Arts Integration in an Era of Accountability

• Published in: Arts education policy review Vol. 107; no. 4; pp. 3 - 11
• Main Authors: Mishook, Jacob J., Kornhaber, Mindy L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Heldref 01.03.2006; Heldref Publications; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Academic Standards; Accountability; Active Learning; Administrative support; Art Education; Discipline Based Art Education; Educational Policy; High Stakes Tests; Integrated Curriculum; Interviews; Learning; Learning Experience; Partnerships in Education; Policy Formation; Quality; Relevance (Education); School principals; State Standards; Statistical data; Testing; Unified Studies Curriculum; Virginia; Virginia
• ISSN: 1063-2913; 1940-4395
• DOI: 10.3200/AEPR.107.4.3-11

During the past twenty years, the accountability movement and its attendant testing have raised fears in the arts education community that schools will feel pressure to divert instructional time and resources toward tested areas of the curriculum, such as reading and math (Eisner 2000). This paper presents the results of studies on the impact of high-stakes testing on the arts. The authors conclude that arts education policymakers need to continue to stress the unique qualities of receiving a strong education in the arts. Although integrating the arts with other subjects can be a positive learning experience in both the arts and other areas of the curriculum, integration that places arts as secondary to "academic" tested subjects does not serve the children's needs for a rigorous, well-balanced educational experience. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)