Don't forget the arts

DURING HIS election campaign, Governor-elect Deval Patrick spoke of innovation as the engine of growth in the state's economy, and the need for continued innovation in school reform. As he prepares to take office, Patrick has a unique opportunity to create a vital nexus between these two goals by developing a more comprehensive policy to support Massachusetts' creative economy and reinvigorate the role of the arts in public education.

In recent years, several studies have confirmed the benefits of arts education. The research compendium Critical Links reviewed 62 of these studies to identify six major types of benefits for student achievement associated with arts study: reading and language skills; mathematical, thinking, and social skills; motivation to learn; and positive school environment. US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings demonstrated the broad consensus in this area when she recently stated: "Art, dance, music, and theater are as much a part of education as reading, math, and science. They enrich our lives, and research shows they enhance student learning." (For more research on the links between student achievement and arts education, see www.massculturalcouncil.org/issues.)

At the same time, the pressures of standardized testing and tight budgets have forced a growing number of schools to cut back on arts instruction. A recent study by the Center on Education Policy reported a narrowing of the curriculum in schools across the country to meet the federal No Child Left Behind law's mandate for adequate yearly progress on standardized tests for academic achievement.

Over one-fifth of the nation's schools have reduced time for art and music "somewhat or to a great extent" in order to focus on meeting the the law's requirements in reading and math. Typically, schools most affected by the law serve students from low-income families or high proportions of children of color.

Massachusetts saw a 6 percent decline in arts teachers statewide between 2003 and 2004. Students in some communities can move from kindergarten to high school graduation without ever taking a course in music, visual arts, dance, or theater, according to a study by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

It's time to recognize the power of imagination, creativity, and the arts to enliven and transform education, and the central role the arts play in sustaining the creative economy and fostering innovation. The arts must be part of the life of every child.

Fortunately, Massachusetts has the right mix of institutions, talent, and expertise to make this a reality. We can start with our wealth of outstanding cultural organizations and artists. Schools across the state are already collaborating with museums, theatres, music centers, and teaching artists to provide creative learning opportunities that fill the gap left by standardized testing and budget cuts. Thanks to strong support from the Massachusetts Legislature, the Massachusetts Cultural Council is able to support many of these initiatives at the local level with grants and services.

Higher education also has a key role to play in this effort. Lesley University educates more teachers than any other school in the Commonwealth, and more than 30 percent of its enrollments are in arts-related courses. Its Integrated Teaching through the Arts master's degree program for educators is one of its fastest-growing programs, drawing classroom teachers from across the country in 23 states. The program prepares teachers to integrate the arts across the curriculum so that students are able to learn "in" and "through" the arts to reach their full creative and intellectual potential. With funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Lesley has collaborated with the Boston Public Schools to bring this professional- development model to classroom teachers in several of the city's most needy schools.

However, these efforts can have only a limited impact. If quality arts education is to be made available to all children across the state, we must ensure that every district has the resources to provide focus and a qualified teaching workforce in the arts.

If we don't, it's not just the students who will feel the loss. Ultimately, the state will suffer, too. Because when we stifle the creativity of our children, we stifle the very skills that are essential to both a vibrant, cultural Commonwealth and its innovation-driven economy.

On the campaign trail, Patrick spoke eloquently of the need to view education broadly, to move beyond test-driven accountability to an educational approach that develops the whole child. Supporting the arts in education can provide an important bridge between student achievement, student engagement, and the development of creativity as an essential workplace skill in the innovation-driven economy he rightly sees as the key to Massachusetts' future.

Mary Kelley is executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Martha Barry McKenna is provost and vice president of academic affairs at Lesley University.