HI HCR54

Urges the Hawaii Department of Education to increase access to arts and cultural instruction in public schools.

Cites research showing visual arts instruction improves critical-thinking skills and that music and drama education increases verbal achievement and spatial reasoning.

References studies demonstrating that arts and cultural education develops collaboration, creativity, intellectual inquiry, and helps students retain instruction across all subjects.

Notes research finding that increased arts education access reduced disciplinary infractions by 3.6 percentage points, improved standardized writing scores by 13 percent, and increased measures of compassion by 8 percent.

Requires certified copies to be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.