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A case study: one public school's endeavor to revive arts education

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A case study: one public school's endeavor to revive arts education

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Content Running Head: REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION

A CASE STUDY:
ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL’S ENDEAVOR TO
REVIVE ARTS EDUCATION

by

Juanita Naranjo

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2013

Copyright 2013 Juanita Naranjo

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION ii

Dedication
The measure of one’s success is not in the things they own, but in how many lives they
have made a difference. I learned this early on because it is the people who have demonstrated
their belief in me that have helped shape the person who I am today. They have been my
motivation to continue learning, growing, and moving forward, and my success is their success.
I dedicate this dissertation to my parents, Santiago and Alicia Naranjo, who have always
supported me in all my endeavors, and who always believed that I could achieve anything.
Mamá y Papá, gracias por todo su amor y apoyo. También les doy las gracias por enseñarme el
valor de la educación y por ayudarme a desarrollar en una mujer con valores y que conoce y
practica dedicación y buenos hábitos del trabajo. Mis estudios están dedicados a ustedes.
I also dedicate this dissertation to my sisters. Although we may have different points of
view at times, I know that I can always count on you for anything. Sonia, Sandra, Sylvia, and
Sophia—I love you all very much, and know that I completed this work for you!
Another group whom I dedicate my work to is my extended family. Tíos y Tías, los
admiro por todo lo que hacen para sus familias, y les agradezco mucho todo su apoyo y ánimo
para que siguiera adelante. Primos and primas, you were all my inspiration to continue moving
forward, and I want you to take this work as a symbol que si se puede! To Santiago, Alexander,
and Maya—I hope my work inspires you to believe that you can achieve anything.
My students are the final group to whom I dedicate this dissertation. To my former,
current, and future students—you are the reason I continue studying and learning. I have no
doubt that you can all be successful as long as you work hard and try your best, and as long as
educators, including myself, are able to inspire you, and help you fulfill your potential and find
your passions. I would not be who I am today, nor would I have reached great achievements
without the presence of all of these wonderful people. Therefore, my work is dedicated to you.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION iii

Acknowledgements
The endeavor to earn a doctorate began three years ago, yet guidance through the road of
success has been with me since day one. I have been tremendously blessed with the presence of
truly amazing individuals who have served as mentors and as my inspirations. These people
have been my motivation to succeed and to continue to be successful by giving to others what
they have given me—encouragement, motivation, support, and compassion for others.
I am forever thankful to my parents and my sisters for everything they have given to me
and taught me. I have not always been the strongest and outspoken person, but you have all
helped me develop my leadership qualities throughout the years. Thank you for listening when I
need you, for your helpful advice, and for always believing in me. A special thanks to Sylvia for
taking time to read all of my work throughout this journey and provide the best critique—thank
you for your support along the way and for convincing me that I am a good writer.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to my wonderful friends who remained by my
side through this journey. Chemo—thank you for enduring this program with me. I greatly
appreciate your patience throughout all the stressful moments, your uplifting words when I felt
overwhelmed, and for maintaining our home when I could not find the time to do so. You are
the best! Maria, thank you for being the best friend who always listened, who always helped me
be optimistic, and who understood the sacrifice necessary to complete this program. Edgar,
Mimi, and Hector, thank you so much for bringing me joy and for your positive words to keep
me motivated. I love you all! Jasmine, Phonna, Kat, Carla, Bambi, and Libier, where would I be
without you? You have all been extraordinary role models, and earning this doctorate would
definitely not have been possible without your wise words and support. Thank you for your
unconditional friendship. To Dr. Juan Carlos Herrera, thank you for choosing to take this three
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION iv

year venture with me. I am grateful that we understood exactly what the other was experiencing
every step of the way, and that we could count on each other for that extra push to persist.
Congratulations on your success, friend!
I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Stuart Gothold for his wisdom and
assistance in completing this study. You are an amazing leader, and I truly admire your
compassion for others, as well as your passion for continually having the best interest of students
in mind. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Laurie Love and Dr. Dennis Hocevar for
being part of my dissertation committee. Your advice, knowledge, and expertise have helped
guide me through this process, and your contributions to education inspire me. I give many
thanks to the principal and the staff from the school site who welcomed me to conduct my
research on the arts. Your willingness to receive me in your classrooms and events, and your
openness allowed me to learn how you fulfill your mission.
I am very grateful to all of my teachers, professors, and mentors, from Wilson
Elementary School to USC. I am especially grateful for Ms. Ana Higuera—thank you for
choosing me as the student to nominate for the Gates Millennium Scholarship when I was a
senior at Lynwood High School. You made earning a doctorate possible for me. Mr. DeMetrius
Holmes, thank you for your recommendation; your confidence in me, as well as your guidance,
helped me achieve so much, and your huge heart inspires me. You are both exemplary
educators, and I admire your passion to be a positive change in education. I hope that every
student has teachers like you in their educational experience.
I also want to thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Hispanic Scholarship
Fund. Both of these organizations uphold the belief that all students, no matter their background,
have equal opportunities. Earning this doctorate was possible through the generosity of the
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION v

people who manage these organizations. Thank you for seeing the leader in me so many years
ago, and for funding my post-secondary education. I also extend my gratitude to Loyola
Marymount University for investing in my education, as well as for helping me understand the
importance of serving others.
Finally, I want to thank all the USC Trojans who are now Doctors of Education. To my
dissertation group: Dr. Tamar Kataroyan, Dr. Priscilla Almaguer, and Dr. Cecilia Pak—you all
helped me complete this program. Thank you for sharing your insightful thoughts and
experiences throughout the dissertation process. I am grateful to have been part of this
wonderful thematic group. Dr. Evelyn Jimenez, although we met late into the program, I feel as
if we have known each other our entire lives. I am glad I met someone with similar experiences,
values, and beliefs as my own. Thank you for all the memories we have made along the way!
Thank you to Dr. Vivian Choi and Dr. Camille Ramos-Beal. You are both exceptional women,
and I am honored to call you my friends. Dr. Carlos Avila, I admire your spirit and your passion
for educating students. Dr. Lisa Regan, I could not have survived the first year without you.
Thank you for being a wonderful role model, and for sharing your wisdom and expertise. My
fellow Trojans, I look forward to growing together as leaders, and to making new memories as
friends.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION vi

Table of Contents
List of Tables viii
List of Figures ix
Abstract x
Chapter One: Introduction 1
Statement of the Problem 3
Purpose of the study 3
Research Questions 4
Significance of the Study 4
Methodology 5
Assumptions 6
Limitations 6
Delimitations 7
Definition of Terms 7
Organization of the Study 9
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 10
Historical Overview of Arts Education in the United States 10
The Effects of Policy on Arts Education in Public Schools 14
Research in Arts Education 28
The Benefits of Arts Education 31
Promising Practices for Sustaining Arts Education in Public Schools 47
Summary 51
Chapter Three: Methodology 53
Conceptual Model 54
Figure 1: Conceptual model: The struggle for arts education 55
Research Questions 57
Research Design 57
Population and Sample 59
Instrumentation 60
Data Collection 61
Validity and Reliability 63
Data Analysis 63
Summary 64
Chapter Four: Results 65
Research Questions 65
Methodology 66
First Visitation at the School Site 67
Recent History of Renaissance Elementary 68
Findings by Research Question 70
Research Question One 70
Research Question Two 76
Research Question Three 80
Research Question Four 90
Emergent Themes 96
Leadership Through Four Frames 97
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION vii

Summary 99
Chapter Five: Discussion 101
Purpose, Significance, and Methodology 102
Conclusions 103
Implications 105
Recommendations for Renaissance Elementary 106
Recommendations for Further Study 108
References 113
Appendix A: Staff Survey 119
Appendix B: Interview Protocol 122
Appendix C: Observation Protocol 123
Appendix D: Documents Reviewed 124
Appendix E: Data Source by Research Question Triangulation Matrix 125

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION viii

List of Tables
Table 1: Survey Results Addressing Research Question One 72
Table 2: Survey Results Addressing Research Questions Two 78
Table 3: Survey Results Addressing Research Question Three 83
Table 4: Survey Results Addressing Research Question Four 91

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION ix

List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual model: The struggle for arts education 55

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION x

Abstract
Public K-12 schools in the United States currently face competing demands that place improved
student learning as the main goal in order to ensure students develop 21
st
century skills.
However, internal and external factors may work with or against each other within a school’s
efforts to achieve this. The problem that serves as the basis for this study is the struggle that
educators face in maintaining arts education within the curriculum in the midst of high stakes
testing measures and declining budgets. The focus of this case study was to identify the
decisions and actions that take place in a school that embraces the arts as a fundamental piece of
the school curriculum, along with the influence the arts have on the school culture. The
qualitative case study design used multiple data collection methods, including surveys,
interviews, observations, and a review of documents to allow for triangulation. The results
reveal that the key factors for a school to sustain arts education include strong leadership with a
vision that encourages and supports arts education, collaboration within and beyond the school
site, adequate resources for arts instruction, and professional development in the arts for teachers.
Additionally, the findings demonstrate that embracing arts education creates a positive school
culture for all stakeholders. This case study can further the understanding of practitioners and
policymakers of what at an arts focused school looks like, as well as on the benefits the arts can
provide for schools. The findings can also build the case for making decisions to maintain arts
education in all schools.
Keywords: arts education, benefits of the arts, maintaining arts education

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 1

Chapter One
"The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create." President
Barack Obama

The public education system in the United States has faced much scrutiny in the past few
decades. This results from the need and the demands from policymakers, as well as the public,
to develop the country’s youth into adults with innovative capabilities and skills to lead the
country in the global economy of the 21
st
century. As President Obama’s quote above suggests,
it is individuals who not only receive an education, but those who simultaneously develop an
imaginative capacity to create and problem solve that will thrive as the leaders of the future.
This leads one to wonder how schools support and encourage the imagination and creativity of
students across the nation. Many, such as Elliot Eisner (1998a; 1998b), will agree that arts
education is the fundamental subject in education with the purpose of developing the
aforementioned skills, or habits of mind, as deemed by Eisner. Therefore, another question that
is worth asking is what is the role of the arts in public education? Are the arts important for
student learning? Is there evidence that suggests students who participate in the arts truly
become more skilled in critical thinking and innovation than those who do not? If so, what
actions are educational policymakers, leaders, and teachers taking to address the role of arts
education in the classroom? What does a school that successfully implements the arts in their
instruction look like? These questions are the basis for this study.
Historically, the focus of public education, as well as the role of arts education, has varied
over time due to external influences. The launching of Sputnik by the Soviet’s in the late 1950’s
stirred the nation to emphasize science and mathematics education in order to win the space race.
As a result, much of the federal funding for education was allocated toward strengthening
science education, reducing the focus on other core subjects including the arts. Following this
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 2

era, the National Commission on Excellence in Education (NCES) published A Nation at Risk:
The Imperative for School Reform in 1983. This report claimed that students in American public
schools were not learning the basic skills necessary to be productive citizens, thus less prepared
than their global competitors. Consequently, school reform became the proposed solution to the
challenges that the public education system was facing. The reforms, stemming from federal
mandates, included rigorous standards, increased teacher training, and an increased emphasis on
basic skills. This has influenced the current focus of education in the U.S., which is to improve
students’ basic reading and math skills. Moreover, the underlying goal of the most recent
reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 by the Bush
Administration, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2001), is to ensure that students master
these basic skills as demonstrated by their scores on summative assessments.
This federal policy expects states to strengthen their accountability systems in order
improve schools to better serve disadvantaged students and raise achievement levels for all
students (Porter & Polikoff, 2007; EdSource, 2005). Specifically, NCLB requires states to
establish content standards with standardized assessments aligned to these standards so that
students have access to comparable curriculum across schools. However, the high stakes testing
used to hold schools accountable strictly focus on English language arts (ELA) and mathematics
to measure student achievement.
Although NCLB aims to improve schools, there are studies that have demonstrated that
there are unintended consequences stemming from this policy (Porter & Polikoff, 2007; Baker,
2012). One of the major consequences is that the tested areas have become the center of
instruction (McMurrer, 2007), and the remaining subjects have often been overlooked in the
curriculum offered in American public schools. This narrowing of the curriculum occurs at
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 3

various schools in different levels based on their resources and priorities. There may be schools
that have managed to continue offering a curriculum that encompasses the various subjects. Yet,
schools struggling to meet federal and state targets, often those with a student population that
includes students of low income families and minority students, are more likely to experience the
narrowed curriculum (NCES, 2002; McMurrer, 2007; GAO, 2009). These descriptions apply to
many of the public schools in California. Thus, the educators who work in these schools face the
pressure to increase test scores in order to meet federal and state targets. Additionally, California
is experiencing continual economic deficits, and paired with increasing accountability measures
from NCLB, education is greatly affected. The students who attend these schools are
experiencing a curriculum that provides more time for instruction on tested subjects and less time
for the remaining subjects. Yet, if the arts develop essential skills for future leaders, should not
all students participate in arts instruction?
Statement of the Problem
Recently, California’s public schools have faced chronic budget deficits, as well as the
pressure to emphasize instruction on reading and mathematics in order to achieve high stakes
accountability measures. Consequently, many schools have narrowed the curriculum, which has
often led to the reduction and in some cases the elimination, of arts education in the curriculum.
Therefore, there is a need for more information to understand how schools that embrace the arts
and implement a more balanced curriculum are able to do so during a challenging era for public
education.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to identify and examine a school that has embraced arts
education as a priority within the curriculum and classroom instruction, while managing the
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 4

demands from mandated accountability measures and budget constraints. This qualitative case
study is designed to identify the practices, strategies, and funding procedures schools are
implementing to sustain the arts, as well as describe the perceived impact of arts education on the
school culture.
Research Questions:

In order to understand fully the practices and strategies that an arts focused school
currently applies, the study addressed the following research questions:
1. Why are the arts important to the students in this school?
2. How are resources for the arts addressed in the single school wide action plan?
3. How has the school retained the arts as a priority (Impetus)?
4. What is the perceived impact of the arts on the life of the school, which includes the
culture and academic achievements?
Significance of the Study
There is an urgency for public education to develop students with skills that will enable
them to become creative and productive leaders in the 21
st
century—skills that can be fostered
through the arts (Eisner, 1998a; Eisner, 1998b). Yet, based on a review of the literature, the arts
have continuously struggled to maintain a fundamental role in education in terms of policy and
funding. The struggle for the arts in schools may be further intensified due to the lack of
knowledge on how to sustain the arts while managing other demands. This case study is
significant because it aims to further the understanding of how an arts focused school is
managed, including the types of decisions and actions that are taking place at the school.
Additionally, details on how the school is able to sustain the arts through various instructional
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 5

and funding practices, as well as the perceived influence of the arts on the school culture are
explored and explained.
Practitioners will find the this case study useful because it describes how to maintain arts
in the curriculum while not losing sight of the goals to be met as set forth by federal and state
accountability measures. Information on the decisions, practices, and strategies implemented
will add to the research that supports arts education in public K-12 schools, which practitioners
can then use as a guide to retain arts in their schools. Furthermore, the perceived influence of the
arts on students can serve as a driving force for administrators and educators to reconsider
reducing or eliminating the arts from the curriculum.
The identification of what the school is doing that is effectively increasing student
learning through the arts will also benefit policymakers. Policymakers and educational leaders
can utilize this information to make informed decisions. Moreover, the findings can be the
evidence necessary to support the adopted decisions.
Although this is a case study that focuses on one elementary school, it is part of a
thematic dissertation team of four students conducting similar studies. Alone, the findings from
this study cannot be generalized because purposeful sampling was used. However, examining
the findings of the four case studies together provides results that add to the existing research on
schools that are effectively retaining the arts.
Methodology
This case study is qualitative in nature because the purpose of the study is to understand a
phenomenon occurring in its natural context by collecting information from people’s experiences
(Patton, 2002). The focus of the data collection is to gather strategies, practices, and the
perceived impact of arts education on the culture of the school. Additionally, to gain and provide
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 6

in-depth descriptions, this study conducted document analysis, interviews of educational staff,
observations, and a survey of school staff regarding their instructional practices, programs, and
curricular elements to identify the perceived significance and impact of arts education on the
school culture. The reason for the various collection methods is to use triangulation, which
allows for the comparison of different data collected in order to verify the findings. Cross-
referencing the data collected gives the results greater validity.
Assumptions
The researcher conducting the study made the following assumptions:
• Participants had sufficient knowledge of the programs that existed within the school
site.
• The participants would give honest responses with the information provided.
• Data and scores reviewed were valid.
• Participation in the arts has an impact on the school culture.
Limitations
The following were the limitations of the study:
• The study focused on one elementary school committed to the arts.
• The findings cannot be generalized to other schools.
• All participation in the study was voluntary.
• The study took place over a brief period of time, which allows for only a glimpse of
the school.
• The observations of the study were limited to the perspective of the single
researcher.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 7

• The collection of data was subject to the expertise level, bias, and interpretation of
the researcher.
Delimitations
The following were the delimitations of the study:
• The study was delimited to an elementary school with a focus on arts that met the
criteria established by the thematic dissertation group.
• The data collection instruments were delimited by the research team to focus on the
practices, strategies, and perceived impact of the arts on the school culture.
• The data collection was delimited to four days of research over one semester.
• The case study allows for transferability of findings as one of four thematic case
studies.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are stated and discussed throughout the dissertation. Definitions are
provided to enhance clarity for the reader.
• Academic Performance Index (API): This is a score that ranges from 200 to 1000
that measures academic performance in schools per summative assessments. It is
part of the Public Schools Accountability Act established in 1999 in California..
• Arts education: Classroom instruction in the four disciplines of the arts as
established by national and state standards: visual art, music, dance, and theatre or
drama.
• AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress): A series of federal annual academic performance
goals established for each school or local educational agency by the No Child Left
Behind Act that determines whether or not schools are making sufficient progress.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 8

In California, schools and LEAs must meet requirements in participation rates,
percent proficient, Academic Performance Index (API), and graduation rates to reach
AYP.
• Economic Impact Aid (EIA): This is a state categorical program for kindergarten
through grade twelve to assist supplementary English language acquisition
programs, as well as services for students with limited proficiency in English and
State Compensatory Education (SCE) services for students who are educationally
disadvantaged.
• English Language Learners (EL): Students whose primary language is not English
and students who have been reclassified-fluent-English proficient (R-FEP) who have
not scored proficient or above on the California Standardized Test (CST) in English
Language Arts (ELA) within three years of reclassification.
• Four Frames: According to Bolman and Deal (2008), the four frames are
characteristics that a leader may possess to some degree. The four frames are
structural, symbolic, human resource, and political
• Program Improvement (P.I.): Schools that receive Title I funding that either do not
meet AYP criteria for two consecutive years in the same content area (ELA or
mathematics), or do not meet AYP on the same indicators (API or graduation rate)
for two consecutive years.
• Socioeconomic Status (SES): Socioeconomic status describes the measurement of
an individual’s or a family’s income, education, or occupation usually denoted as
high SES, middle SES, or low SES.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 9

• Standardized Tests: Annual summative assessments that public schools must
administer to each student in the areas of ELA, mathematics, science, and history-
social science to determine students’ proficiency based on state standards.
• Title I: This program under NCLB provides financial support to local educational
agencies (LEAs) and schools with high percentages of students from low SES to
help make sure that all children meet rigorous state academic standards
Organization of the Study
The study contains five sections. Chapter One gives an overview of the study. Chapter
Two presents a review of literature that pertains to arts education in public schools. It describes
the history of art in education, the challenges schools face in implementing the arts, the benefits
of arts education, and a section on promising practices. Chapter Three focuses on the research
methodology of this qualitative case study. It presents the conceptual model used in relation to
the review of the literature, the research questions, the population sample, the data collection
instruments and methods, and it discusses reliability and validity. Chapter Four provides a
description of the school site chosen for the case study, as well as the findings related to the
research questions based on the data collection methods used (observations, document review,
surveys, and interviews). The final section, Chapter Five concludes the study with a discussion.
It presents an analysis of the data collected, conclusions, implications, and recommendations for
further study.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 10

