Purpose

The Arts in Education program supports education reform by strengthening arts education as an integral part of the school curriculum. Its intent is to help all students meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards in the arts.

Children learn in many different ways. Findings from the NAEP 1997 Arts Report Card indicate that artistic experiences provide visual, kinetic, aural, and spatial learning. College Board data show that students who have participated in sequential arts programs perform significantly better on both the verbal and mathematics sections of the SAT than their nonparticipating peers.

How It Works

If funding is greater than $15 million, the Arts in Education program is authorized to provide assistance--either through discretionary grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts--to state education agencies, school districts, institutions of higher education, museums or other cultural institutions, and other public or private organizations. Arts education funds may be used for activities such as research on arts education, disseminating models of best practice, developing state arts education assessments based on a state's standards, or developing curriculum frameworks.

If funding is $15 million or less, direct noncompetitive grants are provided to the John F. Kennedy Center and Very Special Arts arts only.

Key Requirements

Grantees are required to coordinate to the extent practicable with public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and organizations such as museums, arts education associations, libraries, and theaters. They are also required to supplement and not supplant any other assistance made available from nonfederal sources for program activities.