Creating a Dynamic Inventory of Arts Policies and Research

• In Event: 45.056 - Arts and Accessibility: What Influence Does Research Have?

Abstract

The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) is a division of the Education Commission of the States.
AEP has developed an action agenda designed to move toward the goal that, by the year 2020, every young person in America — at every grade level — will have equitable access to high-quality arts learning opportunities, both during the school day and out-of-school time. Among the many meetings and publications that AEP supports, it is responsible for creating ArtScan, a searchable clearinghouse of the latest state policies supporting education in and through the arts from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. AEP also created ArtsEdSearch, the nation’s first online research and policy clearinghouse focused entirely on student and educator outcomes associated with arts learning in and out of school. Featuring user-friendly summaries of high-quality research, and overviews of current research examined through different lenses, ArtsEdSearch provides reliable and objective information about the academic, cognitive, personal, social and professional outcomes of an arts education. ArtsEdSearch also identifies gaps in research and serves as a roadmap for researchers and funders. As a participant in this session and in its commentary paper, AEP will contribute expertise (1) developing criteria for inclusion of research papers in ArtsEdSearch and (2) broad knowledge about the resources available to practitioners, model developers and researchers. AEP will also be prepared to address how audiences use the resources and their needs for further information and research.

Authors

• Andrea Boyle, American Institutes for Research

• Jane Best, ECS