Valuing the arts: a randomized controlled trial with school leaders

Prior studies demonstrating causal links between arts learning and educational outcomes have tended to rely on administrative data and closed-ended student survey responses. Consequently, these studies have limitations in terms of their examined outcomes. In this mixed-methods study, we conducted a focus group and interviews with school leaders, followed by a survey with 36 school principals who participated in a randomized controlled trial, to see how increases in school arts resources influenced their perceptions of arts education outcomes. By incorporating a qualitative component to our investigation, we provide a more comprehensive assessment of potential arts educational effects with key stakeholders who have significant influence on school instruction and climate. At baseline, principals were more likely to believe that arts education improves students’ self-expression, school engagement, creativity, and school climate, and less likely to view the arts as a means for improving standardized test scores and empathy. After receiving increases in arts resources, principals are significantly more likely to view arts education as intrinsically valuable and more likely to perceive its positive impact on student empathy. These findings highlight underexplored and potentially overlooked benefits of arts education, suggesting that its value becomes more evident to school leaders as opportunities for arts learning expand.