Integration of Arts Education into the Core Reading Curriculum: A Quasi-Experimental Stud

Students who acquire reading comprehension using arts integration will have the opportunity to improve their ability to learn through the following subjects writing, science, language arts, social studies, and mathematics. The problem is economically disadvantaged third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students did not make adequate yearly gains or pass standardized assessments in reading for three consecutive years, 2012, 2013, and 2014, at a south Florida elementary school. The purpose of the quantitative quasiexperimental study was to examine whether integrating the arts in the core reading curriculum contributes to an increase in students' Florida Standardized Assessment (FSA) achievement scores. The participants were 153 economically disadvantaged third, fourth-, and fifth-grade students. Through quantitative method and quasi-experimental design, archival data was analyzed to examine the significant effect of arts integration on the FSA scores. The result of the study indicated that implementing the arts into the core-reading curriculum show a significant effect on the students' FSA achievement scores. This quantitative study advances literary knowledge in the educational field from primary to secondary school. Leaders and professionals would benefit from the study when making valuable decisions on instructional delivery and practices. Through analyzing archival data, this research provides a deeper understanding of the integration of arts in other subjects to enhance achievement scores and increase best practices in the classroom.