Jan 15, 2015 3 min read

Public schools here and across the country have been returning to the basics – reading, writing and arithmetic – and eliminating music and arts programs and language courses over the last decade, not for ideological reasons but out of fiscal necessity. Without more money from Harrisburg, the only way we here in Washington and Greene counties can meet the ever-rising cost of maintaining schools is to squeeze more dollars from local taxpayers. And it’s much easier to cut programs than to do that.

More affluent school districts and ones blessed with increased development have less of a problem than rural districts with little growth. The disparity between school districts in Pennsylvania continues to grow, and the long-term social implications of this are ominous.

It’s not as if no one is concerned about the loss of educational opportunities, however. Evidence of that is the recent $200,000 grant from the Benedum Foundation to Washington Community Arts and Cultural Center to recruit area artists to participate in programs in rural schools in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. Jim Denova, Benedum’s vice president, said the foundation and WashArts hope to place artists at McGuffey, Fort Cherry, Jefferson-Morgan, West Greene and Central Greene school districts, initially. Becky Keck, WashArts director, said teaching artists will help with programs inside the classroom and with after-school activities. She said the program is designed to enhance, not replace, the classroom curriculum.

Often, when arts programs are eliminated from curricula, the action is justified as fat-trimming; that art, music, theater and dance are all very fine, but not at all important. Although physical education classes are sometimes considered unnecessary, as well, team sports programs – particularly football – are most often exempt.

Art education is not frivolous, and students deprived of it are likely to do more poorly in other subjects.

A study of public schools in 2010 by the Missouri Department of Education and Missouri Alliance for Arts Education found arts education had a significant effect on the academic and social success of their students. Those with greater arts participation were more likely to come to class, avoid being removed and graduate. Additionally, they demonstrated greater proficiency in mathematics and communication. Similar studies of other statewide education systems discovered nearly identical results.

A 2006 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum study showed a link between arts education and improved literacy skills. The study was the result of a pilot program through the Guggenheim called Learning Through Art, which sent artists into schools to teach students and help them create their own masterpieces. Kids who took part in the program performed better on six different categories of literacy and critical thinking skills than those who did not.

We’re confident the arts program administered by WashArts will experience the same sort of success.