Chapter Two
Review of the Literature
The inclusion of arts education in schools across the United States has varied over time
due to diverse perspectives and beliefs on the role that arts should have in education. As a result,
many schools and districts across the nation are struggling to sustain arts education within their
curriculum (NCES, 2002; McMurrer, 2007; GAO, 2009). California, in particular, is a state that
has neglected the arts due to competing demands that have taken priority. In spite of being part
of the core curriculum, maintaining arts programs has become a challenge in many schools
because of forces such as federal and state policies, high stakes accountability measures, and
continuous decreases in funding for education (Stanford Research Institute [SRI], 2009).
In order to understand the role of the arts in education, the literature review will examine
the history of arts education in the United States along with factors that influence its inclusion in
the curriculum. Furthermore, this review will examine studies that have demonstrated the
benefits of the arts, as well as promising practices that can assist schools and districts to continue
to offer arts education to their students.
Historical Overview of Arts Education in the United States
This review will begin with the history of arts education in the United States in order to
understand the struggle the arts encounter in schools. In the U.S., the inclusion of the arts in
public education fluctuates, and this is a result of societal needs and interests, the authorization
of a range of federal policies, and shifting economic conditions of the nation. Heilig, Cole, and
Aguilar (2010) identify the introduction of the arts to education as part of industrial employment
training in technical drawing and drafting in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Then, the
effects of the post industrialization era on the public led to increased interests of the arts for the
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 11

middle class, which initiated the arts as cultural enrichment within school curriculum goals. At
the elementary level it was mostly the classroom teacher, with occasional help from professional
artists, that was responsible to teach art, and teachers certified in art and music were responsible
at the secondary level (Remer, 2003). In the early 1900’s, studies on the contribution of the arts
to other subjects in education continued to emphasize the importance of arts education in
schools. This impetus paired with districts providing sufficient funding, resulted in the inclusion
of the arts in school curriculum (Remer, 2003; Heilig et. al., 2010), which is evidence for the
initial support for the arts within schools.
Yet, the Great Depression disrupted this thriving period for arts education. During this
time, the country experienced an extremely difficult financial crisis, which definitely affected
schools and districts (Heilig et. al., 2010). Because arts education was not perceived as a priority
for school curriculum, numerous districts eliminated arts instruction and programs. Although the
arts made progress in education in the 1950’s when the economy began to flourish, the launching
of Sputnik, again, placed the arts in the backdrop as education experienced an urgency to focus
on science and mathematics (Remer, 2003; Heilig et. al., 2010). This, however, stimulated
advocates for arts education to campaign for the inclusion of the arts in schools, which led to the
establishment of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 1965. Since then, this
organization has influenced policymaking in the arts while working to provide financial support
for arts education in schools (Heilig et. al., 2010). Arts agencies at the state and local levels also
increased during this period, which signaled stronger support for the arts at the local level. The
arts continued to gain support in the 1970’s as partnerships between art organizations and public
schools began to form, and collaboration and professional development among these
stakeholders increased (Remer, 2003). Thus, as the arts struggled to maintain a role in public
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 12

schools, arts agencies advocated for the arts and provided support to assist schools in retaining
arts education.
Yet, in the latter half of the 1970’s, this progress began to turn as political ideas changed
and funding decreased once again. Soon after, the National Commission on Excellence in
Education published A Nation at Risk (1983), which is a report that evaluates the nation’s
education system. The report emphasizes the idea that public schools in the United States at the
time were lacking in producing globally competitive students, and thus, recommends several
reforms for schools—none of which mention arts education (Remer, 2003). This led the NEA to
publish Toward a Civilization: A Report on Arts Education in 1988. The report presents the idea
that arts education faced danger and affirms that the arts should not be perceived as basic
education. Instead, the report makes the claim for the need to increase professional development
for teachers and artists to collaborate within schools (Remer, 2003). Clearly, stakeholders
became aware of the negligence given to arts education, and supporters of the arts continued to
advocate the significance of arts education.
Subsequently, the federal role in education increased in the 1990’s due to an increasing
focus on the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the nation’s public education system. This decade
marked the standards movement, which placed an emphasis on establishing clearer educational
goals and performance standards for schools. To ensure the inclusion of the arts within the
standards, professionals from the National Art Education Association wrote the National
Voluntary K-12 Standards for the arts, and gained the support from the NEA, the U.S.
Department of Education, and the National Endowment for Humanities (Heilig et. al., 2010). As
a result, when the Clinton Administration signed the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (1994),
the arts—dance, music, theatre, and visual arts—were identified as a core subject along with
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 13

English, mathematics, science, foreign language, civics and government, economics, history and
geography. This marked the introduction of the arts as a fundamental component of school
curriculum by federal policy (Heilig et. al., 2010).
The most recent educational policy that Congress passed with bipartisan support is the No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2001). It is the leading policy guiding public education in the
nation, which established the era of accountability for public schools. This federal law created
the expectation that states strengthen their accountability systems in order for schools to
demonstrate continuous improvement with the intent to better serve disadvantaged, minority
students, and raise achievement levels for all students (Porter & Polikoff, 2007). Specifically,
NCLB intends to increase flexibility and local control by requiring states to establish content
standards with summative assessments aligned to these standards so that students have access to
a rigorous curriculum. Additionally, NCLB is a status model that measures the adequate yearly
progress (AYP) of a school by the percentage of students that reach proficiency in English
language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science based on the summative assessments. The
federal goal is for all schools to reach 95 to 100 percent proficiency by 2014. If schools do not
meet AYP, they enter what is known as performance improvement (P.I.) status. Under this
condition, schools must face sanctions that require reform that can assist the school in exiting P.I.
status. If schools do not exit P.I., the sanctions increase in severity with consecutive years under
P.I. status. While NCLB has the intention to close the achievement gap and ensure that all
students receive an adequate education, this policy has inadvertently created priorities for
schools and districts, which greatly affect arts education in public schools (Porter & Polikoff,
2007; Baker, 2012).
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 14

Evidently, throughout the history of education, the significance of arts education in the
nation’s schools has varied. The decisions of policymakers and the influence of the public affect
the inclusion of arts education within schools. Nevertheless, advocates for arts education
continue to recount the importance of the arts as a core subject in public education and provide
the support for schools to maintain the arts. Even so, current policies that govern public
education emphasize the need to provide instruction for students to reach proficiency in basic
skills that do not necessarily include the arts.
The Effects of Policy on Arts Education in Public Schools
Currently, policy is a major driving force in the various decisions that educational leaders
in public education must make related to the structure and organization of schools. The
following section of the review of the literature will discuss how policies affect the curriculum
and instruction that schools and districts implement in relation to the arts, as well as how funding
affects arts education. Additionally, there is a discussion on how policy influences teacher
preparation and development programs.
Access to Arts Education
Under NCLB, educators and education leaders utilize standards, assessment, and research
based methods to inform instruction. As a result, all states have adopted standards that include a
range of academic subjects, as well as tests aligned to these standards to keep schools and
districts accountable for student outcomes based on the standards. Many states affirm the
importance of the arts, as the arts are a core subject in the state standards. However, these
standards describe behavioral terms suggesting what students should know and be able to do, as
opposed to establishing a basis for programs or processes to ensure equitable opportunities to
learn the various disciplines in the arts (Hatfield, 1999; Eisner, 2000). In spite of this
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 15

accomplishment for the arts, there are other aspects of policies that affect whether or not the arts
are a priority in school curriculum. According to research, policy seems to have created
inequitable access to the arts across schools depending on location and population (McMurrer,
2007; Woodworth, Gallagher, Campbell, Lopez-Torkos, & Kim, 2007; GAO, 2009).
No Child Left Behind is a model of accountability that includes high stakes testing to
measure a school’s success. As a result, NCLB has produced unintended consequences in public
education as the idea of high stakes can, in fact, have an effect on teaching (Eisner, 2000;
Mishook & Kornhaber, 2006). This occurs because school and district officials want their
schools perceived as effective, and the officials want to avoid the sanctions that follow failure to
achieve AYP. As a result, there is a tendency for schools and districts to perceive tested subjects
as more important, thus having higher priority over untested subjects.
This unintended consequence of the federal policy results in what Bugbee (2008) refers
to as a standardization of public education in the United States, and this standardization has
narrowed the curriculum across many schools in the nation. Consequently, many students are
deprived of access to instruction on subjects perceived to have low priority, such as the arts, in
order for schools to ensure that students are adequately prepared in the subjects on the high
stakes tests often administered at the end of the school year (Eisner, 2000; Blakeslee, 2004;
Chapman, 2004; Bugbee, 2008). These subjects include English language arts, math, and
science. For the reason that arts education is not tested, it is one of the subjects often neglected
by many schools, thus giving rise to one of the major challenges educators face to sustain arts
education.
Prior to the implementation of NCLB, the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) released the report Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools: 1999-
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 16

2000 (2002). The researchers collected questionnaire data from 640 public elementary school
principals, 686 public secondary school principals, 497 elementary classroom teachers, 453
elementary music specialists, and 331 elementary visual arts specialists in order to determine the
existence of arts education in public schools. To analyze the results of the data, the report used
various school characteristics as variables, such as school enrollment size, location, region,
percent minority enrollment, and percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price school
lunch.
Of the elementary schools in the 1999-2000 academic year, 94% offered music
instruction, 87% offered visual arts instruction, 20% offered dance instruction, and 19% offered
drama/theatre (NCES, 2002). At the secondary level, 90% of schools offered music instruction,
93% offered visual arts instruction, 14% offered dance instruction, and 48% offered
drama/theatre instruction. This report suggests that arts education was present in schools across
the U.S. during this period, yet instruction was limited to music and visual arts at the elementary
level, while arts instruction at the secondary level occurred through elective courses.
Furthermore, when the results were analyzed according to school characteristics, the study found
that large, low-minority and low poverty schools had greater indicators of their perception of arts
education as an important part of their instruction, while the case was the opposite for high
minority, high poverty schools. Whether or not the results can be generalized across all of the
states in the country is questionable because the sample size of the study is small, and the study
fails to identify the percentage of responses received by schools according to school
characteristics. It may be that more responses were received from schools in rural regions, or
low poverty schools, therefore not consisting of actual representation of schools across the
nation. Nevertheless, it appears that arts education was present in schools before NCLB.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 17

A few years later, the Center of Education Policy (CEP) published one of a series of
reports on the effects of NCLB that specifically examined the changes in curriculum and
instruction in schools five years into implementation. The researchers sent a survey to a random
sample of 491 schools across the United States set by location, size, and P.I. status (McMurrer,
2007). A total of 349 school district surveys were returned and weighted so that each type of
school district was represented. The study also conducted district case study interviews from 13
districts chosen because they had schools in P.I. status that took on curriculum changes in
response to NCLB sanctions.
According to the data, elementary schools, on average per week, spent 503 minutes on
English language arts, 323 minutes on mathematics, and 110 minutes on art and music
(McMurrer, 2007). Additionally, 62% of districts indicated an increase of time in English
language arts and/or math, and the increase was greater in districts with at least one school in P.I.
status. In order to make this change, districts decreased time in subjects other than ELA and
math, and on average, instructional time in art and music decreased by 57 minutes per week.
School leaders made these decisions under district and state recommendations. For example, in
California, the state recommends that elementary schools spend two and a half hours a day on
literacy, and one hour on mathematics, which leaves less time for other subjects.
Middle schools also reported English language arts and mathematics as the subjects given
the greatest amount of instructional time per week at 331 minutes and 274 minutes, respectively
(McMurrer, 2007). While art and music were allocated, on average, 167 minutes per week, the
report indicates that 25% of districts selected “don’t know/not applicable to all students”
(McMurrer, 2007) for these subjects. Only 24% of districts reported increasing instructional
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 18

time for ELA and 20% for math in middle schools with districts with at least one school in P.I.
more likely to do so.
The report mentions that high school graduation requirements tend to influence the
courses that students complete at this level, and, thus, students must complete a range of eight
semesters in ELA to five semesters of science. Moreover, 26% of districts reported increasing
the total semesters required for math, and 18% did this for science (McMurrer, 2007). In 27% of
districts, low performing students were required to take additional courses in ELA and math, and
extra instruction in these content areas, at times, took the place of electives.
This study also found that 99% of districts surveyed, regardless of location, status, and
student demographics, claimed to have a mandatory curriculum for ELA and mathematics.
Moreover, between 73% and 77% report that their curriculum had been “very well aligned” to
the state test at all school levels, while more than 21% of districts said their curriculum was
“fairly well aligned.” Additionally, 50% of districts claim to have changed the elementary ELA
curriculum to match the content and skills covered on the state tests, 41% did the same for math,
and the results were similar for middle and high schools (McMurrer, 2007). Thus, there appears
to be a trend to place an emphasis of instruction on tested areas through changes in the
curriculum, along with test preparation integrated into instruction.
This study presents the changes in curriculum due to NCLB, and the findings illustrate
the increase of instructional time for tested subjects, forcing a decrease of instructional time on
non-tested subjects. More importantly, the findings demonstrate that schools under performance
improvement status are more likely to make such changes and with greater effects. Yet, the
sample of this study is limited, and it is lacking the perspective of classroom teachers. It may be
the case that the results are more severe than reported by the principals.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 19

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) completed a third study that
aims to address the issue of arts education in school curriculum. In Access to Arts Education
(2009), GAO used various data sources in its analysis, including survey data obtained from the
U.S. Department of Education, findings from the CEP study mentioned above, and a self-created
survey administered to state arts education officials and interviews with officials from districts,
schools, and arts organizations in a representative sample of states. The findings of this report
claim that the amount of arts instruction in elementary schools did not change from the 2004-
2005 academic year to the 2006-2007 year for 90% of elementary schools. Yet, many of the
district officials and school principals interviewed indicated the ability to maintain arts education
in the curriculum by including arts education outside of the regular school day, using outside
grants and private funding, establishing partnerships/collaborations with local artists or arts
organizations, or by integrating arts with other core subjects. In addition, 7% of elementary
schools reported a decrease in arts instruction, and schools in need of improvement under NCLB
were more likely to reduce instruction of the arts. Those surveyed by the study attributed these
decreases to decreased funding and competing demands in instructional time due to the high
stakes tests required by NCLB (GAO, 2009).
In efforts to examine the condition of arts education in California, Woodworth,
Gallagher, Guha, Campbell, Lopez-Torkos, and Kim (2007) conducted a study in 2006 under the
Stanford Research Institute (SRI). The researchers collected 1,123 school surveys (one form
used for elementary schools and another for secondary schools). The sample included
approximately 20% of respondents from schools identified for Program Improvement (P.I.),
which is parallel to the state rate of schools in P.I. at that time. To validate the data from the
surveys, the study also conducted case studies across 31 schools (nine high schools, six middle
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 20

schools, four K-8 schools, and 12 elementary schools) across 13 districts, 10 communities, and
nine counties. Pairs of the researchers spent an entire day at each school, as well as additional
time with district personnel and art partners to conduct interviews and collect documents. The
study also analyzed student enrollment in the arts over time, and the characteristics of arts
instructors through data collected from the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS).
The researchers found that 89% of schools in California fell short in offering a sequential
standards-based curriculum in all four disciplines in the arts, and 29% of schools did not offer a
sequential standards-based curriculum in any of the disciplines. These results varied by school
level, with high schools (28%) identified as more likely to provide the aforementioned
curriculum for all disciplines over middle schools (4%) and elementary schools (10%). The
results also varied by poverty level as 62% of low poverty schools reported offering a sequential
curriculum in the arts, while only 37% of high poverty schools made this claim (Woodworth et.
al., 2007).
The study also examined the types of access to arts provided to California students. The
different delivery methods of arts instruction found were fieldtrips, school assemblies,
extracurricular activities, and after school programs, and the amount and type of methods used
varied by school level and poverty level. The study reports that, although students were given
access to arts education, not all of the students participated in standards-aligned arts instruction.
The overall findings of the study reveal that 40% of students received standards-based arts
instruction in visual arts, 35% in music, 13% in theatre, and 12% in dance, and these results vary
by school level, as the findings illustrate a decrease in participation from elementary to
secondary schools. This occurs because students at the elementary level receive instruction as a
class, yet high school students must choose to participate in the arts as electives. Furthermore,
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 21

the findings also reveal that the participation rate of students in more affluent schools is almost
twice that in high poverty schools in each discipline. Although elementary and middle school
students have greater participation rates in arts instruction, high school students in art classes are
more likely to receive instruction in the arts throughout the year and on a daily basis
(Woodworth, 2007).
The findings from these studies suggest there is unequal access to arts education across
the nation (Mishook & Kornhaber, 2006; McMurrer, 2007; GAO, 2009) and across the state of
California (Woodworth, 2007). It appears that the schools that offer greater access to arts
education include those in suburban areas that consist mostly of non-minority students with high
socioeconomic status who, in many ways, already experience greater advantages than their
counterparts (Chapman, 2004), such as greater access to literacy and extracurricular activities. In
addition, the fact that the students in these suburban schools are more likely to score at proficient
levels on high stakes tests and are not in need of extra, remedial instruction on tested areas,
allows for more flexibility in the range of subjects to include in the curriculum. It may also be
the case that the parents of the students in these schools value the arts and demand arts education
to be included in the curriculum, or that the surrounding neighborhood, including businesses and
organizations, assists the schools in obtaining the resources necessary to maintain the arts within
the schools.
Furthermore, schools classified as in need of improvement under NCLB tend to decrease
instruction in the arts. In analyzing the typical school in P.I. status, it is evident that these
schools are often located in urban districts and comprised of students that are of minority and
low-income status. In order to meet NCLB requirements, these schools are likely to require their
students to take extra courses on tested subjects so that the students can achieve proficiency on
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 22

the high stakes tests, which expectantly would lead the schools to exit P.I. status (Chapman,
2004). These minority and low SES students are already at a disadvantage to their counterparts,
and as Chapman (2004) affirms, schools are the only setting that can assure the opportunity for
all students to receive an education that provides access to a range of knowledge. When schools
narrow the scope of the curriculum offered to their students, and instead focus strictly on
reading, mathematics, and test preparation and skills, the disadvantaged students face yet another
disadvantage in the opportunity to learn the complete set of core subjects and standards as
established through the accountability requirements of NCLB. Evidently, policy affects access
to the arts, as it has unintentionally created unequal access across the nation (Mishook &
Kornhaber, 2006; McMurrer, 2007; GAO, 2009), and undeniably in California (Woodworth,
2007).
Student Achievement in the Arts
In order to evaluate the state and progress of the nation’s education system, the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) established the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) in 1969. This assessment occurs periodically with a nationally representative
sample to provide a measure of achievement in various subjects including the arts. The most
recent NEAP in the arts occurred in 2008 with a sample of 7,900 eighth graders from 260 public
and private schools (Keiper, Sandene, Persley, & Kuang, 2009). The assessment intends to focus
on the four disciplines in the arts; however, due to budget cuts, nearly half of the students were
only assessed in music and the other half were only assed in visual arts. The assessment centered
on responding to music, and responding to and creating visual art. Students were required to
answer multiple-choice questions, as well as constructed-response questions, and the results are
reported using a statistical significance at the 0.5 level of the t-tests used with adjustments for
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 23

multiple comparisons. The study reports that any differences in student performance may have
been affected by both socioeconomic status (SES) and education factors (Keiper et. al., 2009).
In music assessment, students were to analyze and describe music played for them,
comment on both instruments and vocal pieces, and demonstrate their knowledge of musical
notation and the role of music in society. The highest performing students scored 194 on a scale
of 0 to 300, and the lower performing students scored 105. The results demonstrate an
achievement gap between White and Asian/Pacific Islander students and Black and Hispanic
students of 29 to 32 points, as well as a gap of 10 points between average scores of females and
males, females having the higher average. Students eligible for free or reduced lunch also scored
28 points lower than students not eligible. Furthermore, students in public schools scored an
average of 14 points lower than students in private schools, and students in city schools have a
lower average score than students in suburban, town, and rural schools. According to the
administrators, 77% of the students assessed attended schools in which they received music
instruction by a full time specialist; however, only 57% reported that students could have music
instruction at least three to four times a week. This percentage shows no significant difference
from students assessed in the previous NAEP in 1997 (Keiper et. al., 2009).
Students assessed in visual arts had to analyze and describe artwork in the responding
section of the assessment and to communicate through visual art, think of solutions to visual
problems, and generate ideas and create their own work of art in the creating section. The
highest performing students scored 193 on a scale of 0 to 300, and the lower performing students
scored 104. Similar to the results in music, the study found that the average scores for White and
Asian/Pacific Islander students were higher than the scores of Black and Hispanic students.
Additionally, females, on average, scored 11 points higher than males in the responding section
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 24

of the assessment and 5 points higher in the creating section. The scores of students eligible for
free or reduced lunch were 29 points lower than those not eligible in the responding score, and 9
points lower in the creating task score. There was no statistically significant difference in
responding scores between students in public and private schools, on the other hand, students in
public schools, on average, scored lower in the creating task scores than those in private schools.
On average, students in suburban schools also scored higher than students in city schools in the
responding section, and they had a higher average in the creating task score compared to students
in both city and town schools (Keiper et. al., 2009).
Resembling the results in music instruction, 77% of students attended a school in which
specialists offered the visual arts instruction according to administrators’ responses. Yet, only
47% of students attended a school in which they could receive arts instruction at least three to
four times a week. Again, this illustrates no significant difference in the frequency of visual arts
instruction provided in 1997 (Keiper et. al., 2009).
Although the findings suggest no significant difference in the amount of music and visual
arts instruction over time, the NAEP results have informative findings. Both disciplines resulted
in an 89-point score gap between the highest performing students and the lowest performing
students. The study also found that 33% of students participate in one or more musical activities
in school (band, choir or chorus, and orchestra), and 16% of students participate in a fieldtrip to
an art museum at least once a year, which is less than the 22% in 1997. Furthermore, the sample
is representative of students in the U.S., and the results indicate that slightly more than half of the
students have access to music instruction at least three to four times a week and less than half of
the students have access to visual arts instruction at least three to four times a week. The results
of the assessments also detail significant differences in scores for groups of students based on
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 25

