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Michael - call
682-5409 (Presiduct's
Commuittee on the
Arts I the Humanitus)
for more Acts Ed.
the NEA mebsite
info or look on
arts. endow.gov,
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Flirm
Coming Up Taller
Arts and Humanities Programs
for Children and Youth At Risk
WIOLENCE<
K TEE ON THE ARTS AND THE
a
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PAGE 01
Eloquent Evidence
PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 526
Washington, DC 20506
(202)682-5409
(202) 682-5668 Fax
[email protected]
FACSIMILE COVER SHEET
DATE:
June 1, 1998
File:
TO:
Michael O'Mary
Art 6 Education
FROM:
Regina Syquia regina
FAX NUMBER:
456-6244
NUMBER OF PAGES TRANSMITTED (including cover sheet):
10
COMMENTS:
Eloquent Evidence, per your request.
IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION,
PLEASE CALL (202) 682-5409.
PAGE 02
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Eloquent
Evidence:
Arts at the
Core of
Learning
»
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03
There is a growing consensus
among policy makers and parents
that the arts should be an integral
ELOQUENT EVIDENCE
part of education.
Arts at the Core of Learning
A dramatic revolution in cognitive understanding began
in the 1970's. Research now substantiates what some
The National Conference of State Legislatures
teachers and parents already knew intuitively - that the arts
emphasized the importance of the arts in all
are critical to education and learning.
aspects of education in its 1992 comprehensive
Most of the studies cited here are summarized in the
study. Reinventing the Wbeel: A Design for
recently completed Schools, Communities and the Arts: A
Student Achievement in the 21st Century.
Research Compendium, developed by the National
Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with the Morrison
In Goals 2000: Educate America Act. the arts
Institute for Public Policy. Using set selection criteria, this
are recognized as part of the core curriculum,
compendium focuses on studies published since 1985 which
alongside other chaltenging subject matter
employed sound methodologies.
like English. mathematics. science.
foreign languages and history.
"During the past quarter century, literally
thousands of school-based programs have demon-
The Improving America's School Act.
strated beyond question that the arts can not only
approved by Congress in 1994. reinforced the
bring coherence to our fragmented academic
importance of the arts in relation to other
world, but through the arts, students' performance
subjects and as vital subjects in themselves.
in other academic disciplines can be enhanced
as well Ernest L Boyer, president of the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching
Twenty-eight states now require some study
of the arts for high school graduation. a
dramatic increase since 1980 when only two
More than a quarter million Americans serve on nearly
states included the arts. In some states.
14,500 independent school boards and approximately
study in the arts is 1 requirement for college
40,000 town, city and county councils across the country.
entrance and graduation requirements.
The evidence presented here is addressed to this key
audience. It is also addressed to anyone concerned about
National Conference of State Legislatures. 1992
how children learn.
Surveys show that a majority of parents think
Although the arts remain undervalued in many school
that the arts are as important as reading,
districts, this is changing as the connection between the arts
writing. math. science. history or geography.
and learning becomes clear and evident. Well-known and
More than half said they favored cuts in
respected leaders now advocate the view put forth in 1984
administration or sports in order to pay for
by John 1. Goodlad in A Place Called School, when he
arts classes. The vast majority of parents want
concluded that, "The arts are not an educational option;
their children to have more experience with
they are basic."
the arts than they had when they were young.
The value of arts education is now firmly grounded in
Americans and the Arts 17. " Louis Harris. 1992
theory and research. Although the hard-nosed, scientific
language used in studies is often lacking in literary
eloquence, the evidence accumulated Is eloquent testimony
to the remarkable relationship between learning, knowing,
and the arts.
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PAGE 04
The arts are serious and rigorous
The arts have far-reaching potential to help
academic subjects. They are an essential
students achieve education goals.
aspect of human knowing.
The groundbreaking theory of multiple intelligences,
developed by Howard Gardner of Harvard University,
"Science will. produce the data but never the
broadens our view of how humans learn and realize their
full meaning. For perceiving real significance, we
potentials. It shows that the arts can play a crucial role in
shall need most of all the brains of poets, [and]
improving students' ability to learn because they draw on
also those of artists, musicians, philosophers
a range of intelligences and learning styles, not just the
distorians writers in general Lewis rhomas Sciential
linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences upon which
most schools are based.
