S.C. students top national mean in key indicators because of arts education

2018 Gallup Student Poll shows arts’ impact on key indicators

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Levels of engagement and hope among students in arts-rich South Carolina schools are higher than the national mean according to results of the 2018 Gallup Student Poll.

The S.C. Arts Commission (SCAC) and Palmetto State Arts Education (PSAE) partnered with internationally recognized analytics firm Gallup to participate in the annual Gallup Student Poll. It measures student engagement, hope, entrepreneurial aspirations, and career and financial literacy and, in the past 10 years, surveyed more than 6 million students. In South Carolina last year, Gallup surveyed 8,287 students at 30 arts-rich schools. SCAC Education Director Ashley Brown presented the study results Wednesday morning at the S.C. Arts Advocacy Day Breakfast.

In each of the four indicators on the poll, the students in South Carolina’s arts-rich schools outperformed the national mean. The research also showed a direct correlation between a school’s length of time as arts-rich and an increase in student engagement and hope. According to Gallup data from 2016, engaged and hopeful students are more than twice as likely to report they get excellent grades and are twice less likely to report they missed a lot of school than “actively disengaged” peers.

And most importantly, students surveyed in arts-rich schools with free/reduced lunch program participation of 75% or greater scored higher than both the state and national means.

“Seeing the results of the survey is exciting. It validates and supports the anecdotal evidence that we’ve all seen and experienced. And it’s even more exciting to see that the longer a school is engaged in the arts, the higher the hope and engagement is for its students,” Eve Walling-Wohlford, executive director of PSAE, said.

Brown said schools are considered arts-rich when they are “committed to the arts at the cellular level.” She said both Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project and Distinguished Arts Program (DAP) schools are required to have an arts strategic plan and, in both, the arts “are simply part of the fabric of the school.” SCAC and PSAE conducted the Gallup Student poll in arts-rich schools throughout South Carolina at a mixture of ABC Project and DAP sites.

“This is the first time in its history the Gallup student poll has been used to look specifically at arts-rich environments, and it is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the connection between the arts and engagement,” Brown said.

The items on the Gallup Student Poll where students from S.C. arts-rich schools scored the highest above the national mean are:

• The adults at my school care about me
• I have at least one teacher who makes me feel excited about the future
• I have a great future ahead of me
• I know I will find a good job in the future
• I will invent something that changes the world
• I plan to start my own business

“The arts are integral to a well-rounded education that allows students to achieve the knowledge, skills, and life and career characteristics outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate,” SCAC Executive Director Ken May said. “From creativity to problem solving, perseverance to critical thinking, learning in and through the arts is proven to equip students with the skills necessary to be engaged citizens and productive workers.

“During this critical time when state leaders are working to modernize the public school system in South Carolina, we are strongly advocating for greater inclusion of the arts, and this study further proves the benefits,” May said. ABC Project and SC Arts Alliance submitted amendments to H.3759, proposed by House Speaker Jay Lucas and currently working its way through the S.C. House committee on education and public works, to ensure the arts are embraced and advanced to help every student achieve the standards set in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

To learn more about this important research, visit https://www.palmettoartsed.org/gallup.html.

ABOUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS COMMISSION
With a commitment to excellence across the spectrum of our state’s cultures and forms of expression, the South Carolina Arts Commission pursues its public charge to develop a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education, and economic vitality for all South Carolinians.

Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing services, grants, and leadership initiatives in three areas:
• arts education,
• community arts development,
• and artist development.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696.

ABOUT PALMETTO STATE ARTS EDUCATION
Palmetto State Arts Education (PSAE) is a network of dedicated professional working to advance learning in and through the arts for all students. Previously known as the South Carolina Alliance for Arts Education, PSAE continues to work to build a brighter future for South Carolina by ensuring the continued growth and expansion of arts education as an essential component of every child’s education. Working closely with other statewide organizations, PSAE works to develop and deliver quality programs that address the needs of teachers and administrators as they strive to create and grow quality arts programs in our schools. Visit PalmettoArtsEd.org to learn more.