race/ethnicity and SES providing further support for the exiting achievement gap in the nation’s
education system. These findings also serve as an indication of the inequity of access to arts
instruction (Keiper et. al., 2009). Further, scores of 193 and 194 in a scale of 300 fall in the 65%
range, which suggests that students are not receiving enough instruction in the arts.
Funding
Although schools across the nation have established goals for arts education, insufficient
funding for the necessary resources to implement effective arts programs is another reason many
public schools neglect the arts (Bugbee, 2008; GAO, 2009). To begin with, Lips and Feinberg
(2007) indicate that the implementation of NCLB significantly increased compliance costs for
schools. Bugbee (2008) asserts that 80 percent of school districts were forced to use their own
funding to cover the costs incurred from NCLB that are not covered by federal funding. This
results in less flexibility in spending for schools. What is more, since the enactment of NCLB,
funding for schools has been linked to standards and priorities. Consequently, programs that did
not appear as significant as those that bolstered student achievement levels on the high stakes
tests were reduced or eliminated. Thus, many schools continue to struggle in maintaining the
arts in their curriculum.
Specifically in California, the economic downturn for education began in 1978 with the
passage of Proposition 13. This proposition decreased funding for school districts as local tax
revenues reduced. Over time, the state continued to face economic hardships. California’s per
pupil funding for education is below the national average, and, thus, appears to spend less per
pupil on elementary arts education (SRI International [SRI], 2009). Consequently, schools
facing budget constraints are forced to depend on outside funding sources for the arts, such as
partnerships or grants. Yet, this type of funding can be inadequate and is certainly unstable, thus
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 26

greatly affecting access to arts education for students across the state. In many cases, the result
is a lack of access to a curriculum that includes the arts. Moreover, in their study of arts
education in California schools, Woodworth et. al. (2007) found that only 39% of schools across
the state had one full-time-equivalent arts specialist for all four disciplines in the arts (76% of
high schools, 69% of middle schools, and 25% of elementary schools). This is an outcome of
inadequate funding for the arts, which undeniably limits the quality of arts instruction that
students receive across the state. Therefore, the funding procedures and guidelines established
by policy appear to be insufficient for schools to implement a curriculum that supports all core
subjects, including the arts.
Teacher Preparation and Professional Development
Part of the No Child Left Behind Act calls for all classroom teachers teaching the core
subjects to be highly qualified (Seidel, Tishman, Winner, Hetland, & Palmer, 2009). The
definition of a highly qualified teacher is one who has a bachelor’s degree, state certification, and
subject matter competency for the subjects they teach. In spite of the fact that the arts is
considered one of the core subjects as established by NCLB, there is currently a lack of policy
support for California teacher preparation programs to include courses in the arts for perspective
teachers. There are also few professional development opportunities to increase teachers’
knowledge and skills in the arts. Both of these conditions pose yet another challenge for the
inclusion of arts education in schools.
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) currently offers single-
subject credentials for secondary school teachers in two of the arts disciplines: music and visual
arts. Still, there is no specific credential offered for theatre or dance, and these teacher
candidates must earn a credential in English and physical education, respectively (Woodworth et.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 27

al., 2007). Additionally, the Ryan Act in 1970 eliminated, training in the arts for the completion
of the multiple subject credential program for prospective elementary school teachers
(Woodworth et. al., 2007). It was not until 2004 that the CCTC required teacher preparation
programs to include training in visual and performing arts. Nevertheless, the average elementary
school teacher may still have very little training in the arts. This creates a major problem for
adequate access to the arts because the expectation for elementary classroom teachers is to teach
all four of the arts disciplines to their students due to the lack of arts specialists present in
California’s elementary schools.
Having insufficient training limits elementary classroom teachers’ knowledge and
confidence in teaching standards based instruction in the arts, thus California is failing to meet
the policy requirement of highly qualified teachers for each core subject. In addition to teaching
subjects that they may not know, the classroom teachers must find the time to do this while
following school or district pacing guides. Again, this can cause a great challenge for teachers
because high stakes accountability measures are the basis for pacing guides, which may focus the
majority of instructional time on tested subjects, as demonstrated by the studies mentioned
earlier.
Given these circumstances, professional development is critical for California educators
to acquire the knowledge and skills to teach the arts (Woodworth et. al., 2007). However,
elementary classroom teachers are not provided the proper support to teach the arts, and this
seems to occur more often in poor, lower-performing schools as 86% of elementary school
principals reported providing no professional development in the arts in the 2005-2006 school
year (Woodworth et. al., 2007). This is partly due to the federal accountability measures because
such mandates encourage professional development topics to be determined by measures of
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 28

student success on high stakes tests. Because these high stakes tests strictly focus on English
language arts, math, and science, the professional development topics are highly limited.
To further study professional development for arts educators, Hourigan’s (2011) article
examines President Obama’s education initiative Race To the Top (RTTT). According to
Hourigan (2011), RTTT requires that the basis of all professional development be data in order
to be job-embedded. Yet, the disadvantage with the requirement for the arts is that schools
currently only have standardized tests as data informants, and because there is no measureable
outcome for the arts, it appears that there will continue to be no place for the arts in professional
development under RTTT.
As long as current and prospective teachers are inadequately trained in the arts,
instruction in the arts will also be inadequate. In addition, access to the arts will continue to be
inequitable for all students. Based on the current trends in policy, such as RTTT, it appears that
training in the arts will not be satisfactory until the arts become one of the tested subjects.
Research in Arts Education
A critical aspect that influences policy and practice of the arts in K-12 education is
research in arts education. Policymakers and educational leaders are likely to adopt policies
when there is sound evidence that the measures established by the policy are truly beneficial for
students. However, research that demonstrates the benefits of the various arts disciplines is
lacking. Although this research has expanded in the past few decades, the existing research
contains several shortcomings regarding the content and implications of arts education and its
benefits for all stakeholders. This then affects the inclusion of arts education within schools.
To begin with, conducting quality arts education research is challenging as the capacity
of researchers in the arts is limited, and support for their research is lacking, as well (Seidel,
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 29

2001). Because visual arts and music are more conducive to integration in other academic areas,
there is a considerable amount of research in these disciplines. Yet, as Bresler (1998) mentions,
the research in dance and theatre is sparse due to less practitioners and scholars in these fields,
which can be an explanation for less instructional time allocated to these disciplines in public
schools.
At the same time, Bresler (1998) asserts that the focus of research performed in arts
education ought to be on issues related to teaching and policymaking in order to improve arts
education. Yet, there is a challenge in collecting this data as the lack of arts instruction occurring
in schools greatly reduces the opportunities to conduct such research. Furthermore, rather than
focusing on more objective methods and findings, much of the research that exists emphasizes
either advocacy for the arts or on the effects of arts on other branches of learning.
To evaluate existing arts education research, Eisner (1998) conducted a meta-analysis of
the literature published between 1986 and 1996. The criteria for the literature reviewed
consisted of experimental or co-relational studies that analyzed the relationship between
involvement in the arts and academic achievement. He found that the data collected does not
support many of the claims made by the studies. Some of the limitations of the studies include
not considering other factors that could have affected achievement, the purpose of arts
instruction in the schools (such as integrating arts to increase reading proficiency), the tools used
to measure achievement, and failing to mention that the resulting differences in academic
achievement are not statistically significant. Eisner (1998) also mentions that claims suggesting
the arts foster a transfer in learning in reading or mathematics within the studies reviewed have
provided insufficient evidence.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 30

As a result, Eisner (1998) gives recommendations for future research in the arts. He
suggests that a convincing study will include a research design that includes a control group and
an experimental group so that strict monitoring of curriculum aims, teacher quality, and
assessment procedures can lead to proper comparisons of the differences found in achievement.
Furthermore, the differences found must be educationally significant in determining the reasons
why they occurred. Although the effect that arts have on achievement is important for educators
and policymakers, solely focusing research on this relationship limits the findings of arts
education research in terms of addressing the value of arts education for students, as well as in
distinguishing it from other core subjects (Eisner, 1998a; Choi & Piro, 2009).
Moreover, all stakeholders involved in arts education research ought to collaborate to
increase communication among each other to understand and assist each other more effectively
(Bresler, 1998). Doing so would clarify the relationship between research, policy, and practice.
Instead, much of the research is conducted strictly by researchers and at times lacks contributions
from educators—those who are chiefly responsible for providing arts instruction. As a result, the
research has not always been completely inviting to teachers and administrators as readers
(Bresler, 1998). However, this seems to be changing as more of the research focuses on
promising practices in the arts for K-12 settings. Yet, it is still questionable whether existing
teachers are encouraged to reflect on the latest research to improve their practice (Bresler, 1998)
based on the lack of professional development in the arts and the current emphasis on basic skills
and accountability measures.
Therefore, there is a need for research to study the current practices in the classroom,
focusing on the factors that influence practice to better guide the decisions made by
administrators and teachers (Bresler, 1998). Likewise, there is a need to research and evaluate
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 31

whether current practices that are causing educators to neglect arts instruction are in fact
benefiting the students in those classrooms. Subsequently, all of the corresponding research
must be disseminated to educators, administrators, and policymakers. This will increase their
understanding of the status, best practices, and needs of arts education in K-12 settings, and,
thus, lead them to make decisions that are more informed.
The Benefits of Arts Education
As stated earlier, there is currently a movement towards the standardization of education
in the United States (Bugbee, 2008). This movement results from efforts in policy to increase
levels of student achievement and close the achievement gap so that students are adequately
prepared to compete in the future economy. However, the kinds of skills that are required of
students expected to be globally competitive in the 21
st
century are far more complex than the
basic skills assessed by the current measures set by federal and state policies. The future needs
of society are problem solvers and innovators whom are capable of applying new, creative, and
critical forms of thinking (Eisner, 1998b; Choi & Piro, 2009). Moreover, the experiences the
school provides to students throughout their education determines the opportunities students
have to learn (Eisner, 2002; Eisner, 1998b). Therefore, the subjects taught and the use of time
throughout the instructional day must be carefully considered so that both include opportunities
for students to experience high levels of thinking. It is crucial for policymakers and educators to
ensure that all students have access to a high quality education that fosters the aforementioned
aptitudes, and in the consideration of the inclusion of arts education within the curriculum of K-
12 public schools, one can explore the types of opportunities, experiences, skills, and
contributions the arts promote. The following section will discuss the various skills fostered by
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 32

the arts, and the relationship between arts and achievement, human development, and the school
community.
What the Arts Teach
In his article, Eisner (1998b) outlines the contributions that experiences in the arts make
within and beyond the arts, based on the types of demands required of students that engage in
these programs. One expectation is that students learning in and through arts will develop the
ability to transform their thoughts and emotions into a form of art that can be shared with others.
This type of engagement is significantly different from the traditional question and answer
learning that takes place in many public school classrooms today (Respress & Lutfi, 2006), thus
creating opportunities that foster creativity and expression. This occurs because students are
required to determine the type of medium they will use to best express their ideas and make such
judgments without a set of given rules (Eisner, 1998b). Winner and Hetland (2008) indicate that,
as students are encouraged to determine how to express their voice and vision, they also learn
persistence by working on projects over sustained periods.
Arts education will also increase students’ awareness of aesthetics in relation to both art
and life. This calls for students to pay particular attention to subtleties and details when making
judgments (Eisner, 1998b) as their responses must have reasoning behind their judgments.
Through these experiences, students can enhance their capability of expressing their ideas and
opinions not only for works of art, but for anything they see or hear in their surrounding
environment. Furthermore, they develop their skills in observing, as observations in art require
seeing accurately and directly (Winner & Hetland, 2008).
Making connections between the content and form utilized in the work of art and the
cultural and historical context in which the artists created the piece is also an expectation for
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 33

students studying works of art (Eisner, 1998a). This will enable students to understand the
problems artists encountered and how context influenced their decision in creating their work.
Thus, their insight on approaching resolutions to problems improves and prepares students to
become problem solvers.
Additionally, high quality arts programs appear to foster the development of certain
dispositions that also lead to critical thinking experiences and diverse expressions. According to
Eisner (1998a), students who engage in the creation of artistic work will develop the motivation
to use their imagination in creating new possibilities. This allows students to foster their skills in
envisioning and innovation (Winner & Hetland, 2008). In another article, Eisner (1998b)
indicates that the arts allow for flexibility in the final product, thus allowing and encouraging the
students to fully experience the process of creating art along with using their emotions in a
cognitive way that will lead to an outcome they feel is right. Furthermore, the benefit of using
art to express oneself provides students the opportunity to do so in ways that may not require the
use of language (Eisner, 1998b). This removes any restrictions that hinder students who are
limited in their language proficiency from expressing themselves, therefore encouraging the
development of expression through diverse means.
Eisner (1998) also claims that the arts foster a desire for exploration of uncertainty in
order to reach complete understanding of a conclusion. This allows students to focus on
discovery, encouraging students to concentrate on things that often are unseen, which leads to
new ways of seeing the world (Eisner, 1998a; Winner & Hetland, 2008). As students complete
their works of art, they are also usually encouraged to take risks and learn from any mistakes in
hopes of reaching unexpected discoveries (Winner & Hetland, 2008). Moreover, this freedom to
explore and discover may even lead students to experience intrinsic satisfaction in their efforts
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 34

(Eisner, 1998b) giving their learning experiences greater meaning. These meaningful
experiences are increased when students engage in self-reflection to analyze and judge their
projects (Winner & Hetland, 2008). Thus, students learn self-regulation skills through the arts to
monitor their learning and progress. Arts instruction also often requires students to participate in
class critiques in which students evaluate each other’s work (Winner & Hetland, 2008), and these
experiences offer opportunities for students to enhance their critical thinking skills.
Another disposition promoted through arts programs is the ability to acknowledge and
respect the idea that the arts celebrate diversity (Eisner, 1998a). To begin with, seeing that
context heavily influences the kinds of approaches available to reach a solution (Eisner, 1998b),
children learn that there can be more than one solution to a problem through the completion of
work in the arts. The arts also teach that one can view a work of art, or even the world, through
more than one perspective, which leads students to recognize the possibility of more than one
answer to any given question (Eisner, 1998b). In addition, as mentioned earlier, there is no
single, narrowed medium to express oneself in the arts, thus encouraging diversity in products.
Finally, the arts serve as a bridge across cultures. As students learn about the various art
forms and styles around the world and across time in visual arts, dance, music, and theatre, they
are encouraged to understand the world through different perspectives. In his review of various
studies, Gullat (2008) reports that when arts educators include art work by artists of various
backgrounds and point out the ethnicity of an artist, students can discuss the experiences the
artists underwent in creating their work. This aids students to understand the points of view of
different groups, which can lead to greater respect for other cultures, thus demonstrating another
way that students can learn to celebrate diversity through art.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 35

Although there is no direct, measurable evidence of transfer across other subjects, the
benefits of what the arts teach are clearly identifiable and appear to be significant to the goals of
education, which will benefit the students well beyond the classroom walls. These dispositions
and experiences, which include developing creativity, making connections, exploration,
persistence, observing, problem solving, expressing oneself in various forms, self-evaluation,
and celebrating diversity, are effective and necessary for developing the imaginative innovators
and problem solvers of the future. Furthermore, these skills learned can be applicable outside of
the arts if students are provided the opportunities to practice them in other domains.
The Arts and Academic Achievement
Although Eisner (1998) suggests that findings on the relationship between arts education
and student performance are inconclusive, as well as making it clear that the relationship
between the arts and achievement should not be the main reason for including arts in school
curriculum, it seems that the era of accountability almost requires that these correlation studies
be conducted (Baker, 2012). The arts are usually perceived as expressive and enriching,
therefore, they compete for a place with other core subjects viewed as more academic (Rabkin &
Redmond, 2006). For this reason, a number of studies exist that seek to determine whether there
is a link between the arts and achievement.
Catterall, Chapleau, and Iwanaga (1999) followed more than 25,000 students in grades 8-
12 to study the non-arts outcomes of involvement in the arts. By collecting data on the
participation rates of these students in music and/or theatre arts related activities within and
outside of school, along with students’ academic grades, reading proficiency, and standardized
test scores, it was found that academic success is higher for students involved in the arts, as there
was an 18 percentage point difference in scores between the two groups. Moreover, continuous
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 36

involvement in the arts through grade 12 appears to further increase academic success as
compared to students with less involvement in the arts when the researchers analyzed the
composite test scores for grade 12.
In this study, Catterall, Chapleau, and Iwanaga (1999) also examined the relationship
between involvement in music and mathematics achievement. By disaggregating data according
to socioeconomic status (SES), the study found that regardless of SES, students involved in
music outperformed those not participating in music when examining mathematics achievement.
Furthermore, the study also found that low SES students who are continuously and profoundly
involved in arts through grade 12, on average, score 10 percentage points higher than the average
of all students.
A third finding from this study involves the relationship between development and
involvement in theatre arts for students with low SES (Catterall et. al 1999). They define
involvement in the arts as those who, as of 8
th
grade, have participated in a drama class once a
week, participated in a drama club, completed coursework in drama in grade 10, or participated
in a school play or musical in grades 10 and 12. The findings suggest that low SES students
involved in this discipline outscored those not involved in theatre in reading proficiency, and the
difference in scores increased through grade 12. The researchers attribute these differences to
the language rich environment that theatre arts offer for students. Other areas that proved to
demonstrate gains in the study were self-concept, motivation, empathy, and tolerance for others
(Catterall et. al., 1999).
Respress and Lutfi (2006) conducted another study examining the relationship between
involvement in the arts and achievement. They focused on the Health, Education, and the Arts,
Refining Talented Students (HEARTS) Family Life Center, which aims to provide enrichment
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 37

for African American middle school students at greatest risk for academic and social failure.
They compared a group of 66 students, half in the HEARTS program receiving fine arts
enrichment, and half who were not in the HEARTS program. To determine if fine arts improved
academic success, Respress and Lutfi (2006) analyzed grade point averages, math, and spelling
scores. The results indicate that the fine arts contributed to the increase of academic
achievement for the treatment group. Although, this is a positive correlation between arts and
academic achievement, the sample is limited to African American students most at risk for
failure, which limits the generalization of the findings.
North Carolina promotes curriculum integration through the implementation of the A+
Schools Program with the belief that the arts bolster learning in addition to creating a positive
learning environment (Thomas & Arnold, 2011). Through this program, students participating in
the A+ schools have managed to perform at academic rates comparable to those in other schools
across the state. However, the researchers report that teachers and administrators of the A+
schools more greatly emphasized the effects of the arts on the affective and cultural domains for
students.
Researchers have gained interest in studying how music influences various forms of
development. Since Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky (1993) found that music appeared to positively
influence the scores of a group of college students who listened to Mozart a few minutes prior to
taking a test on spatial intelligence, now known as the Mozart Effect, several studies have tried
to replicate this study, yet have reached mixed results (Bangerter & Heath, 2004). Thus, the
question still stands, does music influence achievement and development?
Hallam (2010) conducted a meta-analysis of various studies that examine the effects of
music engagement on young people’s intellectual, social, and personal development. Regarding
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 38

academic achievement, she reveals that studies have demonstrated music engagement facilitates
perceptual skills, which correlates with phonological awareness, or the processing and
identification of speech sounds and patterns. This transfer also influences language and literacy
development, and the earlier music participation occurs, the greater the influence. Yet, she also
points out that several studies on the correlation between music and literacy have varied results.
Although some studies have found no difference in results in literacy tasks when comparing
students who experienced music instruction to those without music instruction, some studies
have found a correlation between music participation and literacy development. Some examples
include increased comprehension scores, standardized measures of reading, higher vocabulary
scores, higher reading readiness scores for students who are struggling with literacy, and
increased retention abilities (Hallam, 2010). However, these correlations may have been
influenced by the type and length of music instruction.
There is greater attention to the relationship between music and mathematics because
there are stronger beliefs that there is a positive correlation between music and numeracy.
Hallam (2010) indicates that various studies have mixed results. Overall, research has found that
experience in music engagement leads to higher mathematics scores. However, further research
needs to occur to determine the type of music instruction that provides these results, as well as
the length of time of music instruction.
More recently, Baker (2012) conducted a study of 37,200 eighth graders in Louisiana that
consisted of students who received music and visual arts instruction, and those who did not.
Through the analysis of their scores on the Louisiana high-stakes assessment and their
participation in the arts, the study was inconclusive for achievement and involvement in visual
arts, as well as achievement and dual involvement in music and visual arts. In both cases, only
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 39

