Fast Facts

K-12 Arts Education Access

  • Arts education opportunities have largely been in steady decline in the U.S. from the 1980s through 2000s. (Farkas Duffett Research Group, 2012; Rabkin & Hedberg, 2011).
  • Partnerships between arts organizations and schools: 42% of public schools in the U.S. partner with cultural or community organizations, 31% with individual artists, 29% with museums, and 26% with performing arts centers. (Parsad & Spiegelman, 2012).
  • Approximately 5.5% of U.S. public school teachers are arts teachers; this percentage remained fairly stable from 1988-2018. (Dalane, 2023).
  • The majority of high schools provide arts courses, though offerings vary substantially by discipline: 82% of all high schools offer at least one arts course in one of the “major” arts disciplines: 79% offer visual arts courses; 74% music; 46% theater; 16% dance. (Elpus, 2022).
  • The number of arts courses offered to students has been in decline since the advent of No Child Left Behind. From 1999-2000 to 2007-08, there was a 4% decline in music courses offered and a 1% decline in visual art courses (the number of theater and dance courses essentially went unchanged). (Gara et al., 2022)

Disparities in Arts Education Access

  • Cuts in arts learning opportunities have been more severe at schools serving higher proportions of lower-income, Black, Hispanic, and immigrant student populations (Balfanz et al., 2007; Government Accountability Office, 2009; Parsad & Spiegelman, 2012; Rabkin & Hedberg, 2011; Yee, 2014).
  • Schools with higher percentages of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and low-income students have consistently had a lower percentage of full-time arts teachers. Roughly 5-6% of full time teachers are primarily providing arts instruction; this proportion has been roughly 25-30% lower for schools serving greater concentrations of BIPOC and low-income students. However, this gap has shown signs of gradually closing since 2010. (Dalane, 2023)
  • School partnerships with arts organizations can effectively mitigate disparities in students’ arts learning opportunities and resources (Bowen & Kisida, 2023; Gibson, 2016; Perille, 2016).

Why We Need the Arts in Schools

  • The arts are intrinsically beneficial, a fundamental mode of human expression, and an essential component of a well-rounded education. (AAAS, 2021)
  • The arts support students’ social and emotional development., (American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS), 2021; Deasy, 2002; Farrington et al., 2019; Konrath & Kisida, 2021; Nowack, 2011; Tay et al., 2018).
  • The arts increase students’ empathy, reduce intolerance, and generate acceptance of others. (AAAS, 2021; Farrington et al., 2019; Konrath & Kisida, 2021; Nowak, 2011; Tay et al., 2018).

Empathy

  • Increase from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
  • Increase in historical empathy from a theater field trip program (Kisida et al., 2020)
  • Increase in students’ historical empathy from an enriching visual art museum school visit program. (Greene et al., 2014)

Tolerance

  • Increase in students’ tolerance from an enriching visual art museum school visit program. (Greene et al., 2014)
  • Increase in students’ tolerance from attending a live theater performance. (Greene et al., 2018)
The arts broaden our understanding and appreciation of our own as well as others’ identities, cultures, and histories. (AAAS, 2021; Eisner, 1992; Halverson, 2021).

Enthusiasm for Arts and Cultural Engagement

  • Increase in students’ interest in arts consumption from participating in a series of three culturally enriching field trips — theater, orchestra, and visual art museum (Erickson et al., forthcoming)
  • Increase in students’ interest in performing arts from a theater field trip program (Kisida et al., 2020)
  • Increase in students’ interest in visiting art museums from an enriching visual art museum school visit program (Greene et al., 2014)
The arts improve school engagement and culture. (AAAS, 2021; Dewey, 1919).

School Engagement

  • Increase in student engagement from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
  • Increase in student, parent, and teacher engagement from arts course enrollment (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)

Enthusiasm for Learning

  • Increase in interest in learning history from a theater field trip program (Kisida et al., 2020)

Student Attendance

  • Increase in average daily attendance and decrease in chronic absenteeism when students take an arts course (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)
  • Increase in average daily attendance from student participation in a series of three culturally enriching field trips — theater, orchestra, and visual art museum (Erickson et al., forthcoming)

College Aspirations

  • Increase from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)

Discipline

  • Decrease in students receiving disciplinary infractions from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
  • Decrease in the total number of student disciplinary infractions from participation in a series of three culturally enriching field trips — theater, orchestra, and visual art museum (Erickson et al., forthcoming).
  • Increase in students being suspended as a result of arts course enrollment (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)
The arts develop valuable life and career skills. (AAAS, 2021).

Critical Thinking Skills

  • Increase in students’ critical thinking about works of art (more representational as well as abstract) from enriching visual art museum school visit program (Bowen et al., 2014; Kisida et al., 2016)

Non-Arts Knowledge/Achievement

Writing
  • Increase in standardized writing achievement from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
Social Studies
  • Increase in state history content knowledge from a theater field trip program (Kisida et al., 2020)
Science
  • Increase in retained science content knowledge (astronomy and ecology) from a 3-week arts-integrated 5th grade instructional unit (relative to the same unit being taught traditionally, i.e., without arts integration). (Hardiman et al., 2014). However, a later study (with a larger sample) from the same lead researcher only found significant effects with students at “basic” reading proficiency level (as opposed to “proficient/advanced”). (Hardiman et al., 2019)
  • No effect from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
Math
  • No effect from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
Reading
  • No effect from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
The arts strengthen collaboration, community, and improve civic engagement. (AAAS, 2021; Dewey, 1919; Halverson, 2021; Tay et al., 2018).

