Arts education increases student achievement as well as social skills. 

The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) was founded and is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and U. S. Department of Education in cooperation with the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Here are some publications and studies from AEP supporting art education.

Making a Case for the Arts: How and Why the Arts are Critical to
Student Achievement and Better Schools (2006)*
This brochure describes the benefits of arts education based on new research published by the Arts Education Partnership. It can be used for many advocacy purposes.

Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement (2006)*
 This document responds to the needs of policymakers, educators, parents and advocates for fact-based, non-technical language documenting the most current and compelling research on the value of arts learning experiences.

Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development (2002)*
This Compendium summarizes and discusses 62 research studies that examine the effects of arts learning on students' social and academic skills.

Why Your Child Needs the Arts Advantage and How You Can Gain It (2000)*
This brochure highlights the findings of the two-year study, which identifies interrelating factors that contribute to the creation of strong, district-wide arts education.