White students scored higher than those who were not taking any arts courses. However, when
only examining music enrollment, all students outperformed those not involved in music in both
English and mathematics test scores. Therefore, it appears that music involvement has a positive
correlation with ELA and mathematics achievement, and more research is needed to study the
effects of visual arts and dual involvement in music and visual arts (Baker, 2012).
Walker, McFadden, Tabone, and Finkelstein (2011) conducted another study on the arts
in relation to cognitive development. Their sample included 1,140 fourth and fifth grade
students in randomly assigned classrooms, one group of classes included an arts-integrated
curriculum for language arts and social studies that used drama strategies, such as theatre games,
process drama, creative drama, and puppetry, and the other group of classes received regular
text-based instruction in the same subjects. Although some of the findings revealed no
significant difference between students in the arts-integrated class and those in the control group,
students who participated in the arts-integrated classes typically had higher learning outcomes
that those in the control group. Furthermore, the earlier the student participated in the arts, the
more likely the student would sustain their learning, as students who participated in arts-
integrated classrooms in fourth grade performed better than those who did not experience the arts
in fourth grade. Through observations, the researchers also found that students in the arts-
integrated classrooms were more focused, and more likely to take risks and ownership in their
learning than those in the non-arts classroom. Thus, this study suggests that including drama-
based strategies can have a positive effect on student learning (Walker et. al, 2011).
Part of Melnick, Witmer, and Strickland’s (2011) study included the arts and academic
achievement. They examined the fifth grade data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, which includes a nationally representative sample of 11,600
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 40

students from public and private schools and diverse racial and SES backgrounds. However,
only 8,048 students from this database made up their sample due to the exclusion of students
with special needs that have an individualized education plan (IEP). The study examined teacher
perceptions of student achievement levels using a five-point scale survey to indicate students’
mastery of skills, knowledge, and behaviors. The results demonstrate that students who
participated in any of the four arts disciplines outsides of school outperformed students with no
participation in the arts outside of school, based on teacher ratings of student proficiency in
reading and mathematics. Similarly, students who participated in regular arts instruction in
school also rated significantly higher in all reading competencies and for eight out of ten
mathematics competencies in the teacher ratings. According to these results, there is a
correlation between arts and academic achievement, although the measurement for achievement
was teacher perceptions, which may include teacher bias. These findings also call for further
research on the specific arts instruction that results in higher performance.
The most recent report from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) also focuses on
arts and achievement, specifically for at-risk youth (Catterall, Dumais, & Hampdent-Thompson,
2012). For this study, the researchers combined four national databases of different longitudinal
studies to allow for a nationally representative sample of students over time. Each database
conducted multiple waves, and spans different years and age groups. The following are the
databases used for the report: the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, which tracked
the same students from age 14 to age 26; the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten
Class of 1998-1999, which tracked students from age 5 to age 13; the National Longitudinal
Survey of Youth of 1997, which tracked students from ages 12-16 through the ages 23-27; and
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 41

the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, which tracked the same students at the age of 16, then
at the age of 20.
To analyze the data, the researchers constructed a scale for arts engagement as well as a
scale for socioeconomic status (SES). Students who had intensive arts involvement in
elementary, middle, and/or high school, such as participating in arts activities, arts leadership
positions, or advanced placement courses in the arts, were deemed as high-arts students.
Additionally, family income, parental education level, and parental job status were factors used
to determine a student’s socioeconomic status. Those who ranked in the bottom quarter of SES
levels were considered low-SES students. The study focused on the students with low-SES
backgrounds, thus the findings focus on comparing low- and high-arts students in the low-SES
group.
The results from this study “do not support a cause-and effect relationship between arts
involvement…and academic achievement…[but] explore the hypothesis that arts involvement is
associated with better academic and civic outcomes than is non- or low-arts involvement”
(Catterall et. al, 2012, p. 11). Furthermore, the researchers indicate that the high-arts group
usually rated at least equal to the achievement levels of the low-arts group, either at the high- or
low-SES groups, and regularly surpassed those levels.
In terms of academic achievement, the key findings of the report indicate the arts benefit
students who are socially and economically disadvantaged in a number of areas. Eighth graders
who had high levels of arts participation throughout their educational career earned higher test
scores in science as compared to low-arts students (average scores of 79% and 72%,
respectively) and in writing (average scores of 3.0 and 2.6, respectively, on a five-point scale)
(Catterall et. al., 2012). High-arts students in high school were more likely to complete a higher-
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 42

level mathematics course than low-arts students (33% and 22%, respectively), and achieve a
slightly higher grade-point average (GPA). High school, low-arts students were five times more
likely (22%) to drop out of high school than high-arts students (4%). In addition, high-arts
eighth grade and high school students were more likely to aspire to attend college, high-arts high
school students enrolled in four-year colleges at higher rates (74%) than low-arts students (43%),
and were more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree (61% and 42%, respectively). Based on these
findings, the researchers concluded that arts engagement might assist in closing the existing
achievement gap between levels of SES (Catterall et. al., 2012), which is one of the main goals
of NCLB.
Given the combined results of all the studies presented, although some are inconclusive
and may not be generalized across all student populations, it appears that the arts can be
beneficial in promoting student achievement. Rabkin and Redmond (2006) assert that the arts
use knowledge in authentic intellectual ways, which allows for learning to be interesting and
meaningful, thus promoting higher levels of engagement that motivate students to complete the
work that the learning requires of them. Rabkin and Redmond (2006) have also noted that
educators and policymakers must begin to understand that the arts are cognitive and that
participation in the arts could have great academic benefits, particularly for students with a lower
socioeconomic status. Yet, the inequity issue of access to the arts provides a dilemma for the
implications of these studies, as it is often the case that schools with the population that benefits
the most from the arts struggle to provide access to arts instruction. Thus, additional,
longitudinal research on arts education as related to achievement is necessary in order for
policymakers and educational leaders to have greater evidence that the arts promote academic
achievement.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 43

The Arts and Human Development
For the reason that social, emotional, behavior, and intellectual competencies appear to
enhance academic success for students, there are studies that claim that the arts promote the
development of these skills. Brouillette (2010) reviewed recent research on child development
and interviewed inner city elementary teachers who were visited for a minimum of 15 hours by a
teaching artist. Although her findings are limited because all participants were from an inner city
school and volunteered to participate, there are encouraging findings for the arts, particularly for
students from inner-city schools.
Brouillette (2010) specifies that teachers responded that having arts instruction in their
classrooms promoted teamwork and respect among their students. In agreement with Eisner’s
(1998b) claims for the arts, students were encouraged to express themselves via means besides
language, thus increasing their opportunities of expression. Moreover, having the chance to act
out scenes for reading passages, along with participating in immediate discussions, led to better
comprehension on behalf of the students. The teachers in the study also indicated student
development in the ability to look through multiple perspectives, enhancing their understanding
of topics discussed.
In a related study, Catterall and Peppler (2007) attribute the gains in self-efficacy and
originality for inner-city third graders to their involvement in high quality arts instruction. They
used classrooms in Los Angeles who participated in the Inner-City Arts (ICA) program and third
grade classrooms in St. Louis, Missouri that participated in the Center of Contemporary Arts
(COCA) for their study. Both arts programs provided arts instruction in high-quality facilities,
adorned the facilities with student work, and hired highly qualified teachers who encouraged
creativity. Aside from the gains found through the analysis of questionnaires, Catterall and
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 44

Peppler (2007) conducted observations to support the findings, and they found that students
demonstrated higher levels of engagement in the arts activities provided by ICA or COCA, as
well as experiencing more positive interactions with their classmates and adults, than in the
regular classroom.
Likewise, disadvantaged students in an arts integration program in Minneapolis,
Minnesota demonstrated changes in the affective domain (Ingram & Seashore, 2003). This study
aimed to investigate the results of the Arts for Academic Achievement (AAA) program in the
Minneapolis Public Schools. Through the collaboration between teachers and artists, teachers
integrated the arts into their instruction of non-arts disciplines. The researchers found that arts
integration benefited all students, but appeared to benefit disadvantaged students most in test
scores. Students also demonstrated an improvement in collaboration within groups, as well as an
increase in student participation from those who, before arts integration, were unlikely to
participate.
In a study on an International Baccalaureate (IB) dance program, Minton and Hofmeister
(2010) explored the relationship between participation in the dance program and learning skills.
They collected questionnaires, and conducted observations, as well as interviews with 15 of the
22 dance students in the program. Their findings indicate that the dance students demonstrated
responsibility, dedication, and problem solving skills when having to complete assignments
without supervision. Another finding was that students displayed critical thinking and
communication skills when analyzing their own and others movements. The dance students also
displayed creativity, collaboration, and cooperation when creating choreographies in groups.
Although the sample size is very small and does not provide a comparison group that is not
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 45

disadvantaged, minority students, this study demonstrates a correlation between dance and the
development of 21
st
century skills necessary to compete in the global economy.
Hallam (2010) also reviewed studies on music and intellectual, social, and personal
development. From her analyses, there appears to be a positive relationship between music
engagement and sequencing tasks and visual-spatial intelligence. Additionally, the few studies
conducted on music and creativity demonstrate that students with greater music engagement
displayed higher levels of creativity. Music making also seems to have positive effects on
personal and social skills as different studies have indicated that students who participated in
music making were more likely to talk to parents and teachers at higher rates, had improved
confidence and self-esteem, built social skills, teamwork, and self-discipline, and had a better
sense of self-identity. However, there is a need for more research to provide greater evidence for
these results.
These studies further assert the idea that the arts benefit students, specifically in cognitive
and social emotional development. One common pattern, however, is that many of the findings
provide greater support for disadvantaged students in inner-city schools. Therefore, there is a
greater need for research across the general student populations.
The Effects of Arts Instruction on the School and Community
Evidence also exists that supports the idea that involvement in the arts benefits the school
and the community, as well. First of all, the arts help decrease student dropout rates for students
at risk of not completing high school (Barry, Taylor & Walls, 2002). This is likely due to the
levels of engagement students experience through completing work in the arts. In addition, the
arts appear to have a positive effect on the learning environment, as the arts seem to make
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 46

schools happier places (Rabkin & Redmond, 2006). Having a positive school culture is also
more likely to welcome community members to the school.
Aside from benefitting students, the arts appear to engage and motivate teachers and
community members, too. According to Ingram and Seashore (2003), the Arts for Academic
Achievement (AAA) program provided opportunities for professional development for teachers.
Not only did the teachers who participated in AAA report improvements in their teaching
strategies and lesson focus, as well as greater confidence in increasing student achievement, but
integrating arts in the curriculum also encouraged partnerships between the school and outside
organizations. Additionally, the program created school-wide events that welcomed the
community members into the school.
The Arts and Culture Magnet Program at Freese Elementary in southern California also
seems to provide many benefits to the school community (Brouillette & Jennings, 2010). The
school is located in a high crime area, and the residents in the community face many challenges.
Yet, the magnet program helps to build a bridge among the cultures in the community. A lead
art teacher from this school worked to build strong partnerships with local arts organizations in
order for the students to attend museums and concerts, and for the opportunity to have art
specialists visit the school. The magnet program began in 2001, and, since then, a steady
improvement in Freese’s API score is noted. Students in this school rotate to receive arts
instruction from specialists through weekly lessons in music, visual art, dance, theater and/or
puppetry, for a total of 32 hours of arts instruction throughout the academic year. Arts
instruction focuses on content standards, therefore supporting academic learning. Teaching
artists described having the impression that many of the students at this school were “wannabe
gang members.” Yet, working with the students and providing multiple opportunities for them to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 47

express themselves revealed students’ more gentle nature. Therefore, teachers have a positive
perception on how the arts affect the students in this school. Teachers mentioned that students
demonstrate high levels of engagement during instruction and are able to exhibit their talents.
They also agree that learning is meaningful, and the arts programs provide a supportive school
culture in which students and families can feel safe and reclaim the hope that is lacking in the
surrounding community (Brouillette & Jennings, 2010).
The NEA report by Catterall et. al. (2012) also mentions that at-risk students who
participated in intensive experiences in the arts demonstrated more civic engagement than those
with low-arts backgrounds. The findings indicate that high-arts students were more interested in
current events, volunteered at higher levels, had some form of involvement with local or school
politics at higher rates, and were more likely to vote in elections. These long-term outcomes
commonly benefit the community.
The arts seem to increase community involvement, whether it is through an increase in
partnerships with local organizations, or by increasing the number of parents and community
members visiting the campus to celebrate student engagement in the arts. In addition,
involvement in the arts also appears to have positive long-term effects for students’ future
community involvement. However, it is necessary to conduct further research to determine
consistent benefits that the arts have on the school community.
Promising Practices for Sustaining Arts Education in Public Schools
In spite of existing evidence that schools struggle to maintain arts programs, there are
various practices that schools and districts are implementing in order to continue to offer arts
education to their students. To begin with, leadership represents a critical aspect for sustaining
arts education within a school. Wilson (2000) indicates that effective district-level planning
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 48

includes a district administrator who has the responsibility to ensure that programs are both
developed and applied. As a result, it is the responsibility of the district to ensure they have the
human resources required to successfully implement arts instruction, as well as to continuously
convey that the arts have the same priority as other disciplines to school administrators (Wilson,
2000).
In addition to central office support, maintaining arts as a priority is more likely to occur
when distributed leadership occurs within a school (Wilson, 2000). In schools where the arts
continue to be a priority, there are administrators that support their staff to include arts in the
curriculum, and collaboration exists among teachers, arts coordinators, and administrators to
create and maintain programs. What is more, teachers in these schools also take on various
leadership roles that promote learning in the arts, such as assisting in creating curriculum,
assisting the administrator, working with outside organizations, and obtaining funding.
Furthermore, these schools include the arts in their vision and mission. When the arts are a
fundamental piece of the mission and vision of a school, they are perceived as a priority within
the curriculum (Wilson, 2000; Mishook & Kornhaber, 2006), and it creates the expectation that
the staff of the school site will include arts in their instruction.
Another practice that aids in maintaining the arts are the elements within school
programs. For instance, many colleges and universities include the arts as a requirement for
admission. Subsequently, high schools also include the arts as a graduation requirement.
Several schools that demonstrate successful arts programs also take on the role as arts magnet
schools in which one or more forms of art is the school’s area of focus. Once the arts are a
central part of the school, the principal has the flexibility to allocate more funding towards
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 49

instruction in the arts, as well as focusing professional development for teachers on topics in the
arts.
Other programs use assessments to maintain art as a priority. One example is the
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. The IB program includes arts courses in
visual arts, film/new media, theatre, and music, and there is a strong focus on assessing the
process students experience in completing their final products (Seidel et. al., 2009).
Additionally, the Advanced Placement (AP) program includes courses in visual arts and music,
which students take for credit during high school, but they can also earn college credit for the
subjects if they pass the AP exam. These exams can take the form of multiple choice and written
tests, or an assessment of portfolio work (Seidel et. al., 2009).
Furthermore, for the reason that resources are crucial for keeping or eliminating the arts,
many schools allocate federal and state funding towards the arts, as well as obtaining outside
funding. Schools seek donations from parents and local organizations to support arts education.
The school community also assists in fundraisers to raise money specifically for arts education.
Additionally, designated school personnel complete applications for grants that also fund the
arts. Having strong involvement from the school and community, the acquisition of outside
resources for the arts is more likely to occur.
Accordingly, schools that maintain arts education within their curriculum utilize the
artistic resources of the surrounding community by establishing partnerships (Wilson, 2000;
Carlisle, 2011). These partnerships can be between the school and local artists, institutions, or
other organizations that can assist in supporting the arts. When these relationships exist, there is
a positive effect on curriculum design, teaching, and learning (Carlisle, 2011) because teachers
have greater support for providing instruction in the arts as they have the opportunity to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 50

collaborate with experts in the field and with each other. Additionally, the partnerships allow for
sufficient resources to provide professional development in the arts.
Finally, the leaders in schools where the arts are thriving have sought and obtained
political support. According to Wilson (2000), arts specialists use state and federal programs as
opportunities to create district-wide programs in the arts. They also promote the arts to all
stakeholders with the district and community in order to sustain these programs.
The school district in San Francisco has undertaken the mission to ensure that all schools
embrace arts as a central part of instruction (Penning, 2008). This occurred due to the vision
from the superintendent that believes the arts aid students in learning by making their school
experiences more engaging and relevant. In order for this commitment to the arts to develop,
several actions took place. For example, the leadership within the district created a seven-year
master plan that outlined the needs and actions required for all stakeholders to implement arts.
Additionally, all stakeholders understood that they played a role in fulfilling the arts mission.
The superintendent secured coalitions with local organizations, supported the staff by providing
comprehensive professional development for artists, teachers, and administrators, and provided
time for a co-developed curriculum by teachers and artists. Each school site dispersed leadership
to create a system of access and trust by including multiple decision makers. The superintendent
also hired more art teachers and created arts coordinator positions at each school level to support
appropriate arts experiences and curricula. Funding and scheduling were additional areas in
which the superintendent focused on. He proposed a local proposition for funding for the arts,
and established a mandatory art scheduling block at all school levels. The superintendent also
began an annual all-city youth arts festival, and, to ensure all voices are represented, he hosts a
bi-annual event for community building where community members share their goals for student
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 51

achievement and how the arts can play a role in achieving that goal. Evidently, embracing the
arts requires many resources, including time, funding, personnel, and commitment from all
stakeholders.
Although many schools struggle in retaining arts education, the methods abovementioned
can serve as a guide for maintaining the arts. They also provide policymakers and educational
leaders a basis for taking action and forming decisions. Furthermore, these actions can assist
schools and districts to narrow the inequity in access to arts.
Summary
In reviewing the history of arts education, it becomes evident that maintaining the arts as
a priority within public schools has varied over time and across states. This is attributed to
varying perspectives on the importance of arts education, as well as policy measures and
funding. Although research in arts education is scarce, there is evidence that the arts benefit
students in various ways, more so in levels of engagement and in social emotional development.
While there are schools that are successfully sustaining arts education, an equity issue
exists when examining access to arts instruction. The schools that are lacking arts education are
more likely to be schools in program improvement status under NCLB that service minority,
low-income students. Yet, research demonstrates that students, especially those considered
disadvantaged, have much to gain from learning through the arts. Not only do the arts provide
students the opportunities to use their imagination and develop their creativity, but the arts also
encourage students to express themselves in unique ways, develop their aesthetic competence,
collaborate, problem solve, use multiple perspectives, and celebrate diversity.
Though the research is not definitive in how learning in the arts transfers to other
domains, or whether or not the arts lead to increased student achievement, there is no research
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 52

that claims the arts hinder student learning. On the contrary, the studies reviewed have found
that the arts increase student engagement and motivation. Thus, current practices from schools
who have successfully sustained arts education have been reviewed.
Nevertheless, many schools continue to neglect arts education due to competing demands
and lack of funding. Therefore, there is a need for further research that clearly narrates how a
typical K-12 public school offers quality arts education in spite of external pressures. This study
will add to the existing research by examining a school in California that upholds the arts as a
priority. Through this research, the study will provide descriptions of the methods that the
school utilizes to retain arts education and the effects that the arts have on the school culture.
Furthermore, it will document the allocation of resources that allow for arts instruction to take
place

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 53

Chapter Three
Methodology
Public schools in California include arts education in their curriculum in varying degrees
(Woodworth et. al, 2007). The purpose of this study was to identify and examine a school that
has managed to sustain arts education as a priority within their curriculum during an era in
education that is demanding high student achievement on standardized tests while experiencing
severe budget constraints. The review of the literature in the previous chapter presented the
history of arts education in the United States of America, the challenges faced by the arts,
various benefits of arts education, and practices that schools implement in order to maintain the
arts. This chapter will present the methodology and the research design used in this thematic
qualitative case study.
Research has demonstrated the inequity of access to arts education based on school
success and location. The need to address this inequity is evident based on the benefits that
students experience in learning through the arts. Not only does experience in the arts increase
students’ aesthetic awareness, but it also teaches students to celebrate diversity in perspectives,
methods of expression, and possible solutions, and it allows students to develop the critical
thinking skills necessary for the future economy through the emphasis on discovery and use of
imagination (Eisner, 1998a). This qualitative case study was designed to identify the practices
schools are implementing to sustain the arts, as well as describe the perceived impact of arts
education on the school culture. This case study will add to the literature by identifying how a
public elementary school in southern California has managed to sustain the arts during an era of
accountability and economic hardship. Having this information available and accessible to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 54

educators can assist them in applying strategies and practices that can aid in retaining the arts
within their schools.
This case study was one of four in a thematic dissertation group addressing arts education
in California K-12 public schools. The group members met regularly from October 2011
through May 2012 to discuss the most current research and trends of arts education and to
determine the purpose of the study. The discussions led to the criteria for selecting a school for
the case study. The group members also constructed the research questions, the research design,
and the instruments for data collection during these meetings. Additionally, the use of
purposeful sampling for this study was the approach selected because the researchers sought
information-rich schools that provide the natural context for access to knowledge of the
processes that allow such schools to maintain the arts. As a result, a qualitative case study
methodology was used in order to give thick and vivid descriptions of the phenomenon of arts
integration within the school curriculum.
Each case study was completed independently through the gathering of different types of
data. According to Patton (2002), qualitative findings result from a review of documents,
various interviews, and multiple observations, which were the data collection methods used by
all researchers for their case study. Triangulation then occurs through the combination of the
various methods of data collection, which strengthens the reliability and credibility of the
findings (Patton, 2002).
Conceptual Model
. Public education in the United States serves to provide students the opportunities to
develop skills necessary to be the innovators and problem solvers for the future economy. Yet,
there is currently an achievement gap present in the United States in which low-income, minority
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 55

students are reaching lower levels of academic achievement as compared to more affluent,
Caucasian and Asian students. As a result, there is a nationwide urgency to improve student
learning. The dissertation team constructed a conceptual model (Figure 1) that depicts
improving student learning as the goal of public education, and the internal and external factors
that have a direct effect on the goal.

