The predecessor to this article discussed the essential benefits of arts education, and how integrating the arts into K-12 education has changed and increased over time. It introduced the following infographic regarding arts education

This article aims to extend the conversation surrounding secondary arts education with two examples of schools that excel in creating enriching arts-based experiences for students and integrate the arts into the core of their education standards.

Two Boston schools with arts at the center

Public and private schools differ in one particular aspect—funding. Private schools operate through tuition and public schools are sourced through the government. Both types of education systems, when including art education programs, can provide students with opportunistic skills and knowledge that will support them in other endeavors. 

In both public and private schools, the implementation of proper art education provides deep intellectual exploration. Having an inclusive system is essential because successful arts education is “about the process of learning” rather than “about the product,” as noted by Jamie Kasper, director of the Arts Education Partnership.

According to Niche, the number one ranked public school in the Boston area is Boston Arts Academy. The top-ranked private school located in Greater Boston is Walnut Hill School for the Arts. The two high schools have inclusive art integration within the school system with a deep appreciation for the arts and their benefits. Both are well known for sending students on appropriate paths surrounding their careers and future interests.

Public School Case Study: Boston Arts Academy

The Boston Arts Academy offers “a deeper understanding of their art, life as a working artist, and the world around them.” With this education students at Boston Arts academy can create and learn “in collaborative environments where they respect one another’s artistic and scholarly endeavors.” Boston Arts Academy starts with “an exploratory program to gain a deeper understanding of art while building formal skills.” The school aims to deepen students’ studies by choosing focused programs within Design and Visual Arts Communication, Studio Art, or Fashion Technology. This extensive study in the arts is balanced by other humanities courses. The Boston Arts Academy also has recognized programs that give students an idea of real-world experiences for in-demand industries. There are also options available for students to challenge their computer literacy skills by “preparing them to take adobe certified associate exams.”

Students at these schools who have partaken in the arts are given opportunities to continue to higher education while excelling in their disciplines. Boston Arts Academy graduates have moved on to schools such as Bard College, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, Fashion Institute of Technology, Fordham University, Northeastern University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Wheaton College, etc and the school has a 7-year streak of sending 97% of their students to college. (Boston Arts Academy) 

Private school case study: Walnut Hill School for the Arts

Students at Walnut Hill “acquire foundational skills and hone their creative impulses through personal practice, faculty guidance, and exposure to peers' work. Classes running from drawing, ceramics, and painting to photography and apparel design are taught by faculty mentors who are also professional artists, attuned to the continual evolution of the art world. They value process and focus, while also celebrating experimentation. Purposeful artistic practice allows students to build greater self-awareness and confidence, and develop an open mindset crucial to their success in future pursuits. Students that graduated from Walnut Hill have been accepted into Berklee College of Music, Boston College, California Institute of the Arts, Charlotte Ballet, Columbia, John Hopkins, Northwestern, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and more.

In an in-depth online webinar about their arts program, Walnut Hill teachers discuss how students leave with skills that “serve them in whatever they do.” Having a healthy ‘studio’ environment is important as it accelerates growth and this is supported by the centralization of hands-on work and constant new introductions to new mediums. “Success and failure are encouraged,” says a Visual Arts Teacher at Walnut Hill. The arts program at Walnut Hill meets educational standards in a unique way. The school schedule has a time slot from 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM where students tackle different art classes. This is a lengthy daily exposure to art, compared to many students’ experiences of 45 minutes of art curriculum weekly.

It is clear that both high schools heavily prioritize and treat the arts as a part of their academic and core subjects. Students who went to either of those high schools had 90 percent and above attendance rates for higher education and ended up in colleges and universities that are seemingly highly ranked according to the best art colleges in the US. (Niche)

findings: the benefits of arts as a core subject

On a more general note and to further prove the benefits of arts education, this article compares SAT scores in relation to the schools’ treatment of arts as a core standard. The following figure shows that when high schools treat arts as a core academic subject, SAT score averages are visibly higher compared to when the schools treat the arts as an optional subject. These box plots have been created using sources from the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) and the average SAT scores by State (Onto College).

Box Plot #1. Distribution of SAT scores by State when Art is treated as a Core or Academic Subject

Box Plot #2. Distribution of SAT Scores: When arts are not treated as a core or academic subject

Box Plot #3. Distribution of SAT scores: When arts are treated as optional

Box Plot #4. Distribution of SAT scores: When arts instruction is required

According to Americans for the Arts, “Students with four years of arts and music classes score 100 points and higher on the SAT than students with one or fewer years.” To explain further, it can be seen in the figure that students received higher SAT scores when arts instruction was required in high school or when it was considered a core subject. It is clear that when arts instruction is optional in high schools, students score lower on the SAT.

Conclusion

Arts education in high schools can lead students to find their true passions, and students can be supported widely through exposure to arts in their K-12 instruction. Teachers, students, and parents have recognized and testified to the importance of arts and the benefits that students gain from this learning experience. The illustration below visualizes the lifelong benefits of students’ exposure to arts.