an increase in children's IQ's when they were given instruction in arts and music. In the article The Arts are a Vital Part of Education, it states, students who take fine arts classes are 4 times more likely to receive more recognition for academic achievement." Students who take fine arts classes also tend to have more skill in learning and developing languages. Communication is extremely important in a student's life, therefore having the fine arts program to increase speaking skill is beneficial to the student. Performing arts not only allows children to not only listen to music but to play music which enhances their verbal capacities and

There are many different types of art programs. As mentioned before there is band, choir, drama, art, dance. Not only is it a fun experience, it also helps with academic performances. In an article by “Juliette Sivertsen” she states “ Studies such as this report from the Arts Education Partnership suggest school children exposed to drama, music and dance are more proficient in reading, writing and math.” It is a proven fact that academics can immensely raise with performing arts in a regular school day schedule. Another reason fine arts is an important factor in academic education it helps with self confidence. Within the same article sivertsen also states “ Participation in the arts allows them to grow their self-esteem and self-confidence, developing poise and learning to overcome anxieties”. For some schools performing arts programs are just a waste of time.

Art education has been proven to help with “cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills” as well as “motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork” (Smith). Having the ability and patience to sit down and paint a masterpiece or work through a song on the piano requires high focus and dedication. Students willing to do this will in turn have stronger skills to focus and be dedicated in other subjects. The mixture of all these abilities gained from participation in art programs lead to higher test scores and overall better performance in school. Still, these are only a few of the assets provided by art education.

Schools that offer fine arts classes have lower dropout rates and raised attendance. The fine arts positively impact students of lower socioeconomic status more those of a higher  status. The fine arts have no barriers for race, religion, and culture when it comes to being involved in the arts. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to be involved (Katy Independent School District). Without the arts these students have no outlet for creative capabilities and no way to express their talents. Students who need this way of expressing themselves are overlooked and they are the ones who need it the most (Dickson). When viewing the participation of arts in the eyes of a ten-year old, “It cools kids down after all the other hard stuff they have to think about” (Arts and Smarts: Test Scores and Cognitive Development).

“People are forgetting that math is taught when a child is playing an instrument. English is taught when a child is reading or writing a script. Critical thinking is taught when a child is analyzing art” (Sabrina Holcomb). There is a significant correlation between participating in the arts, and success in school. Multiple studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between playing an instrument, and an increase in scores in mathematical subject. In these studies, it was also noted that students who were more creative were better problem solvers than students who were not as creative. All of these characteristics are sought after in the work force, meaning that the arts not only help during the school years, but in work and business as well (Ron Whitehorne). Also, it is important to note that “Low-income students who had arts-rich experiences in high schools were more than three times as likely to earn a B.A. as low-income students without those experiences. And the new study from the National Endowment reports that low-income high school students who earned little or no arts credits were five times more likely not to graduate from high school than low-income students who earned many arts credits” (Tyleah Hawkins). The arts have always been used as a form of expression and inspiration for people across the world, the arts have also been shown to improve high-risk student's outlook on their schooling. Research has shown that the arts help improve standardized test scores like the ACT or SAT (Tyleah Hawkins).People who support the arts believe that quality art education can help engage at-risk students in ways that other subjects such as math, science, or reading cannot. This is why it is believed that the arts are a key tool in the prevention of high-school dropout. There are many studies that point to a lower dropout rate for students who participate in