Figure 1. Conceptual model: The struggle for arts education. This figure illustrates the internal and external
factors that directly affect improved student learning, which is the goal of public education. It also depicts
the struggle public schools encounter for maintaining arts education within the curriculum.
Based on the literature review, many schools, particularly in California, are struggling to
maintain arts within their curriculum. The research demonstrates that it is the responsibility of
the leadership to ensure the staff present at the school is equipped with the proper skills to
provide high quality instruction in order to improve student learning by meeting their students’
needs. They must also ensure that the staff feels prepared, capable, and confident to teach the
arts, which is the pre-service/in-service factor. This then has an effect on the curriculum and
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 56

instruction that the staff can offer. Furthermore, curriculum and instruction also determine topics
for professional development and play a role in shaping the school culture. Additionally, the
leadership and staff influence the school culture, which is another critical factor in the level of
student learning that can occur at a school site. Therefore, all of these internal factors influence
each other in addition to student learning.
There are also external factors that affect the internal factors, and thus the goal of
improving student learning. These include the authority and funding from federal, state, and
district policy stemming from the No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, and Proposition
13. There are also accountability measures such as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets set
forth by NCLB, and the state standardized tests, which shape curriculum and instruction,
professional development, and decisions made by the leadership. Furthermore, the current trend
of globalization in expanding the curriculum in schools to include the preparation of students
with 21
st
century skills also influences student learning. Another major factor that has an effect
on student learning is the access/equity issue currently present for urban schools because they are
often the schools struggling to improve student learning in order to meet accountability
measures, and they may have less funding for their students to do so. The factors presented are
the competing demands that educators and educational leaders at each school site must manage
to increase student learning. Interestingly, they are also the factors that cause the struggle for the
inclusion of arts education within the curriculum. Therefore, the goal of this thematic
dissertation team was to investigate how the internal factors collectively operate to include the
arts in the curriculum even with pressures stemming from the external factors.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 57

Research Questions
The study addressed the following research questions:
• Why are the arts important to the students in this school?
• How are resources for the arts addressed in the single school wide action plan?
• How has the school retained the arts as a priority (Impetus)?
• What is the perceived impact of the arts on the life of the school, which includes the
culture and academic achievements?
These research questions aim at presenting vivid details on how the school upholds the
arts as a priority within the curriculum. With these questions, the goal of understanding exactly
what makes a public school successful in retaining the arts arises in order to provide educational
practitioners with an in-depth narrative of the programs, practices, and strategies that prove to be
effective in maintaining the arts.
Research Design
According to Patton (2002), qualitative research is appropriate to address questions that
aim to understand and describe how a phenomenon is occurring. Further, when questions seek
information not measured through standardized instruments and require the collection of
information from people’s experiences in a specific context, qualitative research is necessary.
Clearly, a qualitative case study approach was suitable for this thematic dissertation.
The purpose of qualitative research is to provide in-depth descriptions that allow for more
detailed accounts to be analyzed for further understanding. In this case study, one school setting
was used, chosen using specific criteria, in order to focus on the experiences of the people in that
specific context to gain their perspective on the occurrences of the school. This allows the
researchers to gain insight from the “insiders” of the organization in order to give the thick and
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 58

rich descriptions necessary to answer the research questions. The idea of using interviews,
observations, surveys, and a review of documents was to gain as much information as necessary
to discover and thoroughly describe how the school is maintaining arts education. Triangulation
enhanced validity in the findings by using multiple data collection methods. Furthermore, there
is an incorporation of Bolman and Deal’s (2008) leadership frames in order to classify the
implicit meanings observed or collected through responses.
As mentioned earlier, the research design began in October of 2011 with the discussion
of the topic of study. During the month of November of 2011, the group met to discuss the
current literature that addresses arts education in American public K-12 schools. Additionally,
the group met with a leader of the Music Center of Los Angeles, California, to further discuss the
issues surrounding arts education in public K-12 schools. In December of 2011, the group met to
finalize the purpose of the study and the research questions. In the months of January and
February of 2012, the group established the conceptual model based on the findings of the
literature review, as well as creating the instruments for data collection. The data collection
instruments, which include a survey, an observation tool, interview questions, and a list of
documents for review, were refined in March 2012, along with the list of criteria to for selecting
a school. The group also met with a staff member of the University of Southern California
Institutional Review Board (IRB) to complete the application for approval of the study. At this
time, each dissertation group member chose a school to study based on the established criteria
and contacted the principal of the chosen school to gain permission to conduct the case study at
their school.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 59

Population and Sample
For this thematic dissertation, each case study focused on a school that demonstrates a
continued commitment to the arts. The criteria for choosing a school were established using the
findings from the literature review on best practices. This includes a stated commitment to arts
education within the curriculum, sustaining the arts after the implementation of the No Child Left
Behind Act, adequate financial support for the arts, a broad curriculum in the various disciplines
of the arts, and recognition for their work in the arts. Using this list of criteria, each group
member was able to determine if the chosen school truly embraced the arts to be worthy for the
case study.
The school chosen for this case study was Renaissance Elementary School, as it met most
of the criteria established by the dissertation team. Renaissance Elementary is a K-6 traditional
elementary school in Los Angeles County, with an enrollment of 262 students. Of these
students, 1% are African/American, 5% are Asian American/Pacific Islander, 92% are
Hispanic/Latino, and 3% are White. Furthermore, 75% of the students are classified as
socioeconomically disadvantaged, 44% are classified as English Learners, and 15% are students
with disabilities.
Renaissance Elementary is a school under program improvement. The school did not
meet all of its AYP targets for a second year in a row in 2009-2010, consequently entering stage
1 of 5 of program improvement (PI) under NCLB. All AYP targets were met in 2010-2011;
therefore, the school remained as a PI school in year 1. Subsequently, the school only reached
13 of the 17 AYP targets in 2012, thus entering stage 2 of PI. However, according to the state
accountability measures, the school has increased its API for the past three years earning 712 in
2009-2010, 728 in 2010-2011, and 771 in 2011-2012.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 60

A major factor that deemed Renaissance Elementary worthy for this case study was that it
is an Arts for All school. Arts for All is a program sponsored by an organization in Los Angeles
County that aids in strengthening a school’s capacity to deliver arts education in order to
improve the quality of instruction and learning at the school. The program also assists in the
establishment of partnerships that serve to sustain arts education. These experiences have
prepared the teachers at Renaissance Elementary to provide opportunities for their students to
discover and develop their skills and talents in visual and performing arts by incorporating fine
arts instruction and experiences throughout the regular district-adopted curricula. Therefore, the
school’s commitment to the arts was evident, and the various data collection instruments
provided the necessary information to create a qualitative narrative for this case study.
Instrumentation
The thematic dissertation group designed the data collection instruments, which include
open-ended interviews, surveys, an observation protocol, and document analysis. The
interviews, surveys, documents reviewed, and observation protocol were designed to give
detailed information for the research questions, and were arranged to sort responses for each
individual research question. Additionally, the researchers also categorized the information
collected through these protocols into Bolman and Deal’s (2008) four frames to give insight on
the leadership style present in the school.
According to Bolman and Deal (2008) the four frames aid in capturing the occurrences in
an organization. The use of the various collection methods allowed the researcher to refer to the
structural, human resource, political and symbolic frames. The researcher used the structural
frame to analyze the role of the of the school’s goals and structures, and how these processes aid
in the operation of the organization. Additionally, the researcher used the human resource frame
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 61

to consider the relationships within the people in the organization, and how the needs of all the
stakeholders aligned to the school’s mission and goals. The political frame provided insight on
the roles of the district, school board, administration, teachers, and community in sustaining the
arts. Moreover, the symbolic frame aided in the analysis of the school culture and the role and
influence of the arts present within the school setting.
The interview protocol (Appendix B) has 17 questions, which are open-ended and
aligned to the research questions. This allows the participants to respond to all questions without
limitations. Furthermore, those identified as key participants of the school community for the
interview include the principal, arts coordinator, the leadership team and/or grade level chair, art
teachers, a partnership contact, and a parent representative. The dissertation team also
constructed a 24-question staff survey (Appendix A) using a 4-point scale to align with the
research questions.
Like the former instruments, the observation protocol (Appendix C) also aligned to the
research questions. It includes a list of what to monitor while visiting the school site. Finally,
the list of documents for review (Appendix D) includes the most recent School Accountability
Report Card (SARC), the school site plan, the school Arts for All plan, the district Arts for All
plan, the school website, the daily schedule and master calendar, Meet the Masters Curriculum
guides, and student work.
Data Collection
The collection of data took place at the school site over a period of four months. After
that time frame, additional necessary information was retrieved via phone interviews, electronic
mail, and document review. In order to determine the role of the arts within the school and its
significance, the documents reviewed include the master calendar, daily schedules, the school
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 62

plan, the School Accountability Report Card (SARC), the Meet the Masters Curriculum guide,
the school website, the presence of student artwork throughout the school, and student work. In
determining the allocation of resources for the arts, the documents reviewed include the school
plan, the list of faculty, fundraiser forms, the SARC, grants, and partnership information.
Furthermore, analyzing attendance and discipline records, fieldtrips, lists of clubs/organizations
at the school, the school calendar, and records of volunteers provided insight on the perceived
impact of the arts on school culture.
Three interviews were conducted for this case study. This included the principal, the arts
coordinator, who is also the fifth grade teacher, and a parent volunteer. Prior to the interview,
the participants read a consent form and received a copy of the University of Southern California
Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines, as well as a copy of the interview questions. They
were informed that participation is optional, and were asked for consent to be audio-recorded.
All interviewees received the same questions and gave consent to record the interview.
Subsequently, the researcher transcribed the interviews and kept the transcriptions confidential.
Interviewees were contacted afterward through phone or e-mail to verify statements.
Observations were conducted five different days, and each observation lasted two hours.
Four observations were performed in the afternoon during arts instruction, and one occurred in
the evening during the school’s annual winter musical. The observation protocol (Appendix C)
was used to analyze each research question, as well as Bolman and Deal’s (2008) four frames.
In order to increase the likelihood of 100% staff participation, the researcher
administered the survey (Appendix A) during a staff meeting. Prior to the administration of the
survey, each participant received a letter from the principal explaining the purpose of the survey,
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 63

and was informed that participation was optional. All surveys were submitted anonymously in a
box labeled “USC Survey.”
Validity and Reliability
In qualitative research, validity and reliability are fundamental factors. The strength of
qualitative research is the validity of the study, and, as indicated by Creswell (2003), a variety of
strategies were applied in this case study to increase its validity. To begin with, the research
questions and design and data collection instruments all aligned to current research on qualitative
studies. Additionally, the use of various data collection sources allowed for triangulation to
occur (Appendix D). The evidence was cross checked across these sources to justify the finding
of themes. Furthermore, the thick descriptions written as a narrative aid in giving the reader a
feeling of shared experiences. Shared instrumentation and data sources among the four case
studies also increased the validity. Finally, the use of external auditors who assessed the entire
case study before and after the data collection also enhanced the validity.
Data Analysis
The researcher used the process suggested by Creswell (2003) to analyze the data. The
following six steps guided the analysis as data was collected:
1. All data was organized and prepared for analysis. Interviews were transcribed,
observations and document review data was coded and classified into groups.
2. The researcher read all of the information to get a general sense of the information and to
reflect on its meaning. Common ideas and themes were noted.
3. Throughout the consideration of themes, similar topics were grouped together and coded.
The researcher used color-coding to organize the established categories.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 64

4. The color-coding was used to generate a smaller number of significant themes that helped
develop theme connections for the narrative.
5. The narrative was written chronologically, and quotes, along with the multiple
perspectives of the participants, support the themes.
6. Finally, the researcher made interpretations of the data of what was learned through this
case study that addressed the research questions. The researcher also made connections
to the current literature on arts education in public K-12 schools, and provided
suggestions for further study.
Summary
This chapter focused on describing the methodology for the qualitative case study. It
described in detail the research questions, research design, instrumentation, and data collection
and analysis methods. The methodology was designed and implemented to match the current
literature on qualitative research, and it was used to explore how Renaissance Elementary School
has succeeded in sustaining the arts in an era of accountability and financial struggle that the
public education system in California is experiencing.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 65

Chapter Four
Results
The present dilemma of unequal access to a balanced curriculum for all students across
California has created the need to study schools that continue to incorporate all core subjects, arts
education in particular, into classroom instruction successfully. It is imperative for educators to
provide learning experiences in which students foster habits of mind necessary to become
innovators and problem solvers as educators are expected to develop students ready to thrive and
lead their communities in the ever evolving 21
st
century, experiences that arts education can
provide. Thus, the focus of this study is arts education because it is one of the core subjects that
becomes less important in many schools that struggle to meet federal and state accountability
measures. The purpose of this study is to determine the practices that a school has put into
action to position the arts as a priority in the school.
The first three chapters of this dissertation included the problem and the significance of
the study, a review of the literature related to the problem, and the methodology and design used
to study the chosen school. This chapter will provide an in depth analysis of the school as
determined by the four methods of data collection that were implemented. Specifically, this
chapter will present the findings of the study as related to each research question, as well as the
themes that resulted in the findings.
Research Questions
The research questions used for this study serve to understand how the school maintains
the arts as a priority within the curriculum. The study addressed the following research
questions:
• Why are the arts important to the students in this school?
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 66

• How are resources for the arts addressed in the single school wide action plan?
• How has the school retained the arts as a priority (Impetus)?
• What is the perceived impact of the arts on the life of the school, which includes the
culture and academic achievements?
These questions align to the purpose of the study, which was to identify and examine a school
that has embraced arts education as a priority within the curriculum and classroom instruction
while managing the demands from mandated accountability measures and budget constraints.
These questions also focus on the practices, strategies, and funding procedures that the school is
implementing to sustain the arts, as well as describe the perceived impact of arts education on the
school culture.
Methodology
As data was collected from the school, it was coded and analyzed using Creswell’s
(2003) six steps for data analysis. Furthermore, the researcher triangulated the data to ensure
consistency. This assisted the researcher in finding the emerging themes as the study unfolded,
as well as ensuring validity and reliability. The data collected included various documents: the
most recent school SARC, the school plan, which is titled the Single Plan for Student
Achievement (SPSA), the school website, the district Arts for All plan, the School Level Visual
and Performing Arts Plan, records of grants and purchased resources, partnership forms,
fieldtrips, and records of attendance and discipline. Other data collected for triangulation
included staff surveys, interviews, and observations. Each piece of data was reviewed separately,
and then it was coded and put together to determine how the school maintains arts education.
The researcher spent four days and one evening visiting the school to gather the data.
The surveys were distributed during a staff meeting, and eight surveys were returned, which is
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 67

89% of the staff at Renaissance Elementary. The staff includes seven classroom teachers, one
resource specialist, and one principal. To gain the perspectives of the administrator, the staff,
and parents, the researcher completed one formal administrative interview with the current
principal of the school in addition to one formal interview with the fifth grade teacher designated
as the Meet the Masters Coordinator and one formal interview with a parent volunteer who is the
Meet the Masters Parent Volunteer. The researcher tried to schedule a fourth interview with
another classroom teacher; however, due to time conflicts, the interview did not occur.
Nevertheless, the data collected provided the information necessary for triangulation.
First Visitation at the School Site
The researcher first contacted the principal of Renaissance Elementary on March 21,
2012 to obtain permission to study the school. The principal returned the call the next day to
inform the researcher that he received district approval for her to visit and study his school.
Then, the first visit to Renaissance Elementary occurred after school on September 18, 2012 to
meet with the principal of the school and settle on further visitation dates. As the researcher
approached the school, she noticed that the school situated near a church with major streets
directly in front and behind it. The side opposite of the church is a residential area. There is a
small parking lot in front of the school, and the buildings looked aged. Upon entering the front
gate of the school, a large mural of the mascot hangs on the wall of a classroom building.
Additionally, the path to the main office has a small display case portraying a few pieces of art.
Inside the main office, the secretary sat behind a desk. She was very friendly and
welcoming towards the researcher. As soon as the principal was available, he invited the
researcher to meet in his office. Student work covered the walls of his office, and much of the
work displayed included paintings created by the students.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 68

The first conversation with the principal was very positive. He was excited to offer his
school for the study, and assured the researcher that all students have access to fine arts at his
school. He clearly stated his perspective towards arts instruction, and his notion that his school
has been successful in maintaining it. He also mentioned some of the partnerships established
with surrounding organizations to assist with arts education, as well as personnel that could be
helpful for the researcher to interview. The meeting ended with a calendar date to meet with the
staff and distribute the surveys, as well as a date for an interview with him. Although the
researcher did not see an abundance of art covering the campus, the first meeting was very
positive and encouraging.
Recent History of Renaissance Elementary
After visiting the school and completing the various interviews, the researcher discovered
a story of recent changes that occurred at Renaissance Elementary in order to reach its current
status. It is one of the smallest schools in its district, with one class per grade and a student
enrollment of 262. Prior to 2008, students in fourth through sixth grade were receiving
instruction in the arts for approximately 60 minutes per week from arts specialists (visual art in
the fall semester and music in the spring semester). However, in 2008, the budget cuts resulted
in the elimination of all arts specialist positions, thus entrusting the regular classroom teacher
with the role of the arts teacher.
According to the parent volunteer, her daughters were not very pleased with the school
and the direction it was headed. She also said, “I wasn’t really happy with it. I myself was
thinking about taking them out.” This quote gave the researcher the notion of the possibility that
other parents shared this viewpoint. Not only that, but during the staff meeting in September, the
principal made the statement, “We can’t change the morale at the district, but we can start here,”
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 69

which suggests that prior to his arrival, there may have been a considerably low morale at this
school. Then, due to various factors, including budget cuts, Renaissance Elementary was on the
verge of closing down in 2011.
In the midst of these circumstances, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and
Instruction advocated for Renaissance Elementary to become an Arts for All school. Arts for All
was established in 2002 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to restore arts
education into the core curriculum for all students in public K-12 schools. The program assists
schools by fostering collaboration among arts leaders across the nation and more than 100
partners to obtain funds with the intended purpose to support the arts in participating schools.
Therefore, receiving this designation would entitle Renaissance Elementary to receive funding
for implementing arts education. Before the 2010-2011 year ended, the LA county organization
that oversees the Arts for All program approved Renaissance Elementary’s application, which
was followed by the district’s approval. The researcher inferred that the grant given to the
school to implement the Arts for All program was of great assistance in maintaining the school
doors open.
Other changes came along with the implementation of this program. To begin with, the
district assigned the current principal to lead Renaissance Elementary in the movement to re-
establish arts education as a major component of the curriculum with the support of the Arts for
All program. Additionally, several of the former teachers at Renaissance Elementary moved to
other schools, and approximately five new teachers from schools within the district transferred
into Renaissance Elementary in 2011-2012. That school year also marked the implementation of
the School Level Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Plan developed by the new principal.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 70

The parent volunteer described these changes as “a whole new outlook” which steered
the school in a more positive direction. She also expressed her approval of the new principal
saying, “The day I met him, I was extremely excited, and ready to be in this school as a whole
new school year…a whole new opportunity for my kids to just grow and flourish.” Speaking
about the teachers, she said, “They were ready for the challenge of starting over with the kids. It
was the whole new staff, the morale, the positive attitude—it really made a big difference…I
really was very, very pleased with how everything was changing.” Thus, it appears that the
decision from the district to keep the school open by allowing the current principal to lead the
staff in the effort to reinstate arts education would greatly benefit this particular school.
Findings by Research Questions
Research Question One
Why are the arts important to the students in this school? In order to determine the
role of arts education at Renaissance Elementary, the researcher sought to discover the perceived
significance the arts have for the students. The researcher began a document review process. To
begin with, the school’s mission, as indicated by the Single Plan for Student Achievement
(SPSA), states: “Renaissance Elementary strives to give all students a well-balanced education,
focusing on the skills of core subjects including reading, writing, oral language, math, social
studies, fine arts, science, and physical education.” It is evident through the mission that the staff
of Renaissance Elementary has made a commitment to develop students with the knowledge and
skills in all subjects to have a firm foundation in their education. In the face of having the label
of a PI school, the staff appears to be determined to maintain high levels of expectations for
themselves, as well as for their students in the curriculum made available at Renaissance
Elementary.
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To ensure arts education is part of the curriculum, the principal developed the
Renaissance Elementary School Level Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Plan for the 2011-
2012 school year as part of the Arts for All implementation plan. This document includes goals,
evidence that can be used to measure the achievement of the goals, and the stakeholders
responsible for each goal as related to the instruction in visual and performing arts. The six goals
align to the four strands of arts education, as well as to campus changes to develop an
atmosphere of learning through the arts, and professional development and planning.
The principal, with agreement from the teachers, also purchased a program for visual arts
curriculum called Meet the Masters. This program, which was adopted and implemented in the
spring of 2011, supplies the teachers with an abundance of resources necessary to provide
instruction on the life, influence, history, and techniques of various famous artists. The resources
include videos, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets word cards, lesson plans, and more.
Additionally, one teacher took the role as the Meet the Masters Coordinator to assist teachers
with the implementation of the lessons. Through these documents and actions, there is evidence
of the commitment to the arts made by the principal and the staff at Renaissance Elementary.
To further determine the role of arts education and the significance for the students, the
researcher looked at the survey results related to research question one. The results are displayed
in Table 1.

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Table 1

Survey Results Addressing Research Question One

Survey Question
Strongly
agree

Agree

Disagree
Strongly
disagree
1. My instruction addresses the arts
standards.
1 5 1 0
2. The arts are integrated into other
subject areas.
0 5 3 0
4. Arts instruction occurs throughout
the day.
0 4 2 2
6. Instruction in arts education
enhances a well-rounded education.
7 1 0 0
16. Teachers advocate for the arts.

