Funding the Arts Over the past few years there has been a steady erosion of available funds for arts programs within public schools. Music in particular has been hit hard. Perhaps parents and school officials feel music programs are more of an accessory than anything else. However, these programs provide valuable resources for students.
First, numerous studies have been done showing that prolonged enrollment in music programs improves grades for students. Other studies show that playing an instrument improves critical-thinking and socializing skills. Also, data is available that shows that students who play a musical instrument for an extended period of time are twice as likely to attend and graduate from college as non-musical students. Critics argue that music programs are overly expensive, but this is just not true. Although the cost of starting a music program from scratch can be expensive, over time this cost drops dramatically. Also, if schools sell tickets for seasonal concerts, music programs can actually bring in a profit.
Therefore, because music programs improve student grades, enhance critical-thinking skills, increase college graduation rates, and remain relatively inexpensive, we should not cut music from our schools.

Type your response in the box. The author argues that arts programs benefit students. Identify and explain the reasons used to support the argument. Determine whether the evidence is relevant and convincing. Use details from the passage to support your response.