Choosing a life one has reason to value: the role of the arts in fostering capability development in four small urban high schools

Abstract

A holistic education linked to creativity, innovation, critical thinking and local/global citizenship is increasingly marginalized in the United States as schools continue to struggle with the impact of high-stakes testing regimes. In particular, urban youths’ access to an education that furthers their ability to choose lives they have reason to value, are circumscribed. Current discussions around the skills and capabilities necessary for youth to graduate and be equipped for meaningful lives beyond high school are aligned with research on the benefits of arts education. This mixed-methods exploratory study uses aspects of Sen and Nussbaum’s capability approach to frame and examine a range of capabilities fostered through student engagement with arts education opportunities, what we refer to as arts pathways, inside of five small arts-focused high schools in New York City, US.

Keywords:

• art education
• school reform
• secondary education
• learning
• school effectiveness
• widening participation

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Ida Cheng for her assistance with data collection and initial analysis. We would also like to thank the administrators, teachers, and students from the five schools involved in this study. Without their willingness to open their school, practices and perceptions to our research team, this study would not have been possible. No small feat given the amount of scrutiny and pressures they face in the current education reform environment.

Notes

1. In 2008–09, School 5 dropped out of the study. Findings for this school are only reported in the quantitative capabilities findings in the paper.

2. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEAM refers to the same with the insertion of the arts. For more information on STEM to STEAM, see http://stemtosteam.org/

3. In this study low SES (socioeconomic status) is defined as low parent education/income.

4. For more information on the ‘Race to the Top’ initiative, see http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/07/07242009.html

5. Regents High School examinations, sometimes shortened to the Regents, are mandatory in New York State through the New York State Department of Education, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. Regents exams are prepared by a conference of selected New York teachers of each test’s specific discipline who assemble a ‘test map’ that highlights the skills and knowledge required from the specific discipline’s learning standards.

6. An Advanced Placement (AP) course is part of the AP program - curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college. Participating colleges grant credit to students who obtained high enough scores on the exams to qualify.