The Blue Ribbon Schools Program designated art as an area for special emphasis during 1989-90 and 1990-91, and the program identified 42 schools that were excellent overall and had exemplary programs in the arts. The schools shared the following characteristics: (1) a philosophy that holds arts education as a basic and necessary component of a…

The Arts Partners program, run collaboratively by the New York City Public Schools and other city offices and agencies, was designed to help community school districts initiate or enrich arts education experiences in the basic curriculum. In its pilot phase (from March to June, 1984), the project linked 13 school districts with 13 arts agencies to…

Research from the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, developed by Philadelphia's Settlement Music School, shows that the arts prepare children for further learning. Initiated in 1990, Kaleidoscope provides young inner-city children with full-day instruction three or four times weekly in visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Students…