0 8 0 0
17. Parents advocate for the arts.

0 7 1 0
21. Students develop an appreciation
for the arts.
7 1 0 0
22. Arts instruction develops student
creativity.
2 6 0 0
23. Arts instruction develops student
self-expression.
4 4 0 0
24. Arts instruction leads to an increase
in student engagement and
participation.
6 2 0 0
Note. Survey question number one only includes seven responses, as the administrator did not
answer the question.

According to the survey results, 100% of the respondents advocate for the arts as well as hold the
belief that arts education enhances a well-rounded education. Additionally, of the respondents,
87.5% believe that parents advocate for the arts, 87.5% agree or strongly agree that their
instruction addresses the arts standards, and 62.5% agree that arts is integrated into other
subjects. Therefore, arts education has a certain importance among the school’s staff and
community as they appear to support arts education, and teachers ensure that they provide it to
their students. Furthermore, 100% of the respondents agree or strongly agree on all of the
following: students develop an appreciation for the arts in their school; arts instruction develops
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 73

student creativity and self-expression; and arts education leads to an increase in student
engagement and participation. Thus, teachers believe that their students are highly engaged
during arts instruction, and value the arts as it helps them express themselves and expand their
creativity.
The abovementioned responses suggest that the arts have a significant role at Renaissance
Elementary, yet it was difficult to tell the actual instructional time given to arts instruction. The
daily schedules for the grade levels do not indicate a specific time to teach the arts, and the
survey results reveal that 50% of respondents agree that arts instruction occurs throughout the
day. When speaking to various teachers, many of them mentioned to the researcher that lessons
in the arts occur when the teachers decide they can fit it in their instruction.
The researcher then reviewed the interview data for further analysis. The common
themes from all of the responses that emerged were that arts education provides a different kind
of learning experience for the students, and they allow students to think and express themselves
in new ways. During the interview with the principal of Renaissance Elementary, he stated,
“Visual and performing arts takes learning beyond pencil and paper tasks, and it allows
students…to involve both sides of their brain in what they’re doing.” He went on to say:
There’s a real need to develop the creative side of our brain because… it’s related to how
you solve a math problem, or how you write papers, or how you solve problems in the
work world, and as we start to move toward the Common Core Standards, and go through
that shift in California, we can’t just have paper and pencil tasks, as our basis. It demands
creativity and critical thinking, and fine arts use creativity and critical thinking as their
base.”

Evidently, the principal values the need for students to experience various instructional methods
to develop their creativity and critical thinking skills. He also appears to be particularly
conscious of the demands that are forthcoming due to the Common Core Standards, and wants to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 74

ensure that his school is providing the necessary instruction to meet such demands, which
includes instruction in the arts.
The fifth grade teacher, who is the Meet the Masters Coordinator, has a similar
perspective as the principal. She said:
I think the arts are important to the students in this school for the same reason that arts are
important to the general educational population students. We know that the more
inclusive we are of all content areas, the better education is. The studies just show how
art improves thinking, you know, that’s number one because it’s going to boost whatever
we are doing in the school. It’s part of a well-rounded academic education.

Her response suggests that the arts are significant for the students at Renaissance Elementary due
to the belief that the arts develop students’ ability to think, as well as providing students with a
good foundation for their education. The parent also agreed stating:
I think that’s extremely important for everybody. Especially for the kids here growing up
here in a low-income environment and that just enriches them to the point where they’re
able to move up and on…This program has made a big difference in their morale period.
It’s shown the students a lot. They’re able to express themselves, and show how they feel
through the techniques we are teaching them, through their own techniques.

Thus, as a parent volunteer, she is able to observe how students benefit from arts instruction in a
way that will help them be successful beyond school.
Another interesting response is how the fifth grade teacher looked at the ethical aspect of
including arts education. She said:
For me personally, as a teacher who has taught for a long time, when we focus…just on
math and reading, and math and science, that’s a forte of a certain segment of
society…When we always are just focusing on that, we are really only focusing on a
small segment of our student population. Every year I have kids who are just so gifted in
art, it’s just so evident whenever we do any kind of art related activities…How they put
their colors together or just their perspective of it is so advanced and so talented, it’s a
gift. It’s not coming just from me. It’s coming from what their forte is, and if we don’t
address the arts in school, those kids never have the chance to flourish…They never
really get a chance to shine because they’re working in an element that’s just not their
forte. That’s why I think the arts are important.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 75

This teacher expressed and demonstrated a strong passion for ensuring that all of her students
have several opportunities to be successful, and these opportunities clearly include arts
education.
When observing the campus, it was evident that arts instruction is present as the display
case near the front office depicts the final products for the artist the students are studying. Each
classroom is also required to include a bulletin board on student artwork. During the arts lesson
observed in the sixth grade classroom in October, students appeared to be engaged in the lesson
on the monthly artist, Mary Cassatt. Once students began working on the piece of art, they were
very engaged. A few got discouraged because they were unsure if they were completing the
activity “right,” but the teacher encouraged them that there was no one right way. She continued
to encourage them to use their imagination to create their own patterns. As students began to
finish their work, they appeared to feel proud of it. A few students exclaimed, “Yay!” as they
finished. Others were anxious to show their teacher their finished product. Some even held up
their piece for their classmates to see.
This observation demonstrates the level of engagement that students experience during
arts lessons in addition to the satisfaction they undergo once they have their finished product.
Students demonstrated their creativity with colors and patterns, and it seemed that students made
these choices on their own.
Summary of Findings for Research Question One
At Renaissance Elementary, there is a clear stated commitment to the arts. It also appears
that a well-balanced education cannot exist at this school without including the arts in the
curriculum. This is one reason why the arts are important for the students in this school.
Additionally, the staff believes that the arts are also important for students to enable them to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 76

foster creativity and self-expression, and to learn through various methods. Students have also
displayed high levels of engagement when participating in arts lessons, as well as a sense of
success and pride when their products are completed. These experiences are added evidence for
why the arts are important for students.
Research Question Two
How are the resources for the arts addressed in the single school-wide plan? To
understand how resources for the arts are distributed, the researcher began the investigation by
reviewing the most recently approved school-wide plan: the Single Plan for Student
Achievement (SPSA) for the 2011-2012 academic year. The School Site Council (SSC) of
Renaissance Elementary developed and approved this document. The SSC that approved this
plan consisted of the principal, three classroom teachers, another staff member, and three parent
or community members. Further examination of this document revealed that of the four school
goals, the last one states, “By 2011/12 Renaissance Elementary will implement Arts for All
through the infusion of visual and performing arts in weekly classroom instruction, student
projects, student assemblies, and community events.” The plan also describes how students will
meet the VAPA standards by creating a standards-based portfolio that demonstrates proficiency
and knowledge of key standards. Including this goal as part of the SPSA ensured that a portion
of the resources the school receives would fund the arts.
For each goal, the plan describes each action planned for the year along with the
proposed expenditure, estimated cost, and the funding source. In 2011-2012, Renaissance
Elementary agreed to provide professional development and training for teachers to implement
arts across the curriculum by using two buy-back days funded by the centralized budget. They
also agreed to purchase two tracks from the Meet the Masters curriculum, as well as develop a
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 77

group of parent volunteers, both funded by their Title I budget. Another action listed in the plan
is an after school enrichment program for a student mural project. The stipend for the teacher
taking this role was also funded by Title I. Additional funding sources for arts supplies
necessary for core arts instruction during and after school, the display cases, and risers for their
performances include Economic Impact Aid (EIA)/School Compensatory Education (SCE) and
the Arts for All Grant (ASES). The school also planned to use EIA funds to maintain the
community informed about their arts related activities, goals, and successes. Once more, the
commitment to the arts is instantly recognizable at Renaissance Elementary based on this
document.
The research for resource allocation for the arts continued with the staff surveys. Table 2
shows the questions and responses related to the second research question.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 78

Table 2

Survey Results Addressing Research Question Two

Survey Question
Strongly
agree

Agree

Disagree
Strongly
disagree
7. My school has sufficient resources
for the arts.
0 8 0 0
9. My school receives external funding
for the arts.
2 5 1 0
10. Teachers have a voice in funding
allocation for the arts.
0 5 2 1
19. The arts receive adequate
community support.
1 4 2 1

All of the respondents at Renaissance Elementary agreed that the school has sufficient resources
for instruction in the arts. Furthermore, 87.5% of the staff agreed that the school receives
external funding. Yet, it seems that community support for the arts, along with teacher’s
perspective and knowledge of funding allocation for the arts are not as strongly supported. Still,
62.5% of the staff at Renaissance Elementary agreed with these statements.
During the interviews, the principal had the greatest insight for this particular research
question. He described how the district first gives an initial budget amount, and the role of the
SSC to create the SPSA. He went on to say, “Much of the decision process involves meeting
with teacher leaders and parent leaders, and collaboratively deciding what’s the direction of the
school and what do we want to spend money on. How is that going to benefit students the
most?” Therefore, parents and teachers have a voice in budgetary decisions, but those involved
in the SSC are better informed about the school budget. The fifth grade teacher also mentioned
that most of the budgetary decisions are top-down, beginning with the principal. Yet she agrees
that teachers have a voice when she said:
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 79

He did run it by us, the Meet the Masters, a lot of teachers seemed like, “Yeah, that was
exactly the kind of program that we need,” and that was the bulk of the money. It was his
suggestion, and he ran it by us, and we all agreed.

The parent volunteer stated:
I do know that the PTA has a deal to do with that, but I’m not really sure of the extent of
how it’s managed. I do know that everybody has an input on the budget, but I’m not sure
how they decide that.

When asked exactly where resources are obtained for the arts, the principal mentioned
that the Arts for All grant funded the initial training for the teachers. The belief is that the
training will sustain itself. After receiving the training, the expectation is that teachers will
uphold the arts programs. He also said:
Not a lot of money actually goes into maintaining the arts, but we do have some expenses
like…oil pastel, paint brushes, so I’m pretty sure my arts budget is bigger than most
schools….I make sure they have a well stocked supply room for teachers. So, there’s no
reason why they can’t be doing this.

Through this response, there is evidence that the principal has a budget for the arts. He is also
certain to supply necessary resources for arts instruction, particularly for all the lessons in the
Meet the Masters curriculum. Yet, the principal revealed that a small amount of funds is used to
maintain arts. What's more, when asked about fundraisers for the arts, each participant stated
that there are not any fundraisers to target arts education specifically. However, the staff
organizes a few fundraisers for the school in general. The consensus among the interviewees
was that the school is in the process of making plans for fundraisers for both the school and the
arts, but there was no mention of set dates or fundraisers.
When the researcher attended the staff meeting in September held inside a former
classroom, she noticed that various materials for the arts filled the cabinets. These materials
included construction paper, paints, pastels, glue, scissors, and other obscured items. The
principal mentioned that all teachers have access to these supplies.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 80

When asked about funding for the arts, the parent volunteer said that, from her
understanding, the Meet the Master kits purchased were delivered with many of the necessary
materials. She also mentioned the focus on one artist for each month, and that a parent volunteer
organizes a kit that contains all necessary resources for instruction on that particular artist for
every teacher. She added that teachers must share and return all materials, and that “everyone’s
been doing really well with that.”
Summary of Findings for Research Question Two
The SPSA is the document that explains the plans to distribute the school’s budget to
meet the established goals for achieving student proficiency. In order to implement arts
education at Renaissance Elementary, the 2011-2012 SSC made arts implementation a school
goal, which ensured that a portion of the budget be utilized to fund arts instruction. Aside from
the typical funds a public school receives, such as EIA and Title I, Renaissance Elementary
received a grant from the Arts for All program to assist in the implementation of the arts. The
grant was primarily used to provide professional development for teachers. Furthermore, it
seems that the principal provided all teachers with any materials necessary to implement the
Meet the Masters curriculum. Even so, it does not seem that teachers receive materials for arts
instruction beyond Meet the Masters because the fifth grade teacher stated she used donated
materials or her own funds for art projects in her class that are unrelated to Meet the Masters
lessons. Furthermore, the school has yet to coordinate any fundraisers for the arts.
Research Question Three
How has the school retained the arts as a priority (impetus)? A major driving force
for the arts at Renaissance Elementary, which was an initiative that originated from the Assistant
Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, is the fact that it is an Arts for All school.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 81

Renaissance Elementary has just begun its second year of implementation as it received the Arts
for All school status in 2011. This means that prior to that, there were no set plans for
implementing arts education at this school.
As one of two Arts for All schools in the district, Renaissance Elementary received the
“Success for Every Student Arts for All” plan. This document explains the district’s vision for
implementing arts education within the next three to five years in the two designated schools.
The vision states that “all students will be actively engaged in experiencing the arts,” and that
teachers will participate in “high quality professional development in the arts.” It also declares
the district’s commitment to provide both, resources for the implementation of the arts plan, as
well as opportunities for “students to interact with the creative community,” and that each school
will showcase and celebrate the arts with the establishment of community support and awareness
of the arts present at the school.
Furthermore, the plan describes six goals for sustaining arts education along with
implementation tasks and the stakeholders responsible for each task. The six goals focus on the
following areas: teacher training and professional development, establishing the arts as a core
subject and a support for other core subjects, on-going support for implementation of arts
programs and curriculum, the development of community partnerships, and creating an
appreciation for the arts as well as recognition of the arts occurring at the schools. In addition to
the staff at the school sites, the district also formed three subcommittees to supervise the
completion of these goals, which include Curriculum and Professional Development, Advocacy,
and Funding and Development. The members of these groups are personnel from the district and
from partner organizations.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 82

Having administrative support from the district office to complete these tasks has placed
the arts as a priority at Renaissance Elementary. Further indication for the idea that arts are a
priority at this school includes the mission of Renaissance Elementary, the School Level VAPA
Plan, and the inclusion of the arts as a school goal in the SPSA. These documents are proof that
leaders within the school and the district have carefully planned strategies to implement and
sustain arts education at Renaissance Elementary.
To check for consistency, a number of questions address research question three in the
staff survey. Each survey question and its results are displayed in Table 3.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 83

Table 3

Survey Results Addressing Research Question Three

Survey Question
Strongly
agree

Agree

Disagree
Strongly
disagree
1. Time in the arts has decreased after
NCLB.
3 4 0 1
7. My school has partnerships with
outside arts organizations.
1 6 1 0
8. Despite of budget cuts, the arts have
remained a priority in funding at my
school-site.
1 4 3 0
10. There is administrative support for arts
instruction.
3 4 0 1
11. Teachers are provided professional
development opportunities for
instruction in the arts.
2 4 2 0
12. Teachers collaborate with arts
specialists.
0 3 4 1
13. Teachers collaborate to establish
strategies for arts integration.
1 4 3 0
14. Teachers are confident in providing
instruction in the arts.
0 5 3 0
16. Teachers advocate for the arts.

0 8 0 0
17. Parents advocate for the arts.

0 7 1 0
18. The arts are included in extracurricular
activities within and outside of the school
day.
0 5 3 0
19. The arts receive adequate community
support.
1 4 2 1
20. Field trips are related to the arts. 1 6 1 0

Through these results, there is uncertainty as to whether or not the arts are a priority at
Renaissance Elementary. To begin with, 87.5% of the staff agreed that the instructional time
given to the arts has decreased since the implementation of NCLB. Interestingly, during the
interviews, both the principal and the parent volunteer disagreed with the staff by stating that arts
instruction has increased in the past five years. The principal said, “That’s an expectation that all
teachers participate in arts instruction.” He also said:
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 84

In the past, the big focus was language arts and math, and it was over tested subjects. So
this is kind of a change, and I know that it’s a change because the teachers who were here
and are still here are the ones that say, “Wow! This is really nice to be able to do this.”
We have parents who say, “Wow, I have had all my kids go through Renaissance
Elementary, but they’ve never had anything like this.”

Yet, the teacher interviewed stated that the time has decreased, and she attributed her response to
the budget cuts causing the elimination of the arts specialists in 2008. Along the same lines, only
37.5% of the staff agreed that teachers collaborate with arts specialists. With such responses, the
priority given to the arts is somewhat questionable.
On the contrary, the survey results suggest that there is great advocacy for the arts from
all groups including teachers (100% of staff agreed), administrators (87.5% of staff agreement),
parents (87.5% of staff agreed), and the community (62.5% of staff agreed). This suggests that
arts education appears to be a priority among these stakeholders. Additionally, 62.5% of the
staff agrees that the arts have remained a priority in funding despite the budget cuts the school
has endured, and the evidence for this response is the budget allocations for the arts listed in the
SPSA. The majority of the staff (87.5%) also agreed that their school has partnerships with
outside arts organizations. The principal gave more in depth details about these partners. He
mentioned a partnership with the local university where students studying the arts visit
Renaissance Elementary to assist teachers in creating and implementing art lessons. There is
also a partnership with the local symphony. This partnership allows for one of the musicians
from the symphony to visit the school five times throughout the year to introduce various
instruments to third to sixth grade students during assemblies. The symphony also invites
students and their parents to attend their free concerts throughout the year, two occur in the fall,
and two occur in the spring. While visiting the school, the representative of the symphony
conducts previews of the concerts during the school assemblies to encourage the students to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 85

attend. However, no data reveals whether or not the students and their families attend the
concerts.
Although the majority of the teachers disagreed that they have opportunities to
collaborate with arts specialist, 75% of the staff agreed that they received professional
development in the arts. Additionally, 62.5% agreed that teachers collaborate to determine
strategies for integrating the arts into their instruction, and 62.5% of the staff agreed that teachers
feel confident facilitating instruction in the arts. According to the SPSA and the School Level
VAPA Plan, students are expected to have weekly instruction in the arts. Yet, teachers expressed
that this is not always the case. The fifth grade teacher interviewed said, “We’ve have some
training, meager as it is, and we have this fabulous program [Meet the Masters] that kind of pulls
it altogether for us. It is systematic, and structured, and hits the standards.” She went on
describing her instruction in the arts:
We’ll do one big art project a month, and then several little art projects in between.
Maybe I do more than I think, but as far as an art lesson, no this month [October] I’ll do
something, maybe in December we’ll do some kind of artistic thing. I’m not sure if it’s a
standards based art…My biggest challenge would be my personal training in teaching the
arts…When it comes to the arts—I need more professional development…If I had more
professional development, I’m sure I could implement it across the curriculum a lot more
effectively than I’m doing now.

Although the majority of the teachers agreed they received professional development in the arts,
the fifth grade teacher said, “That grant [Arts for All] provided us 2 or 3 days of training at the
beginning of last year, but we haven’t had any follow up training, or training at all this year in
the arts.” This response, again, makes it ambiguous if arts are indeed a priority.
Nevertheless, 87.5% of the teachers agreed that fieldtrips are linked to the arts, and
62.5% of the staff agreed that extracurricular activities related to the arts occur throughout the
day. The principal made it clear that this will be the second year he makes sure to secure buses
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 86

so that every student participates in a fieldtrip to see a musical. Additionally, this year 4
th
-6
th

graders went on a field trip in December to watch a piano trio.
Based on observations and interviews, students are receiving instruction in the arts
throughout the day, but not necessarily on a weekly or daily basis. Further, except for the mural
of the school mascot and a small display case, the arts were not as visible at the school as
expected according to all of the plans set in place. The principal described that part of the Arts
for All grant funded an afterschool program last year for the student mural project. One teacher
led the project, and a group of students in the upper grades participated in painting the mural.
Once the project was completed, the parents hung the mural, and the principal said that a number
of parents and students were present at the unveiling. Based on observations and interviews,
Renaissance Elementary is still working on establishing methods to showcase their artwork. All
of the interviewees mentioned the idea of holding a festival for the arts the end of the school year
to highlight student work, but it is still a work in progress.
Aside from the mural project, this is the second year that teachers assist in preparing
students for a winter musical. Students performed “Christmas at the Corral” in December twice
during the school day and once in the evening to give students and community members the
opportunity to see it. The researcher attended the performance in the evening and it was evident
that every parent of the students performing was present. As the researcher arrived, there was no
parking available inside or directly around the campus as vehicles occupied every space where a
one could fit.
When the researcher entered the multipurpose room a few minutes before the musical
started, the excitement of the student performers was felt all around. The community support for
this event was undeniable. Parents and family members filled every seat in the room, and some
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 87

even stood next to the walls on every side of the room. So many students were part of the
musical that some of the singers stood on risers to the right side off the stage. In fact, additional
student singers sat in seats in the area below the left side of the stage. All of the students wore
attire that seemed to be purchased or made specifically for the musical. In addition, the teachers
completed the beautifully decorated backdrop. The main performers did not miss a line, and
following the performance was a grand applause. The appreciation for the arts was evident from
all groups during this performance, as well as the impact the arts can have on a community. At
the end of the show, parents and students alike stood proud of the performance.
Another example of arts occurring in extracurricular activities is through the after school
program. Aside from providing time for students to complete their homework, students enrolled
in the after school program are also given opportunities to participate in art lessons. During one
visit, artwork completed by the students in this program covered the campus. Yet, there are not
sufficient funds for all students to participate in the program.
To further investigate the priority of arts in the school, the researcher inquired about arts
instruction during the interviews, specifically how decisions are made on which arts disciplines
to focus on, and when the teachers conduct art lessons. The principal said:
The funds…go toward the arts that the staff is most interested in implementing…Well
almost across the board, every teacher has said that we really want to do the visual arts,
for one because the students love that. We also want to do some singing and dancing. So,
that’s where our funds go. There are so many arts forms, but we don’t necessarily have
the time to take them all on…So really, it’s largely based on the interest of the teachers,
and us deciding as a team on what’s our school vision and in what direction are we going
to go.

