Comparing state mandated test scores for students in programs with and without fine arts in the curriculum

As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, many school districts have reduced instructional time for the arts in order to focus on reading and mathematics. Accordingly, fine arts programs across the nation have become subject to budget cuts or elimination in order to meet federal accountability measures. Hit especially hard are small, rural school districts. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a fine arts program on the reading and math achievement, as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, of thirdthrough eighth-grade students in a small, rural school district. The theories of constructivism, multiple intelligences, and brain-based learning served as the bases for the alternate treatment posttest-only nonequivalent group design quantitative study. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to determine if significant differences existed among the reading and math TAKS scores of all students across the levels of fine arts implementation in 2007 (Level 1), 2008 (Level 2), 2009 (Level 3), and 2010 (Level 4). The levels of fine arts implementation corresponded to 0, 1, 2, or 3 years of fine arts added to the curriculum. Additional analyses were repeated to examine the difference by students’ ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Results from the study indicated participation in the arts increased reading achievement for all students and increased reading and math achievement for both the Hispanic and the economically disadvantaged populations. It is recommended that these results be shared in an effort to expand the knowledge base of rural educators and to assist in closing the achievement gap for at-risk students enrolled in small, rural school districts.