Funding Athletics and Fine Arts to the Greatest Extent Possible

Athletics and fine arts programs are vital to school success. How they are funded can oftentimes lead to athletics and fine arts competing against each other for the same pool of funding. This does not have to be the case and should not be the case as both play an important role in our schools, communities and to a greater extent our identity as a nation.

Athletics in the United States are recognized globally. As an example, when someone thinks of Alabama, one of the first things that comes to mind is football. Just google Alabama, and more than likely you will see more information about the University of Alabama football team than about the people, industry and history of the state.

Athletics is important, but fine arts are important, too – musicians, actors, painters, photographers, digital artists, etc. A search of New York University will show people who have excelled in fine arts. Fine arts play a pivotal role in American society, and the arts are just as important in shaping the perception of the United States on the world stage as athletics.

The problem with the important role athletics and fine arts have on the greater society is how they are funded in K-12 public education. Many times, the funding can be nonexistent and most of the time is not specifically earmarked for expenditures through state legislatures or local board policy. The funding directed at public schools is mostly for academics such as English, math, reading, science and social studies.

Athletics, and to some extent fine arts, are often viewed as extracurricular only. As such, some people feel like funding for those programs should be minimal, or that those programs should be self-funded through fundraising or grants. The funding of athletics and fine arts programs varies depending on state and local priorities across the country. The priority and importance placed on programs is dependent upon the individual communities, and in many instances, the past successes of those programs.

Funding comes down to the following types of school/district funds: student-raised activity funds, parent/booster organization funds and community grants provided at the local, state and national levels. Athletics and fine arts programs also require a community commitment for facilities. While the commitment may have happened 20, 30 or even 50 years ago, the community still made a commitment to pass a bond and provide financial assistance to construct facilities such as stadiums, auditoriums or other venues required for specialized programs. Once a community has made a commitment to specific programs, or perhaps both athletics and fine arts programs, it helps these programs to be viewed as having equal importance when it comes to competing for annual operational funds.

There are communities that have identified themselves as “the” community for basketball or the community that excels as “the” community for vocal music; however, in truth, they have students who can and may be excelling in both areas. We also know communities that might need a new basketball gym, but the question in the community is, “Why do we need a new gym when we barely have a basketball team that can win games?” At the same time, building a new auditorium or music room might never be questioned. The exact opposite of this scenario can also play out.

An easy assumption for some would be that funding for athletics many times appears to be a given, and/or it is given priority over funding for fine arts. That should not be the case. When funding comes into question for athletics or fine arts, there is often an individual or group that rallies together as a booster organization to raise funds to support what may be an underfunded program by the school district.

When this happens, several things can occur. If the booster organization is successful in its fundraising, that can propel the program to new heights and change mindsets for the school. But the exact opposite could also happen if the organization is not successful. Then, it could possibly create resentment toward the school for what is perceived as a lack of funding for that specific program.

The other issue with booster organizations providing funding for athletics and fine arts is that they can begin to assume that they have control over the direction of that specific program. Many times, control does follow the money, and this can be difficult for a school to manage - when they are providing only minimal financial investment into the program. On the other hand, by leveraging booster support with an equal or greater amount of financial support from the school, the school and program can create a partnership for positive promotion and hopefully greater community support for the program.

The question comes down to “why should we as school leaders provide, and ensure, that athletics and fine arts programs are adequately funded?” This doesn’t mean they have to be equally funded, just adequately funded…to meet the needs of the students and to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning by providing a safe opportunity to participate - regardless of their family income or ability to pay for participation. Research has shown time and time again that without athletics or fine arts programs, many students would lose their motivation to come to school and dropout rates would increase.

Research also shows that extracurricular participation helps make better citizens, while creating unique opportunities for students who might not otherwise get to experience in only a regular classroom setting. The ability to showcase talents and strive for excellence are all attributes that lead to positive character development and ultimately create a well-rounded student who can enter our society with the ability to face challenges and to succeed when challenged.

Finding the balance of funding that is right for each school, each community and each athletics/fine arts program will vary for each school district – based on community buy-in. Schools should fund athletics and fine arts to the greatest extent their budgets will allow. The funding should be based on clearly identifiable needs and program essentials.

Student success later in life has been shown to be closely related, and tied to, participation in athletics and fine arts. Leaders in government, business and industry often give credit to their participation in athletics and fine arts activities for their current successes. It is our duty as educators to prepare students to be successful and active participants within our democracy. What better way can schools do this than to provide funding for athletics and fine arts programs that challenge and engage students in meaningful real-world endeavors that could lead to the next John Madden or Betty White.