Some Tucson schools are alive with the sound of music. 
Elementary and middle school students in the Tucson Unified School District are benefiting from a program called Opening Minds Through the Arts (OMA), which uses the arts to teach math, science, reading and writing basics.
OMA has grown from a pilot-project in three TUSD schools to a nationally recognized program over the last decade.
“OMA is a school reform program that utilizes the arts to boost student academic achievement as well as their social growth,” said Dr. Joan Ashcraft, the director of fine and performing arts for TUSD.
Ashcraft said the program’s goal is to build resiliency, global perspective, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and innovation skills.
The program was created based on research on the neurological development of children, which found significant connections between brain development and music, Ashcraft said.
The curriculum is a full-scale collaboration between the classroom teacher, the school’s Art Integration Specialist, the teaching artist and the student. Local artists and teachers use instrumental music, opera, dance, theater and visual arts to engage students in a full-on creative learning experience.
“OMA is for every single child,” Ashcraft said, which separates it from programs in other schools reserved for gifted students.
The program caters to schools with low-income families and students who speak English as a second language.
The interactive lesson plans and creative outlets help bridge these language and social gaps, Ashcraft said.
The proof lies in improved test scores and teacher effectiveness throughout OMA schools, according to research.
Thirteen TUSD schools have implemented the program and reached “OMA Gold” status. Four more have shown interest as well as countless school throughout the state.
“We are at a tipping point,” Ashcraft said, in terms of growth.
She said OMA is extremely concerned about state education funding.
OMA is funded federally and privately, with support from Title I grants and fundraising from the non-profit OMA Foundation.
