Report: Arts Education Approaches Supported by ESSA

A new report from the Wallace Foundation surveys research on arts activities that qualify for funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). According to Wallace, "The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) considers arts and music to be essential components of “a well-rounded education” and offers funding to help state and local education agencies teach them in their schools. In order to access this funding, however, education agencies must show evidence that the programs and activities they propose can affect student outcomes.

Researchers from the American Institutes for Research scoured through hundreds of reports to find arts education interventions that meet the standards of evidence that ESSA requires. This report explains ESSA standards and cites 88 studies that make a range of arts-education activities eligible for ESSA.

These activities focus on art forms such as visual arts, music, dance and drama. Among them are arts courses, supplies, professional development for teachers, supports for English learners and extended-learning-time programs. All of the studies cited by the report’s authors show improvements in student outcomes, such as reading, writing, math and social and emotional learning."

Learn more and download the report here.

Published: December 04, 2018