The fifth grade teacher also mentioned, based on her experience, PI schools have a tendency to
establish a climate in which leaders have said there is no time for the instruction of non-tested
subjects. She said:
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 88

Nobody would speak it out loud…but the truth was that was the practice. Now that this
is an Arts for All school, we kind of have the permission. Just the permission alone…you
have to include them, it makes a big difference on how I approach it. I actually teach it.

The principal gave a similar response as the teacher stating:
You have to keep your vision for maintaining the arts, no matter what. You treat it as an
important subject, even if it’s not a tested subject. Those tested subjects sometimes steal
the priority, so that’s another battle. We have to let it be ok that our teachers are teaching
art in the classroom. Our students are participating in art, it’s important.

Observations revealed that visual art is the most prevalent form of art that takes place
during school hours. As mentioned earlier, all students learn about one artist per month.
Students learn the academic language related to that particular artist, the history of the artist from
where they lived to the period in which they lived, and they learn the artist’s style and
techniques. Additionally, the students each create their own art portfolio where they store all
work related to the lessons provided by the Meet the Masters curriculum. This includes all work
that leads to the final project for the particular artist, such as worksheets where students practice
the vocabulary or the techniques the artists used. Yet, both the teacher and the parent described
the challenges they have encountered for obtaining support of the arts programs. The parent
volunteer said:
The biggest challenge is getting parents in and letting everybody know that they actually
would be a great help. Just one person in one classroom during the art lesson…because it
is a big deal for the teacher to be teaching something that’s kind of being squeezed in as it
is.

She also made the assertion that she is usually the only parent volunteering to help the teachers.
She continued:
Our next step is to find people who are familiar with this and ready to just support us in
what we need…to see who I can also have out as far as the teacher support, as far as
getting the community involved and more parents involved.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 89

The fifth grade teacher added:

As the Meet the Masters coordinator, it was made very clear that each teacher would have
to have a parent helper because they are supposed to help with the implementation
because it’s a lot of prep for each one of those activities….There might be one or two that
did get one, but as far as I know, I’m the only teacher who got a parent that…helped me
run the program, could have run it without me.

So, although the staff survey reveals 62.5% of respondents agreed that there is adequate
community support for the arts, consistently enlisting parent volunteers has proven to be of great
difficulty.
Summary of Findings for Research Question Three
There is no question that the arts are a priority at Renaissance Elementary, and this
priority is maintained through various ways—the inclusion of arts as a school goal, budget
allocations, advocacy from all stakeholders, extracurricular activities, fieldtrips, and partnerships.
It appears that Renaissance Elementary is focusing more on visual arts through the Meet the
Masters curriculum, and offers students opportunities to participate in performing arts through
assemblies and an annual winter musical.
The revival of the arts at this school is transpiring, but the school has not achieved the
complete vision for arts implementation. The staff is working on ways to display and celebrate
student work in the arts. Additionally, there is no consistent time for arts instruction, and
teachers are working on strategies for implementing more instructional time in the arts, as well as
integrating the arts into all core subjects. Another struggle is the recruiting of parent volunteers,
and making arts specialists more accessible to teachers and students. These challenges exist;
perhaps, because this is the second year that Renaissance Elementary is under new leadership
with the mission to implement arts education.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 90

Research Question Four
What is the perceived impact of the arts in the life of the school, which includes
culture and academic achievements? To study the influence that the arts have on the school
culture, the researcher began with observations to determine the presence of the arts. Aside from
the mascot mural and the small display case near the main office, the campus displayed few
evidence of participation in the arts, which suggested no correlation between the arts and school
environment. Yet, the results from the staff survey insinuate the arts are significant for the
various groups at Renaissance Elementary.
Several of the staff survey questions related to this research question also address
previous research questions. Table 4 below displays the questions and results:

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 91

Table 4

Survey Results Addressing Research Question Four

Survey Question
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
1. My instruction addresses the arts
standards.
1 5 1 0
20. Instruction in arts education enhances a
well-rounded education.
7 1 0 0
16. Teachers advocate for the arts.

0 8 0 0
17. Parents advocate for the arts.

0 7 1 0
18. The arts are included in extracurricular
activities within and outside of the school
day.
0 5 3 0
21. Students develop an appreciation
for the arts.
7 1 0 0
22. Arts instruction develops student
creativity.
2 6 0 0
23. Arts instruction develops student
self-expression.
4 4 0 0
24. Arts instruction leads to an increase
in student engagement and participation.
6 2 0 0
Note. Survey question number one only includes seven responses, as the principal did not
answer this particular question.

As noted, 87.5% of the respondents agreed that they include arts in their instruction, and 62.5%
of the staff agreed that students experience the arts through extracurricular activities.
Furthermore, 100% of the respondents agreed that the arts enhance a well-rounded education. It
is likely for that reason that parents and teachers of Renaissance Elementary appear to advocate
for the arts, agreed by 87.5% of the staff and 100% of the staff, respectively.
The interviews also provide evidence that the arts are very much present at the school and
influence different groups in a variety of ways as the principal stated:
That’s an expectation that all teachers participate in arts instruction…I’m going to be
coming out and observing and participating. I’ve actually come into the classroom and
done some of the art projects, so it’s not just me being a passive observer, I’ve painted
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some of the things, too, or participating in some of the singing or chanting or whatever it
is that we’re going to do. I’ll join them. Every teacher here is an art teacher.

The fifth grade teacher expressed her perception, saying:
I think students know the arts are important to us. If it’s important to your teacher and to
your principal, they know it’s important. There’s an importance to know about art, that
it’s valuable. Sometimes when all we are focusing on is math, science and reading, in a
way you’re saying the arts aren’t important. You are. Because we have included it, they
know that art is important, that it does have a prestige and an honor in society. I think it’s
particularly empowering for the students who are artistic. [It is] the time that they get to
glow, and that’s a good thing for their confidence.

In fact, according to the survey results, 100% of the staff agreed that students develop an
appreciation for the arts, and all of the interviewees agreed that the students and teachers alike
enjoy and appreciate the movement to becoming an arts focused school. The parent volunteer
asserted, “The kids, they really, really like it. Any chance they get when they’re able to show
their artistic view, they’ll take it, and they run with it.”
The principal, also speaking in regards to students’ perception of the arts, said, “I think
they’re happier, I think they like the instruction more, I think they like their school day more...so
it’s a positive perception.” He also described the change teachers encountered as they
experienced the revival of arts education at their school:
One of the challenges initially was teachers feeling comfortable with teaching art when
they don’t know about art themselves, and it took them some doing to get them just to
feel like you don’t have to be an expert. I think part of the process is explaining to them,
“Ok, if we are expecting kids to do this, you can do this. Nobody has to be a pro at this,
and nobody has to be this polished artist.” What they have to be is willing to learn, and
try it on for size. When the kids see that, that’s when they start exploring. The funny
thing, a couple teachers come to me and say, “Hey, I’m actually not bad at this. This is
something that I’m actually good at,” and kids are saying the same thing.

Furthermore, the principal believes that “there’s a total buy in” from the teachers saying, “ What
I’m seeing is that everyone is starting to get the attitude that if I don’t know how to do it, then I
will learn how to do it with the students.” Correspondingly, the parent volunteer said:
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Teachers, I think they are able to shine a little bit brighter because they know that they’re
the ones able to show these kids a whole new outlook on these artists and art itself, and
they’re happier...there’s good praises all the way back and forth.

The teacher shared a similar perception, stating:
I think we all believe it’s important. It’s something that’s been lacking that we need to
improve on, and because of the mandates from the state and the federal government, it’s
been pushed out. I believe all my colleagues, we are all on the same page, that it’s about
time that we welcome and embrace the arts into our curriculum, and that they should
have never left in the first place.

Clearly, the staff and the community at this school value the arts, and implementing the arts
programs created a new sense of pride and morale at this school. The principal said:
I think I figured out last year that we had 14 community events that had some kind of
representation of the arts, where it was either visual or performing…Because arts are
often a showcase, it brings more people on to campus to participate, in viewing and
observing. So, naturally what follows is, if you have more people on your campus, more
people coming to your events, it starts to feel more like a community culture.

This community culture was very apparent at the winter musical when audience members filled
the multipurpose room. Even though the parent volunteer and the fifth grade teacher mentioned
the challenge they have faced in recruiting parent volunteers, the fifth grade teacher had eight
adults helping her during a Dia de los Muertos art activity. Additionally, the principal continued
to describe how much parents have volunteered to help with mounting the mural or create
costumes and backdrops for plays and assemblies. Further, the principal described his
perception of the community response to the arts:
The way that a community shows its appreciation might not look like anyone saying
thanks, but when you have increased attendance, decreased behavior problems, and
increased participation, and you have parents who are happy and complimenting you, and
you have students who are excited—that’s how the community shows its thanks, and it
just continues to go from there.

The second part of this research question was carefully investigated, as current research is
inconclusive in the area of relating arts to academic achievement. For one thing, the school had
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no concrete data in their records on the correlation between the two topics. Another difficulty in
determining the influence of the arts on academic achievement derived from the various changes
that occurred simultaneously with Renaissance Elementary becoming an Arts for All school,
such as having a different principal and teachers transferred. Therefore, observations along with
perceptions of the staff were used to gain insight on the influence the arts have on academic
achievement. Additionally, the findings relied heavily on student engagement, participation, and
enthusiasm.
The staff at Renaissance Elementary has no doubt that students develop both their
creativity and their self-expression skills through the arts (100% agreed in the staff survey).
Moreover, 100% of the staff agreed that arts instruction leads to higher levels of student
participation and engagement, and observing student work in different classrooms, it was
apparent that teachers incorporate visual arts into other core subjects. Furthermore, students
observed completing art lessons in the fifth and sixth grade classrooms all seemed highly
engaged in their work. Not only that, but the numbers of students participating in the musical
demonstrated the high participation rate of students in arts related extracurricular activities. The
parent volunteer shared her perspective saying:
As far as I understand, the kids love this school the way it’s made a good, positive change
over the last few years, and I think the attendance is up, the discipline as far as that goes,
I think students are able to express themselves...They’re able to feel ok with the way
they’re expressing their art on paper, or the way they’re able to sing or the way they’re
able to dance.

Both the principal and the parent volunteer mentioned in their interviews that they have
seen attendance rates increase as well as behavioral problems decrease since the school adopted
Arts for All. The principal added, “I can’t conclusively say, for sure this is due to the arts, but it
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sure is hard to not draw the conclusion when that’s been the major change that we’ve made at
our school.”
Conversely, the fifth grade teacher has a slightly different point of view. When asked to
describe the influence of arts education on student performance, she began her response saying,
“I can’t tell. I don’t see it making a difference in kids coming to school. I don’t see it making a
difference in student achievement yet.” Although she questions the influence the arts have had
on students thus far, she makes it very clear of her perception on how the arts can benefit
students, affirming:
My hunch is as they develop that part of the mind, and they start learning more about the
world through the history of these artists that we’re studying, it’s going to impact their
knowledge base, which will absolutely impact their achievement rate… After you teach
kids mastery of phonics and you teach them grammar, and what have you, what really
increases comprehension is knowledge. You’re just building another knowledge
base…Art just increases it; it enhances everything.

The parent volunteer agrees that the arts are beneficial to the students. When describing the
changes that the school and the students have made, she said:
When the lead teacher and I started [Meet the Masters], I told her, “Look up,” and the
ceiling was covered in spitballs, and there’s not been any spitballs since the beginning of
last year. The drastic change and difference in everything, that’s why I don’t mind
donating my time. I don’t mind being here. It’s making all the difference in, not just my
kids, to everybody’s kids. You can see it in their behavior, in their academics, in
everything—it shows. It seems more united. It feels more like a family oriented school
here. It feels really good.

Although there have been additional changes in the school, the response from this parent gives a
clear indication that the restoration of arts education at Renaissance Elementary appears to have
been a strong factor in creating an invigorated school culture in which student participation and
engagement, along with community involvement, is increasing. Additionally, the overall
atmosphere at this school is more positive. Academically, the school saw a 44-point increase in
their 2012 API score after their first year as an Arts for All school. Although there is no explicit
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data that suggests this increase was due to the arts, it is a fact that the arts were part of the
curriculum at Renaissance Elementary during the 2011-2012 school year.
Summary of Findings for Research Question Four
Within the past two years, Renaissance Elementary has encountered many changes.
Among the changes is the expectation that every teacher will teach art in the classroom, and it
appears that students value and appreciate the arts. This revival of the arts at Renaissance
Elementary has seemed to have a positive influence throughout the school. Students are more
engaged and active in school, parents are happier with the school, and teachers are experiencing
less discipline problems in the classroom.
Emergent Themes
The following are the major themes that became apparent from the findings:
• District and school site leadership worked in tandem to make arts implementation a
priority at Renaissance Elementary, school site leadership being a significant factor.
• Professional development appears to be essential for teachers to achieve the goal of
restoring arts education at Renaissance Elementary.
• Renaissance Elementary received external funds and established partnerships with
local organizations through the Arts for All program to make arts education
accessible to their students.
• Implementing arts education at Renaissance Elementary appears to be beneficial to
the school by offering a more balanced curriculum to students and creating a positive
school culture where students are more engaged and behavior issues have decreased.

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Leadership through Four Frames
According to Bolman and Deal (2008), organizations are very complex, which creates a
difficulty in managing and creating a successful organization. Schools are no exception. Yet,
Renaissance Elementary has achieved triumph in the goal of maintaining the arts due to the
leadership present at the school. This leadership style reflects the four frames that Bolman and
Deal argue will assist leaders to manage an organization effectively. By utilizing the four frames
(structural, symbolic, political, and human resource), leaders demonstrate their ability to
understand and expand their own strengths, and establish various initiatives that can assist in
organization success. Additionally, Bolman and Deal (2008) assert that leaders “emphasize
vision and renewal and have the political skills to cope with the demands of multiple
constituencies” (p. 344). The principal of Renaissance Elementary exemplifies each of these
ideas.
For example, the principal was aware of the need to revive arts education at Renaissance
Elementary, and created a plan to accomplish this. In doing so, he made certain to communicate
clear goals for arts implementation to his staff, described in the School Level VAPA Plan, as
well as in the SPSA. He has also made sure to seek teachers’ input for making decisions, as well
as coordinating resources to ensure teachers can provide arts instruction in their classrooms.
These actions required the use of the structural frame of leadership.
Furthermore, in the endeavor to create an arts focused culture, one of the first projects the
principal approved was the student mural project. This mural now stands as a symbol, not only
for the school mascot, but also as an indication of the artwork that students at Renaissance are
capable of producing. In addition, the principal has set the expectation of hosting an annual
winter musical, and this action has made this event a tradition for the school community. Both
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of these actions demonstrate the use of the symbolic frame of leadership. This form of
leadership is further evident through the vision that he has communicated, with the support from
the district for his school. Renaissance Elementary was on the verge of closing down, and the
students, parents, and staff needed hope for the future. Establishing the arts as a priority in the
school, with the knowledge that all stakeholders value this as a core subject in education, was
particularly important for keeping Renaissance Elementary open for students. The principal also
makes it a point to lead by example by participating in some of the instruction in the arts that
occurs in the school, and he is very much visible throughout the school during classroom
instruction, as well as during events such as the winter musical.
In addition, the principal is an advocate for the arts. To ensure that his school obtains the
resources necessary for implementing the arts, he has used a political leadership style. The Arts
for All program has enabled him to obtain a grant to fund several actions necessary to revive the
arts at his school. Furthermore, he has begun to build partnerships with local organizations to
assist in maintaining the arts. He has allowed a teacher and a parent to take the lead in the
implementation of the Meet the Masters curriculum. To ensure staff buy-in, he also seeks
teachers opinions on what types of arts instruction they wish to focus on, which is also evidence
of the human resource frame of leadership because this demonstrates that he is aware that he
needs the commitment from the teachers to implement arts education as they are the heart of the
organization.
Furthermore, in response to teachers’ needs, he made sure they received professional
development at the start of the implementation of the arts. Additional evidence of the human
resource frame occurred during a staff meeting. As one teacher presented during a staff meeting,
she mentioned an upcoming networking event within the district as an opportunity for teacher
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growth. As she presented this idea, she mentioned, “[The principal] supports me as a leader, in
what interests me, and what is best for the school. He sees me as a professional, asks, ‘What do
you think?’ I’m respected and empowered.” The principal followed her presentation by
mentioning his goal to establish an appreciation wall in the teachers’ lounge so that teachers feel
valued. After the staff meeting, as the researcher met briefly with him to confirm visitation
dates, he said, “I’m not a micromanager, I want to empower people. When you empower people,
and speak value in them, they do want to work harder. I do believe that I’ve been called here to
empower and encourage my teachers.” The principal has clearly set a vision and a focus for the
school that centers on the arts, and appears to provide the support to ensure that everyone has a
role in sustaining it.
Summary
After analyzing and triangulating data that included multiple documents, staff surveys,
school and classroom observations, and in-depth interviews, Renaissance Elementary proved to
maintain the arts as a priority in the face of strict accountability measures and budget limitations.
Although this school has experienced a number of obstacles along the way, such as losing arts
specialists, being labeled as a PI school, and almost closing its doors, the district and school
leadership worked to begin a transformation of the school through the implementation of the arts.
Joining forces with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Arts for All
program certainly assisted in securing funds to create the vision of an arts focused school. In
addition to providing partnerships, Arts for All has also supplied funding for training the teachers
at Renaissance Elementary to gain confidence to teach the arts. Furthermore, as students have
increased opportunities to participate in the arts, they appear to be engaged and motivated to
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 100

come to school ready to learn. The arts have appeared to play a role in decreasing discipline
problems, and in expanding students’ knowledge base.
While Renaissance Elementary has demonstrated much growth in implementing the arts,
there are still battles to overcome. It was very evident that the presence of arts specialists is
lacking at Renaissance Elementary. Additionally, the fifth grade teacher mentioned the need for
increased professional development in the arts to integrate them into other core subjects more
effectively. The parent volunteer also mentioned that teachers are “squeezing” the arts in, which
suggests that there is no specific, uninterrupted time give to arts instruction. Another battle is the
lack of parent involvement in implementing the arts. The staff and the parent volunteer agreed
that parents support and value the arts; yet, there is still a need for their active participation in
making the arts more accessible to the students.
Nevertheless, this case study uncovered the actions that the leadership and the staff have
taken to revive the arts at Renaissance Elementary. These actions included establishing a vision
aligned with clear goals and expectations, building coalitions beyond the organization that
provide additional resources, and ensuring commitment by key stakeholders to carry out the
vision. There is no doubt that the principal’s ability to apply all of Bolman and Deal’s (2008)
four frames of leadership, and having support from the district, helped to revitalize the arts along
with the sense of school community at Renaissance Elementary.