General Public’s Perception of Arts Education

  • 90% of adults believe that the arts are an important part of the education system (Jackson, 2019).
  • 80% of adults agree that it is important to continue providing access to arts education outside of school (Jackson, 2019).
  • 80% of adults feel as though arts education is not as valued as it used to be (Jackson, 2019).
  • 93% of adults believe that exposure to different arts experiences broadens one’s mind (Jackson, 2019).

Findings on Impacts for Specific Populations

Students Receiving Special Education Services

  • Substantially larger positive effects on attendance from student arts course enrollment (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)

English Language-Learning (ELL) Students:

  • Positive social-emotional, school engagement, and writing effects from one year of arts learning provided through school-community arts partnerships appear to be more pronounced with ELL students (Bowen & Kisida, 2023)
  • Significant increases in teachers’ engagement and sense of school collegiality from increases in school-wide arts course enrollment for schools that serve higher proportions of ELL students (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)

Socioeconomic Status

  • Positive effects on critical thinking about art from an enriching visual art museum school visit program stronger for students from schools serving higher concentrations of FRL-eligible students. (Bowen et al., 2014; Kisida et al., 2016)
  • Positive effects on historical empathy, tolerance, and interest in visiting art museums from enriching visual art museum school visit program stronger for students from schools serving higher concentrations of FRL-eligible students (Greene et al., 2014)

Race/Ethnicity

  • Positive effects on parents’ school engagement from increases in students’ arts course enrollments stronger for schools with higher proportions of Black and Hispanic students (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)
  • Positive effects on interest in interest in performing arts and learning about history from a theater field trip program appear to be driven by effects on Black and Hispanic students (Kisida et al., 2020)
  • Positive effects on critical thinking about art from enriching visual art museum school visit program appear to be stronger for Black and Hispanic students (Bowen et al., 2014)

Urbanicity

Rural
  • Positive effects on critical thinking about art from enriching visual art museum school visit program stronger for students from schools serving more-rural communities (Bowen et al., 2014)
  • Positive effects on historical empathy, tolerance, and interest in visiting art museums from enriching visual art museum school visit program stronger for students from schools serving more-rural communities (Greene et al., 2014)

Grade Level

Elementary
  • Reductions in disciplinary infractions appear to be attributable to stronger impacts with secondary vs. elementary school students (Bowen & Kisida, 2023).
Middle School
  • Positive impacts on social-emotional outcomes appear to be attributable to stronger effects with elementary vs. secondary school students (Bowen & Kisida, 2023).
High School
  • Positive effects from students report being more engaged with learning and believe teachers are more engaged from increases in school-wide arts course enrollment appear to be attributable to stronger effects with high school students (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)

Students with a History of Chronic Absenteeism

  • Substantially larger positive effects on attendance from arts course enrollment (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)

Students with Lower Standardized Test Scores

  • Substantially larger positive effects on attendance from arts course enrollment (Bowen & Kisida, forthcoming)
  • Increase in retained science content knowledge (astronomy and life science) from a 3-4 week arts-integrated 5th grade instructional unit (relative to same unit being taught without arts integration) found to be effective with students at “basic” reading proficiency level (no effect found with “proficient/advanced” reading students). (Hardiman et al., 2019)
  • Increase in retained science content knowledge (astronomy and ecology) from a three-week arts-integrated 5th grade instructional unit (relative to same unit being taught without arts integration) primarily attributed to effects found with students at “basic” reading proficiency level (as opposed to “proficient/advanced”). (Hardiman et al., 2014)

Students with Low/No Prior Engagement in Arts

  • Positive effects on critical thinking about art from enriching visual art museum school visit program appear to be stronger for students who were making their first visit to a museum (Bowen et al., 2014)

References

  • Bowen, D. H., & Kisida, B. (forthcoming). Investigating arts education effects on school engagement and climate. Educational Policy.
  • Bowen, D. H., & Kisida, B. (2023). Investigating the causal effects of arts education. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 42(3), 624-647.
  • Eisner, E. W. (1992). The misunderstood role of the arts in human development. The Phi Delta Kappan, 73(8), 591-595.
  • Elpus, K. (2022). Access to arts education in America: the availability of visual art, music, dance, and theater courses in U.S. high schools. Arts Education Policy Review, 123(2), 50-69.
  • Farrington, C. A., Maurer, J., Aska McBride, M. R., Nagaoka, J., Puller, J. S., Shewfelt, S., Weiss, E. M., & Wright, L. (2019). Arts education and social-emotional learning outcomes among K-12 students: Developing a theory of action. Ingenuity and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research.
  • Jackson, C. (2019, April 9). Americans believe the arts are an important part of society and education. Ipsos.
  • Tay, L., Pawelski, J. O., & Keith, M. G. (2018). The role of the arts and humanities in human flourishing: A conceptual model. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(3), 215-225.
1American Academy of Arts & Science (2021). Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education.

2 Deasy, R. J. (2002). Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development.