DENVER -- Educators said Monday they're hoping to increase the number of school districts offering art classes as evidence has shown they help students learn and improve test scores.

"The benefits of arts education are clear. Student involvement in the arts has a positive impact on their overall achievement and helps keep them in school," said Elaine Mariner, executive director of the Colorado Council on the Arts.

Mariner said a recent study commissioned by the arts council found that students who took art classes had higher scores on the Colorado Student Assessment Program in reading, writing and science. They also had lower dropout rates.

The study found 93 percent of elementary schools, 86 percent of middle schools, and 83 percent of high schools offer at least one arts class.

Education Commissioner Dwight Jones said arts classes encourage students to think creatively, which companies want. He said it's disturbing that 53 percent of Colorado high school students are not taking any arts courses. The state has hired an arts adviser to help the state develop standards, he said.

Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, said schools spend too much time focusing on statewide student assessment courses including reading, math, science and writing that affect test scores and often ignore arts classes because they aren't on the test. He said the CSAPs should stand for "Colorado State Arts Program."

"Art is the creative side of the word 'smart,"' he said.

Gerald Keefe, superintendent of the Kit Carson School District, said his district has only 100 students near the Kansas border, but the district offers arts classes throughout public education.

He said the district mingles art classes with other activities that helps students become well-rounded. He said even basketball players are called on to play the national anthem before a game.

"Art education is woven into the curriculum, just the same as reading and math," he said.

Third graders at Bishop Elementary in Englewood are doing just that, by practicing drama in reading class.

"It's to get the kids to internalize the main idea, as they soon understand it more when they are trying to move their bodies to it," said Mrs. Simons, their third grade teacher.

And a music class at the school wrote a song based on a science lesson. The school believes the integration of arts and literacy has led to the students' higher CSAP scores.

"I am not surprised at all because the children enjoy it, the teachers enjoy it, it puts life into the curriculum," said Bishop Elementary School Principal Linda MacCaslin.

But many other schools struggle to find time for arts instruction.

"Because of the emphasis on CSAPs, they've had to have that emphasis given the way that it's dictated to them, they had to either cut back on the time or financial support that they gave to the arts," said Merrifield.

"We don't believe that the CSAP has been the enemy of the arts. An assessment is just assessing the standards," said Jones.

Based on the study's findings, a team led by Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien recommends incorporating creative learning practices into state standards, increasing professional development for educators, discussing the work force demand for creativity, and sharing best practices of successful schools.

That's exactly what Bishop Elementary has done, by making the arts a priority.

"Arts is what makes us human. Art is a piece of our soul. We have to have that in our children," McCaslin said.

Additional Information:

To view the Colorado Department of Education's a new study on art education and student achievement, go to coloarts.org to read the study or view the statistical report.