Rigrorous evaluation of data over ArtSpark!'s first two years provides evidence of the project’s success with the 1000+ students and teachers in the program as measured by an increase in academic performance and a decrease in disciplinary action referrals. The Academic Performance Index (API) Growth Report shows a change from 2001 from 741 to 760 in 2002 a growth of 19 points. The Hispanic or Latino subgroup API base was 659 in 2001 and 684 in 2002, a growth of 25 points.

Evaluators documented student gains in skill and knowledge of math concepts after participating in classroom visual arts tasks related to math. Using a pre-test and a post-test, math scores increased over 48% in the control groups that implemented ArtSpark!'s Math Magic program.

In the final report for 2001-2003, data demonstrated student progress in poetry writing, as well as increased knowledge and more positive attitudes about poetry. A majority of teachers reported increased student enthusiasm for learning, more positive attitudes, and increased attention span after ArtSpark! activities in the classroom. Principals reported a measurable decrease in disciplinary action. 1037 students participated in arts-related activities and performances. For over 96% of the children, this was the first time they had ever attended a performance at a public theater or performed as student artists in plays, poetry jams, global music, or ethnic dance concerts.

ArtSpark! instructional strategies and methodologies meet the needs of the underserved population of bilingual and socio-economically disadvantaged students by including multicultural models that celebrate and affirm the diversity of the student population. Our demonstration model also includes the methodology of Waldorf, Gardner, and Structure Of Intellect (SOI) as well as incorporating current research on brain function and arts-integrated learning.

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THE VIOLIN PROGRAM AND MATH SCORES: The Violin Program has demonstrated significant impact in students’ academic performance in math. Eighteen students in grades 3-6 are learning to play the violin. Lessons are given two days a week during lunch and after school. One interesting statistic on the students who have been involved in the program for more than one year is that their individual composite math score on the SAT 9 went up, in every student’s case, on average 14 percentile points. The summative evaluation report for the last three years demonstrates that ArtSpark! is an effective program for promoting an arts-infused approach to student learning.

IMPROVEMENTS IN TEACHER SKILL, KNOWLEDGE, AND ATTITUDES ABOUT ARTS-INFUSED MODELS: In evaluation data from the Summer Institute and four one-day workshops, a cadre of 68 teachers who participated in the ArtSpark! professional development workshops reported the following gains on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high):

• Increased teacher integration of arts as tools across the curriculum from a baseline mean of 1.35 to a mean of 2.57.
• More experience in teaching with the arts in the classroom after the ArtSpark! workshops from a response of limited experience (mean 1.28) to more experience (mean 2.20).
• Higher teacher interest in learning to use the arts as tools to enhance other academic subjects from a baseline mean of 3.89 to a mean of 4.66.
• More knowledge about implementing standards-based arts instruction after participating in the workshops from a low mean of 1.43 to mid-range knowledge of 3.02 mean. When asked specifically about their level of knowledge of the standards in the California Visual and Performing Arts Framework, teachers reported even greater gains in knowledge from low knowledge (mean 1.70) to above mid-range of knowledge (mean 3.41).