This letter to the editor by Doug Herbert appeared in the Providence Journal (Rhode Island) on February 22, 2005.

I was interested to read how local school leaders have been inspired to transform the former Pawtucket Armory into the Jacqueline M. Walsh High School, a school specializing in the arts ("Birth of a school," Jan. 23).

On one level, it is an exciting decision, because the arts both educate students and often inspire them more than other subjects to stay in school. But it's unfortunate that some local leaders feel that the arts have to be rarefied by setting them aside in a single school.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) certainly doesn't say that only reading and math are important, but the law does expect a heightened level of accountability or achievement in these two foundational subjects, and rightly so. If our students can't read and do math, they leave the elementary and secondary system unprepared for life.

Education is still fundamentally a state and local issue, as it historically has been and continues to be under NCLB. Thus, it is up to states and local districts, through visionary leadership, to provide a comprehensive, quality education for all students.

In fact, an increasing body of research indicates that where arts learning is provided, general learning achievement, including performance on standardized tests, is often enhanced. Moreover, the contemporary workplace is increasingly dependent on creativity, problem solving, teamwork, and communications, which make arts learning an excellent preparation for not only life but a livelihood as well.

The arts are a core academic subject under NCLB for all schools -- the first time they have been elevated to that level. While local education leaders should be congratulated for bringing a Fame-like high-school experience to some Rhode Island students, they should also be encouraged to bring their vision and leadership to bear on all K-12 students.

Doug Herbert
Washington
The writer is special assistant on teacher quality and arts education at the U.S. Department of Education.