During the 1970's, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) conducted two assessments of art abilities (1974-75 and 1978-79) and two of music skills (1971-72 and 1978-79) of 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds, giving a picture of trends in performance over the course of the decade. State assessments were also conducted by Connecticut and Minnesota for comparison to NAEP findings. Findings in music indicate that knowledge about the elements of music and musical notation have decreased, although a positive attitude toward music prevails. Findings in art indicate that although knowledge about art is low, performance does improve with age and number of classes taken. Students are less willing to accept nontraditional art, pursue artistic activities outside of school, or perceive art as important. State assessments in Minnesota and Connecticut indicate that Minnesota compares favorably over the nation in music achievement while Connecticut outperformed the nation in both music and art. Due to emphasis on back-to-basics, the arts are not being nurtured as they might be, and efforts should be made to ensure that achievement levels in art and music do not erode further by (1) promoting greater awareness of the importance of art to physical and national well-being; (2) encouraging a more sophisticated view of art; (3) allocating state recommended minimum amounts of time to art and music; (4) employing certified art and music teachers; and (5) encouraging student participation in artistic endeavors. (LH)