Walk into a classroom infused with music, movement, and visual storytelling, and you’ll find something remarkable: students leaning in, asking questions, connecting ideas — and most importantly, lighting up with curiosity.

It’s a vivid contrast to a growing concern in K-12 education across the country. According to a 2023 Gradient Learning report, 80% of teachers are concerned about their students’ engagement in the classroom, and 95% believe that incorporating strategies to sustain and increase engagement should be a priority. 

Here is a more hopeful figure: One academic study reported that when teachers brought the arts into their lessons, student engagement rose by 25%.

At Michigan State, educators and researchers are championing a commitment to weaving arts into all areas of education to help both teachers and students thrive in the classroom.