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Arts Education Report Card Shows ‘Mediocre’ Achievement

June 16, 2009
 
Today, for the first time in 11 years, the federal government released a national report card on achievement in the arts among 8th graders.  This long-awaited report finds that since 1997, our nation’s students have not made significant progress in developing their skills and knowledge in the arts. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) in the Arts report is the only continuing, national measure of academic achievement in America’s schools. 
 
A nationally representative sample of over 7,900 eighth grade students from public and private schools participated in the NAEP Arts Assessment in 2008. Students were measured on their ability to create and respond to the visual arts; whereas, the study scaled back on music questions and only measured a student’s ability to respond and identify music.  Unfortunately, theatre and dance skills were not assessed at all due to budgetary and data collection constraints, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

 
As reported today in the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, and USAToday, the findings are “mediocre,” “lackluster,” and “may make America’s arts instructors kind of blue.”  Not a great report card.  However, new U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan gave a strong reaction

in support of arts education, “This Arts Report Card should challenge all of us to make K-12 arts programs more available to America’s children …We can and should do better for America’s students.”
 
As you may know, Americans for the Arts has been leading a national effort to increase federal funding and to strengthen the role of the arts in the classroom through legislative efforts in Congress.  We have published a set of legislative recommendations that calls for changes to the problematic No Child Left Behind Act. Our schools need greater support for arts education – take two minutes to send a message to your Congressional delegation, please visit our E-Advocacy Center.
 
To raise awareness of the importance of arts education, we have also been leading, along with The Ad Council, the NAMM Foundation and hundreds of local, state, and national campaign partners, a public service awareness campaign titled, “The Arts. Ask For More.” currently airing on radio and television and appearing in print media.  In the television and radio ads, the arts are equated with a healthy diet; just like kids need healthy foods on a daily basis, kids need their daily serving of the arts. Included in the campaign is a list of “10 Simple Ways,” detailing how parents can get involved in their child’s arts education.

 
Please take action on this important education effort by sending a message to your member of Congress let your voice be heard.
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Help us continue this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund.  Play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today — it’s free and simple.