Cuts in Arts Education Risk Leaving Children Behind

For those of you who have followed this blog or my other writings you are well aware of my take on NCLB. The goals and ideals of the law are certainly noble. It is the implementation of the law or misinterpretation of the law that peeves me. It is amazing that so many schools would actually implement an education law without fully understanding the spirit as well as the letter of the law. But, they have... and it has hurt arts programs tremendously. AEP has released a new report, Third Space: When Learning Matters, which will add another tool to our efforts to make the case for arts education in an NCLB world.

(AXcess News) Washington - Schools that have cut arts education to focus on preparing students for standardized tests might want to reconsider, according to a study released Tuesday. Published by the Arts Education Partnership, "Third Space: When Learning Matters" recounts and analyzes three years researchers studied 10 arts-centric public schools in underprivileged areas. Basing their evaluation on factors more intuitive and less calculable than standardized testing, the study's authors argue that arts education is a panacea for the ills caused by a numbing emphasis on reading and math. "The presence of the arts in these schools is the reason they've been transformed," AEP director Richard Deasy said. For years, scientists have correlated art immersion with improved cognitive development; that is among the study's supporting tenets. But "Third Space" also suggests that the arts, when integrated into core curricula, improve student social development, teacher effectiveness and satisfaction, school atmosphere and community involvement.

Now I know this seems like we are stating the obvious... but this is the kind of report we need to help us continue to make the case for arts education in an NCLB world. We may not like it... but it is the reality of the world in which we live. Read the article... then head to the AEP website to get the report. AXcessNews.com - Cuts in Arts Education Risk Leaving Children Behind