One middle school student said, "I'm reading test preparation booklets, not Shakespeare..."

What we've lost in the demand for accountability is the rich, well-rounded education that we all want our children to have.
-Randi Weingarten
President, United Federation of Teachers

Narrowing the curriculum in elementary school deprives students of an important opportunity to develop broad vocabulary and background knowledge necessary for strong reading comprehension later on. That lack of opportunity results in several negative consequences as students move into upper elementary school and secondary grades.
Source: The Hidden Costs of Narrowing the Curriculum, The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement

Listen to interviews with leading arts education advocates

Updated: 7/29/08

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Home > No Child Left Behind

Decades of research and experience tell us that learning in the arts is at the core of a high quality education. Arts education has been threatened for years by budget cuts, but since the added focus on testing for accountability driven by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy, current research suggests an erosion of arts education in many classrooms.

Of course teachers and parents want students to show progress in math and reading, but they want a well-rounded education that engages the whole child. But NCLB actually considers the arts a "core" subject, so now that it’s being discussed for renewal, let's get it right!

5 Things You Can Do to Keep Arts in Schools:

1. Find out the arts education situation in your own community
2. Speak out at your local school board meeting
3. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper
4. Get on local TV and radio to spotlight arts education in your community
5. Expand the advocacy efforts in your local community

Arts Education and the National Landscape
How Do Today's Tests for Accountability Affect Arts Education?

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