Research Problem: The article provides a historical synopsis of art education (and particularly in public schools in the state of Texas) from the early work of John Dewey (early 20th century) to the present, post-NCLB era of testing and accountability. The impacts of NCLB policies on the attention and resources devoted to art education are described and the theoretical value of art education is briefly addressed, providing context for the significance of the study’s subject. The ‘Historical Overview’ section of the article defines social and theoretical developments in art education. The article goes on to document the impact of these broader influences by charting the evolution of recent state-level legislation in Texas and its intended and actual impacts on arts education in that state. Further, the paper positions Texas as a sort of bellwether for the United States as a whole by suggesting that Texas “became the educational policy model for the nation with the bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as No Child Left Behind.”
Literature Review: Articles of recent historical scholarship (secondary) and contemporaneous state curriculum documents and national legislation and position statements (primary) are cited in the ‘Historical Overview’ section. Interviews, correspondence, legislative documents and position statements are cited in the ‘Case Study’ section of the article. Sources are relevant, current, and varied.
Research Questions/Hypotheses: Although the article’s primary purpose is to construct a narrative around the impact of NCLB on arts education, the case study appended to that narrative attempts to demonstrate that “value conflicts” exist in the present state of legislative and curricular goals in Texas. There is no experimental set of data to prove their hypothesis, but the authors make a convincing argument that such “value conflicts” do exist.
Data Source/Sampling: As noted above, there is no experimental set of data analyzed in this article, but the authors’ more intimate description of the forces at work in the shaping of Texas education policy does serve as an intriguing indicator for conflicts that may exist in the national debates on this topic, particularly since Texas served as a model for NCLB reforms.
Measurement Tools: N/A
Methodology/Procedures: Sources are cited extensively throughout the article. If anything, the authors may betray an overreliance on sources that corroborate their own predetermined version of the narrative (particularly in the details provided by the Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education lobbying group). Also, a little more information related to the intrinsic value of art education might be warranted for a well-rounded argument (especially if the article were to be adapted for a publication less specialized than Arts Education Policy Review).
Results/Discussion: The authors create cogent and convincing narratives supporting their belief that recent policy and legislative changes have had a negative impact on arts education. Ultimately, they raise more questions than they answer regarding what is to be done in the current political and social climate and the article concludes with a lengthy argument against the prevailing tendency to overemphasize standardized test scores as the standard for measurements in the present educational debate. It’s a conclusion that I agree with, but I’m left pondering what other versions of the narrative might look like.
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