Talking Points
15 December 2005
Prepared by Americans for the Arts

1. Each child in the United States should receive a quality arts education.
While we agree that children should be educated in the fields of math, science and literature, we maintain that a well-rounded education cannot be achieved using these three disciplines alone. Arts education makes an enormous impact upon childhood development, whether it is cognitive or life skills. Knowledge of and exposure to the arts not only increases one’s quality of life but also one’s ability to learn and understand the world around them.

2. Arts education increases knowledge in other areas such as math and reading.
In 2001, a survey was taken of high school students who completed the SAT assessment test. Those who reported being involved in music appreciation classes scored an average of 63 points higher on the verbal sections of their SATs and 44 points higher on their math sections. This statistic was true independent of age, gender or race.

3. Arts education helps keep kids off of the street.
At risk fourth-graders, fifth-graders and sixth-graders that were enrolled in classes in which the arts were integrated used more self-regulatory behaviors during classes than their peers. This means that they were better at paying attention, persevering, problem solving, self-initiating, asking questions, taking positive risks, cooperating and being prepared.

In general, low socioeconomic status students have a higher drop out rate than higher socioeconomic status students. However, when involved in high levels of arts education 3.5 percent of low socioeconomic status eighth-graders dropped out by the 10th grade. Whereas 3.7 percent of high socioeconomic status eighth-graders who were involved in low levels of arts education dropped out by the 10th grade. This marks a radical reversal in traditional social class structured roles. Arts help level socioeconomic bias.

4. Support of the arts helps keep Iowans employed.
In January of 2005, 24,153 residents were employed in the 4,135 arts-related businesses in Iowa. Without sound education in the arts, these people could not be employed, nor would the citizens of Iowa be interested in supporting them.

5. The No Child Left Behind Act includes the arts as a core academic subject but does not define what “the arts” entails.
Many legislators are not even aware that art is one of the core subjects listed in the No Child Left Behind Act. The list of subjects is not given until the glossary of the bill and even then it does not define what it means by “the arts.” This leaves the issue open for a lot of interpretation. In the face of choosing either funding a government standardized tested subject such as math, or subjects like dance and theater, the choice is clear for many officials.

6. School boards must hear our support of arts education. Unless school boards know that parents support arts education they will continue to cut its budget. The best way to let your school officials know that arts matter to you and your family is to attend school board meetings and voice your opinions. Parents’ lack of presence at school board meetings implies to the school board a lack of interest in the subjects at hand. A lack of interest in a subject is all but an open invitation to slice its budget, especially if funds are tight. Remember, 89% of United States households think arts education in schools is a good idea. We just have to let our local officials