Turnaround Arts Initiative Seeks To Boost Low-Performing Schools

NPR (4/16, Blair) reports in part one of three about education and art, "The Turnaround Arts Initiative, spearheaded by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, is using an intensive arts curriculum to try and improve eight low-performing schools" that "serve students from poor families." Among the actions is to offer "between $70,000 and $80,000" in funds or in-kind aid over two years. Also "big-name artists, like Forest Whitaker and Yo-Yo Ma, have each adopted one of the eight schools participating in the initiative." At one school, the arts are being used to help students "feel good about coming to school." The schools generally are "experiencing better attendance and fewer visits to the principal's office."