Does Arts Integration Make a Difference?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: Perspectives on Arts Integration Curriculum Policy, Instruction, and Learning

Abstract

The inconclusive findings on the effect of arts integration programs on student achievement have prompted evaluators to investigate arts programming and integration implementation strategies of arts-focused schools. In this study, the relationship between students’ academic and arts achievement has been examined, taking the schools’ arts integration level into consideration. Other factors that might complicate the relationship were also modeled. The findings revealed that the impact of students’ academic achievement on arts achievement becomes weaker as the arts integration level goes up, providing every student an equal opportunity to succeed. In addition, the findings of this study are consistent with previous findings – even within the same arts integration program, non-white students benefit more than their white classmates in arts achievement.

Authors

• Min Zhu, North Carolina State University

• Ashlee A. Lewis, University of South Carolina

• Yu Meng, Western Governors University