The arts convey knowledge and meaning not learned
Schools that incorporate music, art, drama, dance, and
through the study of other subjects. They represent a form of
creative writing into the basic curriculum have found that
thinking and a way of knowing that is based In human
teaching the arts has a significant effect on overall success in
imagination and judgment.
school. Because the arts are closely associated with
important ideas and events in history, students who have a
The arts delight students, but they are also intellectual
good background in the arts are likely to have a richer
disciplines of substance. Like language or mathematics, the
source of information and insight to draw upon, compared
arts involve the use of complex symbols to communicate. To
to those who do not study the arts.
attain competence in the arts, it is necessary to gain literacy
with these symbol systems. Some, like music and painting,
For example, students of the arts continue to
use non-verbal symbols; others, like poetry and song, use
outperform their non-arts peers on the Scholastic
language in particular ways.
Assessment Test, according to The College Entrance
Examination Board. In 1995, SAT scores for students who
Arts teachers daily ask their students to engage in
studied the arts more than four years were 59 points higher
learning activities which require use of higher-order
on the verbal and 44 points higher on the math portion
thinking skills like analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
than students with no coursework or experience in the arts.
Arts education, then, is first of all an activity of the mind.
The College Board, Profile of SAT and Acbievement Test Takers, 1995
Creative activity is also a source of joy and wonder,
It has also been documented that the arts have the
while it bids Its students to touch and taste and hear and see
potential to aid learning in specific areas, such as reading,
the world. Children are powerfully affected by storytelling,
writing, math and creativity.
music, dance, and the visual arts. They often construct
their understanding of the world around musical games,
imaginative dramas and drawing.
This view of the arts as important ways of knowing and
constructing knowledge finds its roots most notably in the
philosophical work of Ernst Cassirer, Susanne Langer and
Nelson Goodman and in the theories of many cognitive
scientists.
Theories and Research That Support Art Instruction for Instrumental
Outcomes, by Karen A. Hamblen, 1993
2
3
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Reading, Writing and Math Skills Can Be
Vocabulary and reading comprehension were
Enhanced Through the Arts
significantly improved for elementary students in the
"Arts Alternatives" program in New Jersey. A strong
Many studies document the role of the arts in improving
connection between drama skills and literacy was found in
basic skills, the 3'Rs. Because of the mounting evidence
this program, which involved role-playing, improvisational
linking the arts to basic learning, some researchers refer to
the arts as "The Fourth R."
techniques and story writing activities.
The Impact of an Improvisational Dramatics Program on Student
Students improved an average of one to two
Attitudes and Acbievement, by Annelle F. Courgey, Jason Bosseau, and Juditb
Delgado, 1985
months in reading for each month they participated
in the "Learning to Read Through the Arts" program
The writing quality of elementary students was
in New York City. Students' writing also improved, the study
consistently and significantly improved by using
revealed. "Learning to Read Through the Arts," an intensive,
drawing and drama techniques, compared to the control
integrated arts curriculum, has been designated a model
group, which used only the discussion approach. Drama and
program by the National Diffusion Network and has been
drawing techniques allowed the student writer to test-out,
adopted by numerous schools and districts across
evaluate, revise and integrate ideas before writing begins,
the country.
thus significantly improving the results.
Cbapter I Developer/Demonstratton Program: Learning to Read Through the
Drama and Drawing for Narrative writing in Primary Grades, by Blaine H.
Arts. 1992-93, Office of Educational Research, New York City Board of
Moore and Helen Caldwell, 1993
Education, 1993, 1981, 1978
Students made significant gains over the control
"Humanitas Program" students in Los Angeles high
group in language mechanics, total language and
schools wrote higher quality essays, showed more
writing on the California Achievement Tests after
conceptual understanding of history and made more
participating in a special music and poetry program.
interdisciplinary references than non-Humanitas
Tbe Cognitive and Bebavioral Consequences of Using Music and Poetry In a
students. Low-achieving students made gains equivalent
Fourth Grade Language Arts Classroom, by Carolyn Carter Hudspetb. 1986
to those made by high-achieving students. The Humanitas
program incorporates the arts into a broad humanities
curriculum, drawing upon the relationship between
literature, social studies and the arts. The program has
reached 3,500 students in twenty high schools.
The Humanitas Program Evaluation 1990-91, by Pamela Aschbacber and
Joan Herman, 1991
The most gains in total reading, reading
vocabulary and reading comprehension were made by
elementary students in the "Spectra+" arts program
in Ohio, compared to the control group. The students also
scored better in math comprehension.
The Schooled Mind: Do the Arts Mabe a Difference? All Empirical
Evaluation of the Hamilton Pairfield SPECTRA Program. 1992-93.
by Richard L. cuftig, 1994
4
5
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Creativity Is Naturally Developed
concrete rewards of hard work. All these factors can
Through the Arts
encourage higher attendance and decrease drop-out rates.