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Chapter Five
Discussion
Confronted with strict accountability measures and severe budget restrictions, the public
education system in the United States faces the challenge of meeting external demands while
successfully accomplishing the primary goal of improving student learning by providing students
a firm foundation in the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in the 21
st
century global
economy. However, in the endeavor to meet these internal and external demands, schools
inevitably prioritize these requirements. This prioritization occurs more frequently in schools
struggling to achieve statewide and federal accountability measures. As a result, these schools
often standardize the curriculum in efforts to evade failure to reach statewide and federal targets
and the sanctions that accompany them. The standardization of the curriculum includes a greater
focus on tested subjects and a narrowing of the curriculum, which reduces the opportunities for
students to experience a balanced curriculum that incorporates arts education—a core subject
that aids in the development of essential skills to compete in the 21
st
century economy, such as
critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and problem solving. One begins to question how
students are encouraged to become creative innovators and problem solvers if a school reduces
or eliminates the arts from the curriculum. Therefore, there is an urgency to study how schools
are managing both internal and external demands in order to offer arts education and ensure that
students have access to a balanced curriculum. That is the purpose of this study.
The first chapter of this study introduced the topic of arts education, as well as the
purpose and the significance of the study. The second chapter presented a review of existing
literature related to the topic, which includes the history of the arts in education, the influence of
policy on arts education, the benefits of the arts, and best practices. Chapter Three described the
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methodology, research design, and population sample, and Chapter Four presented the findings
that the qualitative research study revealed through the triangulation of various data collection
instruments. This chapter provides a discussion of the study, an analysis of the findings,
implications for practice, and recommendations.
Purpose, Significance and Methodology
The purpose of this study is to examine a school that has embraced arts education as a
priority within the curriculum while managing the pressures from mandated accountability
measures and budget limitations. The research questions aimed to identify the practices,
strategies, and resource allocation procedures that schools are implementing to sustain the arts,
as well as describe the perceived impact of arts education on the school culture. Because the arts
have continuously struggled to maintain a fundamental role in education, this case study is
significant as it aims to further the understanding of the types of decisions and actions that are
taking place at one school focused on the arts. Therefore, both practitioners and policymakers
will find this case study helpful because the information presented will add to the research that
supports arts education in public K-12 schools.
The study followed a qualitative, descriptive research methodology to understand how an
arts focused school functions. A qualitative case study design was appropriate because the aim
was to understand and describe how a phenomenon is occurring from the experiences of people
in a specific context (Patton, 2002). The study occurred in one school setting to gain insight
from the “insiders” of the organization in order to give thick and rich descriptions needed to
answer the research questions. Furthermore, the researcher collected data through interviews,
observations, surveys, and a review of documents to gain as much information as required to
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discover and thoroughly describe how the school is maintaining arts education. The use of
multiple data allowed for triangulation to occur, which enhanced the validity in the findings.
Conclusions
In search of a school for this case study, the researcher focused on finding a public
elementary school that met the established criteria. Magnet schools that focus on the arts follow
a specified structure and organization to maintain arts as a priority, and charter schools typically
have different mandates and guiding principles for making decisions on curriculum and
acquiring and allocating funds. Therefore, the decision making process differs for these types of
schools. The researcher began the study with the intention of learning the practices of a
“typical” public school that embraces the arts, for the reason that state and federal mandates
generally have a greater influence on public schools. Interestingly, as the study unfolded, the
struggle that an elementary public school experiences in the endeavor to provide a balanced
curriculum while meeting critical external demands was very much evident.
Renaissance Elementary met three of the five established criteria: the school
communicates a stated commitment to arts education within the curriculum, arts is present in the
school after the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, and the school has adequate
financial support for the arts. As the study unfolded, the researcher learned that the school did
not meet the last two criteria factors, which include a broad curriculum in the arts and
recognition in the arts. Nonetheless, Renaissance Elementary provided insightful results for each
research question.
Renaissance Elementary is a school under P.I. status year two. Therefore, the school is
under scrutiny to meet all federal targets to avoid further sanctions. Yet, the leadership at
Renaissance Elementary looks beyond state and federal mandates to maintain a vision that deems
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the development of students’ knowledge and creativity equally important to reaching AYP and
API targets. The administration has made a commitment to the arts due to their belief that the
arts aid in the development of their students. Therefore, the administration has included the arts
as a goal in their School Plan of Student Achievement, has obtained and allocated funds
specifically for the arts, and has ensured that teachers receive training in the arts. The school has
also implemented a specific curriculum for visual arts and has established an annual musical.
Yet, even after the implementation of these actions, the staff is struggling to provide arts
instruction comparable to other core subjects as the staff has not determined a regular schedule
for arts instruction, or a consistent means for integrating arts into the various content areas. After
the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, it appears that the pressure of ensuring students
reach proficiency in statewide summative assessments has led many teachers to provide more
instruction in tested subjects (Mishook & Kornhaber, 2006; McMurrer. 2007; GAO, 2009),
which is the case at this school. Even so, Renaissance Elementary exhibits practices that a public
elementary school has achieved to revive arts education.
The themes, which emerged from triangulating the data, are important because other
schools similar to the sample in the study can begin the journey to embrace the arts by
implementing similar practices. The decisions and actions that Renaissance Elementary has
made in reviving the arts have created a new, more positive, culture for the school in which
student engagement has increased, and students are able to expand their creativity and self-
expression. Therefore, these practices have the potential to be just as successful in another
school site.
Without a doubt, leadership is crucial for embracing the arts (Wilson, 2000; Mishook &
Kornhaber, 2006; Penning, 2008). District personnel initiated the idea of infusing the arts into
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the curriculum at Renaissance Elementary. However, the vision and mission focused on the arts
were undoubtedly encouraged and advanced by the principal’s successful implementation of
Bolman and Deal’s (2008) four frames of leadership. Building partnerships greatly influenced
the success of making the arts a priority, as this strategy led to funding for the arts, as well as
access to local arts specialists who support arts instruction at Renaissance Elementary.
Furthermore, there is also collaboration among the staff at the school as the principal provides
teachers with the training, support, and materials necessary for the arts, and teachers meet and
share methods with each other for arts implementation. Therefore, if a school wishes to embrace
the arts, it is important that the abovementioned actions, which are supported by the literature
(Wilson, 2000; Mishook & Kornhaber, 2006; Penning, 2008; Carlisle, 2011), take place.
Implications
In today’s educational climate, it is vital for educators to provide students the learning
experiences that lead to a firm foundation in the various core subject areas. More importantly, in
the midst of strict accountability measures, schools must encourage the development of students’
imagination, creativity, risk taking, and problem solving skills to ensure that all students will be
competent global competitors in the 21
st
century. The arts are the medium through which
students can develop these skills. Students are able to apply and improve their critical thinking
skills and creativity through the participation in viewing various art work and taking on multiple
perspectives for understanding a piece. They can also do so by choosing their own unique means
to complete a final product, and by expressing an idea in a nonverbal way. Additionally, the arts
provide a form of differentiated instruction that generally increases student engagement and
motivation for the reason that the arts are a subject wherein students can find meaning. Once this
occurs, it can increase the connections students make with the concepts they are learning (Eisner,
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1998a; Gullat, 2008; Penning, 2008; Winner & Hetland, 2008). Therefore, educators and
policymakers alike must ensure that the arts are an integral part of the curriculum in all schools.
This case study provides an indication of how this can occur. Therefore, educators, educational
leaders, and policymakers alike can find the results from of this study beneficial to their work.
Recommendations for Renaissance Elementary
Renaissance Elementary is in the beginning stages of becoming an arts focused school,
and the leadership and staff are on the right course to reaching the status of a school that fully
embraces the arts. In order to continue moving forward with their goal, the leadership and staff
can implement additional practices. To begin with, professional development for the staff must
be continuous and include varied topics within the arts. Many of the teachers mentioned having
an initial training for the adopted visual arts curriculum, yet they also mentioned a lack of in
service on integrating the arts with other core subjects. Therefore, teachers would benefit from
additional professional development to further their capacity for providing arts instruction. Once
confident in their ability to integrate arts and align their arts instruction with core standards, they
can then establish a more consistent time for teaching art.
Another area for improvement lies in community involvement. The principal has
established partnerships with local organizations, which certainly assist in sustaining arts
education at his school. However, teachers mentioned a lack of opportunities to collaborate with
arts specialists, and the interview data revealed a lack of parent involvement. Thus, the
leadership and staff at Renaissance Elementary can designate a teacher leader to collaborate with
the principal, or even request district personnel, to specifically take on the role of locating and
securing more partnerships with surrounding organizations that can provide greater access to arts
specialists to collaborate more effectively with the staff at Renaissance Elementary.
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Additionally, the principal can allocate time throughout the school year for this collaboration to
occur. Another teacher designee can be the community liaison to connect with parents
personally and encourage them to volunteer at the school. It is important that the designee speak
the language of the parents to overcome the language barrier. Furthermore, the staff can hold an
initial training for parents in the beginning of the school year to educate them on the various
ways that they can get involved in the school. Subsequently, establishing a parent group to lead
trainings throughout the year can also increase parent involvement to support the arts.
Displaying and recognizing achievement in the arts are other areas of growth for
Renaissance Elementary. As mentioned in the findings, each classroom is required to have a
bulletin board dedicated to the arts, there are art pieces displayed near the main office, and there
is an annual musical and several assemblies. Yet, it did not appear that students are recognized
for their achievements in the arts. In order to do this, the staff can create an annual event, or
semi-annual events, to invite the community to celebrate the arts at Renaissance Elementary.
The interview data revealed that there is a desire to organize a gallery night, thus the leadership
at the school can either designate a committee of teachers, or teachers and parents, to coordinate
the event(s).
Another recommendation for Renaissance Elementary is to hold fundraisers specifically
for the arts. The school received a grant to begin infusing the arts into the curriculum, and the
teachers receive the required supplies for lessons in the Meet the Masters curriculum. However,
the interview data revealed that teachers are responsible for providing the supplies necessary for
additional instruction in the arts beyond Meet the Masters, and the staff has not necessarily
targeted fundraisers to obtain additional funds for the arts. This recommendation must be
considered for the reason that organizing these fundraisers can lead to additional resources,
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which can expand the role of arts at this school. For example, additional monies can help fund
continuous professional development in the arts, or even materials for arts instruction beyond the
adopted visual arts curriculum. The funds can also be used to hire arts specialists to work at the
school, to purchase the necessary items for the gallery night, and possibly other items to display
art throughout the school. Additionally, the money raised can fund more fieldtrips related to the
arts for the students. Therefore, establishing dates for arts fundraisers throughout the year along
with committees composed of teachers and/or parents can ensure that the fundraisers occur.
Renaissance Elementary definitely deserves praise for reviving arts education and making
a commitment to expand the role of arts within the curriculum. The leadership and staff have
certainly adopted practices harmonious with the literature, and as a result have changed the
school culture into a positive one, one in which there is an expectation that students will learn
through the arts. Undoubtedly, Renaissance Elementary can continue to grow and become an
exemplary model school committed to the arts with the inclusion of the recommendations.
Recommendations for Further Study
This case study uncovered the best practices of a school that embraces the arts within the
curriculum. It focused on the decisions and actions carried out by the leadership and staff along
with the perceived impact on the school culture. Although this study has identified several
practices that are successful for expanding the role of arts education in schools, there are
additional recommendations, as well as areas that require further research.
To begin with, state and federal policymakers must initiate a strong, unyielding
commitment to the arts in K-12 education so that the arts have a firm role in public K-12 schools
across the country. It is also critical for legislation to ensure that arts education occurs in the
primary grades to allow students to begin developing self-expression, creativity, and safe risk
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taking early on. In order for teachers to develop the self-efficacy to provide this instruction,
teacher preparation programs in each state must include proper training in the arts. Teachers
must also continue to participate in professional development in the arts so that they are
constantly empowered to facilitate learning experiences in arts and arts integration to ensure they
develop thoughtful and creative adults. A commitment made to the arts by legislators would
pave the path for these events to occur. Furthermore, the commitment would re-establish the
role of arts specialists within schools so that students and teachers have access to collaborate
with experts in the various arts disciplines.
Another recommendation that can ensure the arts are included in school curriculum is to
assess students beyond basic skills, and instead focus on critical and creative thinking skills.
Using only multiple choice, standardized tests does not encourage students to engage in higher
order thinking or to use their imagination, which are important skills students must develop.
Additionally, districts, state, and/or federal officials should evaluate the instruction on all core
subjects across schools to ensure that students are provided a well-rounded education.
In order for policymakers to make such commitments and revolutionize the education
system, there is a need for more in-depth research focused on the arts in relation to education.
Policymakers would be more willing to make these commitments if presented with concrete
evidence that demonstrates that the arts are a definite means to unlock the door to learning,
providing many benefits for students, teachers, and society alike. For that reason, it is essential
that future studies analyze the relationship between arts education and student engagement and
motivation to determine how this affects students’ overall achievement within and beyond
school. There is also a need to investigate the relationship between arts education and academic
achievement in order for educators and policymakers to have greater evidence for maintaining
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 110

the arts within the curriculum due to the mandates focused on student proficiency in other core
subjects. Other studies that can strengthen the evidence to validate the commitment to the arts in
public K-12 schools include:
• A study on how arts instruction and integration can assist in eliminating the
achievement gap between races and socioeconomic statuses.
• A study that examines the effects of arts integration on the learning and retention of
concepts in other core subjects.
• Further research is necessary to identify the best practices and strategies for arts
integration to other core subjects.
• Further research is necessary on how the arts teach 21
st
century skills.
• A longitudinal study is necessary to investigate the long-term effects and benefits of
participating in arts instruction.
• Further research is necessary to determine how the arts can be included in
standardized tests, or other methods for assessing students in the arts.
• Research is necessary to examine the role of the arts in the Common Core Standards
and in preparing teachers to provide arts instruction and arts integration within these
standards.
• Additional research is necessary to further examine the role of leadership in a school
committed to the arts.
• A replication of this study with a larger sample size, one that focuses on schools that
are truly exemplary in their commitment to the arts in order to determine their current
practices, resource allocations, and school culture as a result of the arts.
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 111

All of the studies recommended must include a large enough sample size to increase the
generalization of the findings. The researchers should also determine specific criteria for
choosing the population and the sample to ensure the criteria corresponds the purpose of the
study. Additionally, before selecting a school or setting for the study, researchers must be
certain that the chosen sample meets all of the established criteria. Lastly, the studies must
include a control group and a treatment group, as well as controlling for other factors that may
affect the findings. With the appropriate evidence, the arts are more likely to establish a role in
K-12 school curriculum.
Educational leaders and policymakers are constantly looking for ways to improve the
nation’s education system as the United States faces advanced global competitors. Yet, with the
movement toward standardized tests on basic skills and education budgets that continue to
diminish, many have lost sight of what a meaningful education encompasses for young students.
Problem solving, self-expression, culture, diversity, multiple perspectives, creativity, making
connections, collaboration, differentiation, innovation, and higher order thinking are only a
fraction of the skills and concepts which the youth must experience and achieve to take charge in
the future economy and lead the nation to prosperity. In order to master these skills, students
must participate in rich learning experiences that the arts provide. The arts not only allow
students to practice and learn these skills, but they also provide a bridge across time and cultures,
and any student that does not experience learning through the arts is at a disadvantage in learning
about and appreciating the world around them. As Riley (2012) has asserted, creating learning
opportunities in the arts allows schools to develop chefs who make choices instead of cooks who
merely follow the recipe. If the leaders of today expect the youth to continue to lead the nation
to further success, everyone is responsible to ensure students are encouraged to make choices not
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 112

simply follow recipes. Thus, students must be empowered to imagine and create infinite
possibilities through the education they receive. Therefore, it is imperative that researchers
continue to study the role of arts in education to make certain the benefits students experience
through the arts. It is equally important that policymakers and educational leaders include arts
education as an integral part of K-12 curriculum in all schools for every student.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 113

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Appendix A
Staff Survey

Please indicate your position:

___________ Teacher

___________ Administrator

___________ Other: _______________________________________
(write in your position)

Please indicate the number of years in your position:

___________ 0-4 years

___________ 5-10 years

___________ 10+ years

Please mark the appropriate box in response to each statement:

Curricular Elements

Strongly
Agree
Agree Disagree Strongly
Disagree
1. My instruction addresses the arts standards.
2. The arts are integrated into other subject
areas.

3. Time in the arts has decreased after NCLB.
4. Arts instruction occurs throughout the day.
5. My school has sufficient resources for the
arts.

6. Instruction in arts education enhances a
well-rounded education.

How is arts education affecting your school?
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 120

Organizational Structure

Strongly
Agree
Agree Disagree Strongly
Disagree
7. My school has partnerships with outside arts
organizations.
Please give any details:
______________________________________

8. Despite budget cuts, the arts have remained
a priority in funding at my school-site.

9. My school receives external funding for the
arts.

10. There is administrative support for arts
instruction.

11. Teachers are provided professional
development opportunities for instruction
in the arts.

12. Teachers collaborate with arts specialists.

13. Teachers collaborate to establish strategies
for arts integration.

14. Teachers are confident in providing arts
instruction.

15. Teachers have a voice in funding allocation
for the arts.

School Culture Strongly
Agree
Agree Disagree Strongly
Disagree
16. Teachers advocate for the arts.

17. Parents advocate for the arts.

18. The arts are included in extracurricular
activities within and outside of the school day.

19. The arts receive adequate community
support.

20. Field trips are related to the arts.

21. Students develop an appreciation for the
arts.

22. Arts instruction develops student creativity.

23. Arts instruction develops student self-
expression.

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 121

24. Arts instruction leads to an increase in
student engagement and participation.

Thank you for completing this survey. Please add any additional comments:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 122

Appendix B
Interview Protocol

Participants:
Principal
5
th
Grade Teacher/Meet the Masters Coordinator
Parent Volunteer
Research Question 1: Why are the arts important to the students in this school? (What’s going
on?)
• Why are the arts important to the students in this school?
• How are you carrying out this importance?

Research Question 2: How are resources for the arts addressed in the single school wide action
plan?

• Where do you get the funding for the arts?
• Are there any fundraisers for arts programs? If so can you describe them?
• How are funds distributed among the arts programs?
• What percentage of the school budget goes to the arts?
• How are budget decisions arrived?

Research Question 3: How has the school retained the arts as a priority (Impetus)?

• Have the number of minutes spent on arts instruction/arts courses offered increased or
decreased in the last five years? If so, why?
• What are the biggest challenges you find in supporting your arts programs? How have
these challenges been dealt with?
• How does your school show appreciation and recognition for the arts?
• Do you look to the community to support your arts programs? If so, how?
• Do you have any partners that assist in maintaining the arts?

Research Question 4: What is the perceived impact of arts on the life of the school which
includes the culture and the academic achievements?

• How does the role of the art teacher influence school culture?
• What kind of participation does the school have in community events related to the arts?
• Can you describe the influence of arts education on student performance, including
academic achievement, discipline, and attendance rates?
• How do you believe students perceive arts education on campus? Teachers?
Administrators/counselors?

• Is there anything else you would like to add about this topic that I did not ask?

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 123

Appendix C
Observation Protocol

OBSERVATIONS
Research
Question
What to Observe
RQ 1
• Priority of arts to the
students
• Are the goals/standards posted?
• Student work exhibited throughout the school?
• Students demonstrate high levels of self expression and
creativity
• Student attendance rate at art functions
• Student engagement during arts instruction/ active
participation
RQ 2 • Resources
• What type of resources do you see in the
classroom/school and how they are being used?
• Are art resources readily available for everyone?
• Are the resources adequate/up to date?
RQ 3
• Extra-curricular
activities
• Who is participating?/What are the options?
RQ 3
• Instructional
strategies (through
observations) observe
creativity, innovation,
communication,
critical thinking,
collaboration (4Cs),
problem solving, etc.
• Are projects related to the arts?
• Are the arts integrated into other subjects?
• Are specialists present for arts instruction
• Classroom teacher collaborate with specialists

RQ 3 • Observing PD
• Collaboration among teachers during meetings
• Do PD topics address arts instruction
RQ 4 • Culture & climate
• How do students walk into school?
• What do transitions look like?
• Interactions between students/faculty/staff/parents
• Are parents on campus? If so, what are they doing?
• What’s on the wall? – multicultural, college, global
• Organizations (also RQ 3)/ Community (also RQ 3)
• School traditions (also RQ 3)
• How are the front office/entrance/classrooms organized?
• ASB- are students announcement highly visible
• How are arts activities being promoted?
• Are teachers attending extracurricular activities?
• Art murals present around campus
• Student work vs. professional
REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 124

Appendix D
Documents Reviewed

Role of Arts present
• Master calendar
• Daily schedules
• School-wide Plan—Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)
• School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
• Arts for All Plan
• School website
• Student work

Resources
• School-wide Plan (SPSA)
• Arts for All Plan
• Grants
• Purchased resources
• Partnership Forms

Perceived impact of arts education
• School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
• Attendance rates
• Discipline records
• Fieldtrips
• Extracurricular activities records
• School calendar

REVIVING ARTS EDUCATION 125

Appendix E
Data Source by Research Question Triangulation Matrix

Research Question
Appendix A:
Interview
Protocol
Appendix B:
Survey
Protocol
Appendix C:
Observation
Protocol
Appendix D:
Document
Analysis List

Why are the arts
important to the
students in this
school?

X

X

X

X

How are resources for
the arts addressed in
the single school wide
action plan?

X

X

X

X

How has the school
retained the arts as a
priority (Impetus)?

X

X

X

X

What is the perceived
impact of the arts on
the life of the school,
which includes the
culture and academic
achievements?

X

X

X

X

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Public K-12 schools in the United States currently face competing demands that place improved student learning as the main goal in order to ensure students develop 21st century skills. However, internal and external factors may work with or against each other within a school’s efforts to achieve this. The problem that serves as the basis for this study is the struggle that educators face in maintaining arts education within the curriculum in the midst of high stakes testing measures and declining budgets. The focus of this case study was to identify the decisions and actions that take place in a school that embraces the arts as a fundamental piece of the school curriculum, along with the influence the arts have on the school culture. The qualitative case study design used multiple data collection methods, including surveys, interviews, observations, and a review of documents to allow for triangulation. The results reveal that the key factors for a school to sustain arts education include strong leadership with a vision that encourages and supports arts education, collaboration within and beyond the school site, adequate resources for arts instruction, and professional development in the arts for teachers. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that embracing arts education creates a positive school culture for all stakeholders. This case study can further the understanding of practitioners and policymakers of what at an arts focused school looks like, as well as on the benefits the arts can provide for schools. The findings can also build the case for making decisions to maintain arts education in all schools.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Naranjo, Juanita (author)

Core Title A case study: one public school's endeavor to revive arts education

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 04/29/2013

Defense Date 03/07/2013

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag arts education,benefits of the arts,maintaining arts education,OAI-PMH Harvest

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Gothold, Stuart E. (committee chair), Hocevar, Dennis (committee member), Love, Laurie (committee member)

Creator Email juanitan@usc.edu,msjnaranjo@yahoo.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-248245

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Legacy Identifier etd-NaranjoJua-1626.pdf

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Document Type Dissertation

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Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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