No Child Left Behind: A Study of Its Impact on Art Education

Sponsored by the National Art Education Foundation

Much national attention has focused recently on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, more commonly known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. Perhaps no other piece of education legislation has affected educational practice or aroused the public and educators to express their views about the nature and outcomes of education in our public schools, than this law. The current discussions about the reauthorization of NCLB raise a number of unanswered questions. Among these are: How has NCLB affected Art Education? What can art educators tell us about the impact NCLB has had in their classrooms and on their programs? To date no substantial study of these questions has been done. This study will attempt to find answers to these questions.

Your voluntary help in this research is vital. You will be representing many art teachers from your state and instructional level. Findings from this study may be used to generate actions, policies, and practices that can positively influence the quality of art education locally and at the state and national levels.   

I am asking you to please take ten or fifteen minutes to complete the following questionnaire. I am requesting information that is available to the public; however, all responses will remain confidential. Identification of individual responses will not be made public or given to others under any circumstances. It is my hope that assurances of confidential treatment of your responses will encourage you to provide open in-depth responses on all items. If you choose not to participate in the study, no penalties will be imposed. Please feel free to share the web address and an invitation to participate in this important study with your art education colleagues.  If you have questions about this research project, you can contact me, (Dr. Robert Sabol, 765-494-3058, or bobsabol@purdue.edu). If you have concerns about treatment of research participants, you can contact the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects at Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, Hovde Hall, Room 300, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2040 or call the committee secretary (765-494-5942).  The email address is irb@purdue.edu.

Improving the quality of art education in our schools is a goal we must continue to pursue. Your help in this study will provide much needed information that can lead to understanding the impact NCLB has had on Art Education and may contribute to shaping its impact in the future. I appreciate your time and value the information you provide. Please help make a difference by completing this questionnaire by Friday February 20, 2009.