SCHOOLS NEED THE ARTS.Kierra Giles

WHY?Provides for a well rounded education.Teaches confidence.Helps students get better grades.Teaches communication and listening.

In the federal No Child Left Behind Act, also known as NCLB, the arts share equal billing with reading, math, science, and other disciplines as “core academic subjects,” which can contribute to improved student learning outcomes.

Forty-nine states have established content and/or performance standards that outline what students should know and be able to do in one or more art forms; 43 states require schools or districts to provide arts instruction.

Schools integrating the arts into the curriculum as part of a comprehensive education reform strategy are documenting positive changes in the school environment and improved student performance.

The American public, by an overwhelming margin, believes the arts are vital to a well-rounded education; more than half rate the importance of arts education a “ten” on a scale of one to ten.

PUBLIC VIEW OF ARTS IN SCHOOL.• A May 2005

Harris Poll on the attitudes of Americans toward arts education, commissioned by Americans for the Arts, revealed strong public support. Among the findings:

93%

83%

79%

86%

79%

54%

agree the arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education for children, a 2% increase over 2001.

agree an arts education encourages and assists in the improvement of a child’s attitudes toward school.

believe that arts education helps teach children to communicate effectively with adults and peers.

agree incorporating the arts into education is the first step in adding back what’s missing in public education today.

rated the importance of arts education a “ten” on a scale of one to ten.

believe that it’s important enough for them to get personally involved in increasing the amount and quality of arts education.

SAT SCORES AND THE ARTS• Students who take

art classes in high school tend to have higher math and verbal scores on their SAT’s.

• The more years a student participates, the higher their SAT score tends to be.

Arts Course-taking Patterns and SAT Scores, 2005

Verbal

Math

4+ years arts 534 540

4 years 543 541

3 years 514 516

2 years 508 517

1 year 501 515

½ year 485 502

Average for All SAT Test Takers

508 520Source: 2005 College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile Report , The College Board, 2005, Table 3-3; SAT Scores of Students Who Study the Arts: What We Can and Cannot Conclude about the Association , Kathryn Vaughn and Ellen Winner (Fall 2000).

THE ARTS ARE BEING LOST

Budget cuts.

Over the years budget cuts have forced many schools to cut back on the classes they can offer to students.

The performing and visual art departments are some of the first to go.

And even if they stay schools are forced to charge large sums to be able to participate.

They are important

Or instead money that could have been given to art programs are given to another departments.

Each School

WHERE ARE THE ARTS IN OUR BUDGET

Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balance For the Fiscal Year

Ended August 31, 2012

School Districts Finances in Washington State.

The performing and visual arts are not even included, but Athletics are.

The Fine arts are just as important and should be treated as such.

Revenues

General Student Body $47,100,532 Athletics $29,664,014Classes $8,296,888 Clubs $34,150,743 Private Moneys $2,702,292 Total Revenues $121,914,469

Expenditures General Student Body $37,299,036Athletics $36,159,741Classes $8,282,931 Clubs $36,090,905Private Moneys $2,477,077

Total Expenditures $120,309,690

Source: SPI Report F-196, Annual Financial Statement for School Districts.

MORE MONEY TO THE ARTSThe art programs in schools help children so much, but money is hard to come by and it needs to be made a priority instead of an after thought.

CITATIONS Ruppert, Sandra. "Critical Evidence How the ARTS Benefit Student

Achievement." Www.nassa-arts.org/Publications/Critical-evidence.pdf. National Assembly of States Arts Agencies. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.

Dom, Randy. "Organization and Financing of Washington Public Schools Page 126." Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State of Washington, 1 May 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2014. <http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/ORG/Org.asp>.