The Arts Have Been Long-Recognized As A Vital Component

Section Two: History: Since public schools across the country have faced budget cuts in the past decade and a half, a common cost-cutting measure is to lessen the funding for arts education, prioritizing what are deemed more essential subjects such as math, reading, and science. Yet in fact, the current iteration of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, lists that the arts are among the core academic subjects, requiring all schools to enable all students to achieve in the arts and reap all the benefits of a comprehensive arts education. Yet the economically prioritized curriculum is still draining the sources from these imperative programs leaving instruments, paintbrushes, and other artistic pieces in closets to collect dust, because no one will be there to teach or use them. Most impacting in the history of

All around the United States, art programs are being cut out of the budget in public schools. The arts include dance, band, chorus, theatre, film, drawing, painting, photography and literary arts. Some school board members feel these art programs are not necessary and do not benefit the students in any way. Elementary, middle, and high school students are forced to quit their passion and feel that their talents are not supported by their schools. Although many are not aware, there is a strong connection between arts education and academic achievement. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts in many public schools, the art classes are first on the list to be cut. It is important that the students, parents and teachers

Art programs around the United States are being shut down due to the lack of funding and misunderstanding of the subject. Many people think that the arts are just about drawing and painting. However, literature, performing arts, and media arts are on the list too. Students who are involved in an art curriculum are more likely to be successful in school than those who do not take them.

In most affluent schools, parents have the expectation that their kids are being offered a full liberal arts curriculum that will allow them to further their creativity and curiosity. However, many schools have been only focusing on the subjects that are being tested on standardized tests set by the state, because they receive more school funding if they achieve higher test scores. In her article titled “The Essentials of a Good Education”, Diane Ravitch, utilizing direct examples of schools, and policies that limit student’s knowledge of the arts in order to have more time preparing for tests, points out that this shift in focus is causing students to suffer academically and is killing their curiosity and creativity.

“After a certain high level of technical skill achieved, science and arts tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientist are artist as well” (Albert Einstein). In this advanced modern tech-world mostly people are dependent on science and technology, but arts also play an important role in education. Art creates balanced thinking and better imagination which helps humans to be successful in their career. Yo-Yo Ma intensely informs about important role of arts in modern education society throughout his essay Necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and education. Ma illustrates that arts should be also part of education, because it improve students to filter their imagination through disciplined knowledge. Liberal arts should be equal to science and technology because it creates new idea, and in this modern world people should think critical than divergent in their lives. Empathy teaches students to understand and simplify the complicated life. Collaboration include discussion amongst people or group to make things effortless. Moreover liberal arts itself is beauty such as performing arts, it values the beauty of imagination in modern society by art and sculpture.

The American education system has not managed to survive a single day in which it has not been placed beneath society’s microscope to be analyzed and critiqued by both those involved and not. It comes as no surprise that there are a plethora of flaws involved in the institution of education. However, there is one entirely unique aspect of American education that has potential to alter the system’s negative persona; the fine arts programs. Rick Dean, a journalist for Topeka Capital Journal, researching Topeka’s new arts and education program stated, “Teachers and students participating in the program benefit from infusing fine arts across the curriculum, thinking critically. . . . to find creative and innovative solutions to problems beyond

Famous Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Schools all around the United States are closing their arts programs including music, art, and theatre, because of budget cuts. More than 25% of public high schools have closed done away with their arts programs. Blogger Katrina Soliman stated in her blog about the lack of creative opportunities in school, “Children have a knack for originality” and “Schools advise students to be creative but do not give time to do so.” The arts, however, are very important to children while they learn to grow and there have been hundreds of studies showing why they’re important. They improve test scores, give students creative ideas after high school and there are also other nonacademic uses.

Curiosity seems to be one of the greatest assists possessed by human kind, there seldom seems to be a child who doesn't ask the question "why?" frequently, but so often school as the innate ability to limit children's curiosity. Public education tends to be overlooked, most people don't see it for what it is, a way of nourishing and expanding the developing minds of youth, and a way of passing down culture and traditions. The education children receive is a toolkit to help them solve problems later in life, but the majority of the time students do not obtain the well-rounded education they need to prosper. Due to a multitude of different reasons, mostly attributed to budget, art programs are being cut out of curriculum. The reduction of budget

With the increase of global academic competition, fine arts programs have gradually lost focus. With the rise of new world powers such as; China, Singapore, and many others beating the United States in math, reading and science scores there has been increased focus on math, english and science classes and a decreases in other topics. The fine arts have been a part of public education for many years and are extremely beneficial to students. Fine arts programs should receive more attention and availability from governments because they improve student performance, increase graduation rates, provide inspiration and creativity, and boost mental development.

First, educators need to have a paradigm shift in the idea that arts education is the responsibility of only the art teacher. Fowler (1994) offers that strong schools tend to have strong arts program. Fowler (1994) states,

The ability to do well by comparison is a difficult knowledge to convey to an elementary age child; however, in recent years many educators have taken the “do your best approach” by insisting that children should not compare themselves to others by intellect. That wonderfully inclusive mindset aside — grades are still grades and firmly in place within the American school system, and so one of the many tasks at hand for educators is to figure out how to engage every student and encourage effort and good performance in assessments. The results of a multidimensional study by The University of Toronto’s Kathleen Gallagher show "the greater the level of student engagement [in the fine arts], the more likely students are to participate in classroom environments" (Gallagher, 2014). As such, educators are utilizing Arts Integration to achieve more student engagement which leads to higher student

“The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading writing, and arithmetic…music dance, painting, and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education).

William Bennet, the former US Secretary of Education, claims “The arts are an essential element of education . . . music, dance, painting . . . are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (ilmea.org, 2016, para 11). The arts are a crucial component to the success of students overall experience in the academic setting. Students exposed in the arts throughout their educational experience endure more benefits then those who go throughout school with no exposure to them. Schools must require creative art programs in the K-12 curricula, because of the academic, emotional, and social benefits for students.

Arts education in public schools is a very valuable asset to helping students become a well-rounded life-long learner. The arts are core subjects in the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the NC Basic Education Program, and, as such, are included as core subjects every student should learn as part of a balanced curriculum for all children in North Carolina, in short they are considered essential (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2011). Because the state budget has eliminated so many vital areas of the public school budget the arts instructional supplies and value of the arts overall have come under careful legislative scrutiny. States all over America are limiting arts instruction and some have eliminated programs due to high stakes testing and public funding shortfalls. Arts education encompasses three main areas. Vocal and instrumental based including; choral music, band, orchestra, and music appreciation; Performance based including theater arts, dance, dance and theater arts appreciation; and Visual based to include visual and studio arts, art appreciation and art history. Through research on the value of arts education in studies throughout

    The schools who cut their art programs first are those who are struggling to meet demands of academic curriculums. Many of the schools who cut or reduced their art programs were schools that