Bridging the gap

As it turns out, implementing art and music programs in low-socioeconomic school districts can positively impact non-white students. From musically centered academia, to drama based instruction methods, there are hundreds of ways to successfully introduce the fine arts in schools. In children, these programs result in increased motor skills, vocabulary, empathy skills, test scores, and IQ levels. Children don’t stop experiencing the benefits of the arts after they leave Elementary school, either. Students in high school also experience increased academic success in their test scores and grades, and the benefits even extend past the high school level and well into college. The Celia Cruz magnet-school that had musically focused curriculum saw an increase in graduation and attendance rates, especially among their black and Latino students. Their black and Latino students were also more likely to complete a college degree after graduating from Celia Cruz, showing that the benefits or art and music follow these students for the remainder of their academic careers.