Why Do Students Need the Visual and Performing Arts Program?
Evidence that arts education can help improve SAT scores: The College Board's analysis of SAT verbal and math scores (1990-93) showed that arts education increased these scores substantially. In 1993, SAT takers with coursework and/or experience in music performance scored 45 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 32 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts. Scores for those with coursework in music appreciation were 54 points higher on the verbal and 37 points higher on the math portion. The longer the arts study the higher the SAT scores: in 1993, those who studied the arts more than four years scored 53 points higher and 37 points higher on the verbal and math portions, respectively, than students with no coursework or experience in the arts."