Every child has the innate urge and capacity to be
"The process of studying and creating art in all
artistically expressive. Arts education requires students to
of its distinct forms defines those qualities that are
draw upon their creative abilities and to deepen them, as
at the heart of education reform in the 1990's -
well. The benefit is that creative thinking, once learned early,
creativity, perseverance, a sense of standards,
lasts for a lifetime and can be applied in other endeavors.
and above all, a striving for excellence
Total creativity measures were four times higher
U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Biley
for elementary students in an arts curriculum than for
the control groups in two Ohio school districts. Gains were
Classes were more interactive, there were more
maintained and continued to improve in a second year
student-initiated topics and discussions, more time
evaluation.
was devoted to literacy activities and problem-solving
Tbe Schooled Mind: Do the Arts Make a Difference? An Empirical
Evaluation of the Hamilton Fairfield SPECTRA+ Program, 1992-93,
activities in schools using the arts-based "Different
by Richard L. Luftig. 1994
Ways of Knowing" program. The program also produced
significant positive effects on student achievement,
Originality and imagination scores were
motivation and engagement in learning.
significantly higher for preschool children with
Different ways of Knowing: 1991-94 National Longitudinal Study Final
disabilities after participation in a dance program
Report, by James S. Catterall. 1995
than for those participating In the adapted physical
education program.
Students see relationships, question and analyze
Effect of a Dance Program on the Creativity of Preschool Handicapped
material, and clearly articulate thoughts through the
Children, by Danielle Jay, 1991
"Humanitas Program." These students also had
significantly higher class attendance and were significantly
"Pyramids, cathedrals and rockets exist not
less likely to drop out of school. They reported more
because of geometry, theories of structures or
positive perceptions about their academic abilities than did a
thermodynamics, but because they were first
comparison group. Teachers reported an overall new
a picture - literally a vision in the minds
enthusiasm for teaching.
of those who built them Historian Eugene Ferguson
Tbe Humanisas Program Evaluation 1990-91. by Pamela Ascbbacher and
Joan Herman, 1991
The open and exploratory nature of the arts
lessons in New York City's "Arts Partners" program
allowed students to explore their "regular" subject
Student Engagement and Persistence
areas more actively. The students drew upon their
Improve with an Arts-Based Curriculum
learning from the "core" disciplines for much of the content
The arts can transform the classroom environment,
for their art works, thus reinforcing academic achievement
making learning a lively, invigorating experience. With their
Arts and Cognition: A Study of the Relationship Between Arts Partners
Programs and the Development of Higher Level Thinking Processes in
emphasis on creative discovery and their ability to stimulate
Elementary and Junior High School Students, by Carol Fineberg, 1991
a variety of learning styles, the arts engender enthusiasm and
motivation for learning. The arts also teach discipline, the
value of sustained effort to achieve excellence, and the
6
7
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PAGE 07
9
High-Risk Students Helped Through the Arts
Seventy-five percent of Manchester Craftsmen's
Guild students go on to college. An after-school program
for at-risk high school students at a community arts center
"When I examine myself and my method of
in Pittsburgh, the Guild's extraordinary success shows how
thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift
valuable community arts groups can be to school districts.
of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent
Safe Havens, Portraits of Educational Effectiveness in Community Art Centers
for absorbing knowledge Albert Einstein
that Focus on Education in Economically Disadvantaged Communities, by
Jessica Dauls. 1993
Many students find that the arts help them master
Fifth grade remedial readers using creative drama
academic skills. Drawing helps writing. Song and poetry
as a learning strategy scored consistently higher on
make facts memorable. Drama makes history more vivid and
the Metropolitan Reading Comprehension Test. The
real. Creative movement makes processes understandable.
drama readers' scores also showed a steady increase over
This is doubly true for the high-risk student, who often
the six-week period. The comparative group engaged in the
excels for the first time in an arts program.
same reading activities, followed by vocabulary lessons and
Sometimes, the student who is not doing well in
discussion of the story.
traditional academics might have an artistic talent that has
The Effectiveness of Creative Drama as an Instructional Strategy to
not yet flowered. As the writers of The Fourth R point out:
Enbance the Reading Comprehension Skills of Fiftb-Grade Remedial Readers,
by Sberry DuPont, 1992
"Imagine what might happen to Leonardo da Vinci today If
he were placed in the average American public school. This
Drama techniques were an effective method for
illegitimate son of a poor woman, a left-handed writer who
promoting facility in English as a second language
loved to draw and challenge conventional thought, would be
among young children. The "drama group" exhibited
labeled an at-risk special education candidate..." Schools
significantly greater improvement than the control group in
with an integrated arts curriculum might be better able to
total verbal output.
address the needs of students like da Vinci.
