At the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the painting "El Jaleo"--a canvas spanning 11 feet that features a flamenco dancer--is a popular starting point for getting students to spend time with a work of art. But viewing and discussing the 1882 piece by the American artist John Singer Sargent isn't just a cultural experience. It also presents a powerful opportunity to tap into some of the same skills asked of students under the Common Core State Standards, said Michelle A. Grohe, the director of school and teacher programs at the museum, which has a close partnership with four Boston public schools. As educators nationwide seek to help students meet the demands of the common core in English/language arts and mathematics, many arts education advocates are making the case that the arts can be a valuable partner. And in some cases, they're identifying ways to make the links explicit. "There are a lot of natural connections," said Susan M. Riley, a curriculum specialist with the 77,000-student Anne Arundel County district in Maryland. Riley sees the common core as a great platform for the arts to really rise and share their importance in the educational fabric of a school.