Introduction
Introduction
Arts education faces serious challenges, even as teachers and business leaders recognize its value to students as never before. A growing body of research suggests that the arts offer students a unique, valuable way to grow intellectually, socially and emotionally. Some researchers suggest high-quality arts education helps improve test scores and reduce tardiness and truancy. Others argue that even without such benefits, the arts are inherently good because they help children grow into creative, problem-solving adults with skills necessary for the 21st-century economy. But arts education — on the decline for more than two decades — is now threatened by shrinking school budgets and a narrowing of the curriculum because of federal and state testing and accountability mandates. Meanwhile, a small but growing number of ...