“Arts integration” is a mouthful of a term for a simple idea: using the arts to help students learn about other subjects. Now, a study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) quantifies the effects. It finds that high-quality programs that incorporate music, theater or other arts into core subjects such as English and math can make a difference in learning.
What’s more, the study describes how arts integration programming that has research-based evidence of effectiveness may be eligible for funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act, one of the leading sources of federal support for public school education.
AIR researchers scoured studies of arts-integration programs and found 44—a substantial number—that meet the standards of evidence the law requires. Programs that fit the bill incorporate a range of activities, including teacher professional development, school improvement efforts, procurement of instructional materials and supports for English learners.
Meredith Ludwig, who led the study, presented its findings at the Arts Education Partnership’s State Policy Symposium in March. You can download AIR’s complete report here.
