| Research Article/Best Practices
The Arts Lead to Stronger Academic Performance
(As reported at 2009 Governor's Awards
for the Arts, April 1, 2009, page 20)
“Significant research over the last decade has built a
strong case for the value of learning in the arts. Major
summaries, including; Champions of Change (2000);
Critical Links (2002); and now Critical Evidence: How
the Arts Benefit Student Achievement (2006), illuminate
the essential role the arts play in developing
intellectual and academic skills, as well as other
positive attributes.
In a 2008
report from The College Board, students who took four
years of arts coursework outperformed their peers who
had a half-year or less of arts coursework by 47 points
on the writing portion, 38 points on the math portion,
and 49 points on the critical reading portion of the
SAT. Research and public opinion support that arts
education fosters mental discipline, encourages
productivity, cultivates the ability to adapt to
ever-changing circumstances and encourages confidence in
individuality, knowledge, competence and personal
potential. The role of the arts in integrated,
interdisciplinary learning is essential to developing
creativity and meeting the demands of the 21st century
workforce.
Cultivating
imagination in our children serves as a cost effective
model to achieve innovation, which responds to the
demands of the global economy. Businesses believe that
the arts are an important component in building a
well-educated workforce. According to a national survey,
58 percent of businesses (and 76 percent of large
businesses) say that their arts support is essential to
educating children in their communities. The OAC
supports a wide range of programs that nourish the
imagination and creativity of young people while
cultivating thinking skills.”
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