Enbancing the Practice of Drama in Education Through Research,
by Lawrence O'Farrell, 1993
High-risk elementary students with one year in
the "Different Ways of Knowing" program gained
8 percentile points on standardized language arts
tests; students with two years in the program gained
Understanding of One's Self and Others
16 percentile points. Non-program students showed no
Expands with Arts Education
percentile gain in language arts. Students with three years in
the program outscored non-program students with
Based on what we know, what do students need in order
significantly higher report card grades in the core subject
to do well in school? Belief that success in school is possible
areas of language arts, math, reading and social studies.
is one of the most important factors for students. Positive
self-perceptions have been shown repeatedly to aid the
Participants showed significantly higher levels of engagement
development of skills and learning.
and increased beliefs that there Is value in personal effort
for achievement. In total, 920 elementary students in 52
Related to self-concept is an understanding of others.
classrooms were studied in this national longitudinal study
Cultural studies challenge students to respond to the world,
in Los Angeles, south Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
to look beyond themselves and to see the connectedness of
Different Ways of Knowing: 1991-94 National Longlsudinal Study Final
human society. The arts foster understanding of other
Report, by James S. Catterall, 1995
cultures, their histories, symbols, myths, values and beliefs.
8
9
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08
Projections about the demographic composition of the
The Arts Prepare Students for Jobs
nited States in the next 40 years show that the "minority"
opulation will soon be the majority population. These
Skill requirements for all workers are going up,
rejections have profound implications for educators, as
including those in production and support jobs. In the
ley prepare our children for tomorrow's world.
modern business environment, the ability to communicate,
adapt, diagnose problems and find creative solutions is more
Students reported significantly improved attitudes
important than ever before. These attributes can be nurtured
elating to self-expression. trust, self-acceptance
and honed through studying the arts.
nd acceptance of others in the "Arts Alternatives"
rogram in New Jersey.
Arts education also plays a role in improving and
be Impact of an Improvisational Dramatics Program on Student Attitudes
maintaining a community's business climate. In a study of
nd Achievement, by Annalte F. Gourgey, Jason Bosseau and Judith Delgado,
142 businesses, most agreed that cultural amenities,
985
including arts education, were important "quality of life"
factors in their location decisions. Businesses say that
I Attitudes and perceptions toward Native Americans
schools are the most important vehicle for enhancing
vere changed through arts instruction. In Arizona,
awareness of and interest in the arts.
nusic and cultural experiences were effective in diminishing
A Study of the Perceptions of Business and Community Leaders Regarding
ourth grade students' stereotypical views toward minority
the Economic Importance of the Arts and Arts Education in Mississippi,
cultures.
by Jorja Pound Turnipseed, Giacamo M. Oliva, Charles A. Campbell and
Steven C. Hardin, 1991
(orth American Indian Music Instruction: Influences upon Attitudes.
Cultural Perceptions, and Acbievement, by Kay Louise Edwards. 1994
Communications skills were ranked as the second
Self-concept is positively enhanced through the
most important factor In hiring, a national employer
arts, according to a review of 57 studies, as are
study reveals. Employers look at educational levels and
language acquisition, cognitive development, critical-
certificates, but what is more important to employers is how
thinking ability and social skills. The authors examined
the applicant presents himself or herself, in terms of attitude
studies of measurable results in the emotional and social
and communication skills.
development of children. The relationship between music
Educational Quality of the Workforce National Employer Survey: First
Findings, by Lisa Lynch and Robert Zemsby, 1995
participation and self-concept was strongly in evidence.
The Effects of Arts and Music Education on Students' Self-Concept,
Arts education aids achievement of "core
by Jerry Trusty and Giacomo M. Olive, 1994
competencies" needed for employment, according to a U.S.
Fifth grade students derived satisfaction from
Labor Department's report (Secretary's Commission on
their band experience regardless of their perception
Achieving Necessary Skills, SCANS). The arts are cited as
of their talents. In a study of six elementary schools in a
important for certain "foundation" skills which include
large suburban school district, students viewed their role as
thinking creatively, problem solving, exercising individual
band members as part of their identity and benefited from
responsibility, sociability and self-esteem.
both peer and adult recognition.
