Impact and Gaps of Inequitable Resources in Art Education in Urban Environments

Overview & Synopsis

Art Education is vital to rounded skill-growth in students and schools. The skills learned in art education are transferable to the academic subjects students work in, and to their lives outside the school. In the United States of America, resources and accessibility to in-depth art education vary widely. The experiences between students in kindergarten to twelfth-grade are inequitable both in fiscal and content settings. Without equitable resources, teachers are not able to support the creative growth and skill-building essential to students' holistic lives. Furthermore this inequity leads to or accentuates gaps in education between students in the same age groups. This thesis explores the phenomenon of inequitable art education in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area, and compares and contrasts the experiences of participants in different schools. This study includes teachers, students, and experts in the art education field with research conducted to understand where disparities in resources and accessibility come from, the impact these disparities have on the individuals in the art education setting, and how the gaps can be overcome through additional support and programs.