Art raises student performance
At Salvador Elementary, local artists and teachers developed a new instruction format that blended reading, writing and math with fine art, dance, music and theater. This radical shift in curriculum, called ArtLinks, received $26,000 from six Community Foundation donor advised funds to pilot the program. ArtLinks students from non-English speaking families showed a five percent improvement in reading and math scores over the last two years. The program has expanded to include another low-performing elementary school, and each day provides 820 children with arts-integrated education. Community Foundation grants were a catalyst for private foundations and government agencies to invest another $360,000.
