This document is a background paper for satellite town meeting on the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act." The paper discusses the importance of studying the arts for themselves, and as a means of helping students learn other subjects. It suggests that studying the arts prepares students for the workplace and helps to build the United States' ability to compete internationally. The arts are a significant part of the U.S. economy and a means of bringing parents, business, and the community into the school to participate. The arts teach about human nature and culture, encourage self-discipline and persistence, teach cultural diversity, and are basic to life. The paper describes six communities' innovative programs for helping students improve their academic performance while they learn about music, theater, dance, and the literary and visual arts. Seven keys to success that are found in successful arts education programs are: (1) the arts are integrated throughout the curriculum at all age levels; (2) regular arts classes of comparable length to the other academic disciplines are the ideal; scheduling innovations make time for the arts to be taught on their own and for arts specialists to plan with teachers of other disciplines to coordinate and enhance the various curricula; (3) effective teacher training and professional development in the arts are essential; (4) artists are involved as teachers, coordinators, or resource people; (5) arts in education is inclusive; (6) the community, business, and local arts organizations are actively involved; and (7) teaching and learning are regularly assessed. A list of resource organizations is included. (DK)