The Elementary Band Experience as Viewed by Students, Parents, Teachers
and Administrators. by Cyntbia Anne Leblanc, 1990
10
II
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PAGE 09
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
AND PARENTS
The $36 Billion Nonprofit Arts Industry Is A
Source of Future Employment for Students
Eloquent Evidence: Arts at the Core of Learning, by
There are jobs in the arts! It is an industry that provides
Elizabeth Murfee. We encourage broad distribution of this
substantial employment opportunities, about 1.3 million jobs
guide. Feel free to reproduce it and make it available to
per year, a fact sometimes overlooked by educators. The
anyone who would benefit from it. Each study has its own
economic dimensions of the nonprofit arts sector are
context and complexities that cannot be presented in this
extensive at $36 billion. It jumps to $314 billion when the
brief format. Additional coples can be obtained from the
commercial arts sector is added.
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, 1010 Vermont
Arts in the Local Economy, National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies, 1994
Avenue NW, Suite 920, Washington, DC 20005.
1992 State of the Arts Report. National Endowment for the Arts
Schools, Communities, and the Arts: A Research
"Out of a classroom of 30 children, maybe 10 will be
Compendium, developed by the National Endowment for the
employed in an arts-related occupation someday," says
Arts in cooperation with the Morrison Institute for Public
Rexford Brown of the Education Commission of the States.
Policy, can be purchased in print and diskette versions by
This factor alone shows the necessity of arts education in
contacting the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education
each and every one of our nation's schools.
Network, Education Department, the John F. Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC 20566-0001, 202-
416-8845.
Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary
Schools, the most current survey of the conditions of arts
education, can be obtained from the National Center for
Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, Rm. 418,
555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20208; or
Goals 2000 Art: Partnership
contact Judi Carpenter 202-219-1333.
More than 100 national organizations From the
The Basic School, A Community for Learning, by
education, arts, corporate and private foundation, and
Ernest Boyer, In which the arts are considered an essential
government sectors have formed the Goals 2000 Arts
understanding for all elementary school students, can be
Education Partnership to ensure that the arts become
purchased from California Princeton Fulfillment Services,
a vital component of every child's education Chances
1445 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, NJ 08618, 800-777-4726.
are this booklet has found its way to you thanks to 2
Be Smart, Include Art: A Planning Kit for PTAs,
member organization of this unique Partnership.
can be obtained from The National PTA, 330 North Wabash
For more information about the Goals 2000
Avenue, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60611.
Partnership, including copies of The Arts and
State and local arts agencies and state alliances for arts
Education: Partners in Achieving Our National
education are important, useful resources. They often have
Education Goals, contact the Partnership's national
abundant materials, resources, and expertise in arts
office, c/o the Council of Chief State School Officers,
education.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington,
DC 20001.
12
2026825668
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PAGE 10
PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE
ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Honorary Chair
John Brademas, Chairman
Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Vice Chair
Cynthia Perrin Schneider, Vice Chair
Terry Semel, Vice Chair
Susan Barnes-Gelt
Quincy Jones
Lerone Bennett, Jr.
Emily Malino
Madeleine Harris Berman
Robert Menschel
Curt Bradbury
Rita Moreno
John H. Bryan
Jaroslav Pelikan
Hilario Candela
Anthony Podesta
Anne Cox Chambers
Phyllis Rosen
Margaret Corbett Daley
Marvin Sadik
Everett Fly
Ann Sheffer
David P. Gardner
Raymond Smith
Harvey Golub
Isaac Stern
Richard S. Gurin
Dave Warren
Irene Y. Hirano
Shirley Wilhite
David Henry Hwang
Harold Williams
William Ivey
Federal Members:
Jane Alexander
Roger Kennedy
James H. Billington
Barl A. Powell III
Joseph D. Duffey
Richard W. Riley
Diane B. Frankel
Leslie Samuels
Sheldon Hackney
Lawrence Wilker
1. Michael Heyman
Timothy Wirth
Roger Johnson
Ellen McCulloch-Lovell, Executive Director
This publication is a joint project of the President's Committee on the Arts
and the Humanitles and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies,
using material published by the National Endowment for the Arts.
11 is made possible through the generosity of the General Electric Fund.
NATIONAL
JASM
ENDOWMENT
GE
NATIONAL Assembly
FOR
THE
of STATE ARTS AGENCIES
ARTS
Written by Elizabeth Murfee
First printing October 1995
Design by Cummings Advertising/Art, Inc.
Second princing April 1996
Printed on recycled paper