School-Level Factors Related to Visual Arts Achievement for 4th-Graders: A Longitudinal Analysis

A longitudinal analysis was used to investigate the relationships between school-level factors (poverty, location, size, ratings, and race/ethnicity) and visual arts achievement. Data were collected on 4th-grade students from 34 elementary schools that received Distinguished Arts Program grants in a southeastern state of the United States from 2011 to 2017. Students' individual multiple-choice visual arts scores were aggregated into school-level scores. The analysis revealed that school-level visual arts scores decreased over time from 2011 to 2017. Visual arts scores appeared to be significantly associated with school ratings, poverty, and race/ethnicity. The findings of the study may inform art educators, school administrators, and policy makers in their program offerings, planning, and targeted interventions around issues of art education.