When budgets are tightened, the school library media specialists and/or the arts programs are often considered expendable. No Child Left Behind legislation means increasing academic time for core subjects, which translates into cutting time for arts education. As money becomes tight, frills are cut (i.e., the arts). Schools don't seem able to fill the financial gaps in arts education, and they often view music and arts as extraneous. The report, Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development, released May 16, 2002 (http://aep-arts.org/PDF_Files/CriticalLinks.pdf), detailed the relationship between learning in dance, drama, music, multiple arts, and visual arts, and the development of fundamental academic and social skills. The study found that the arts provide critical links for students to develop crucial thinking skills and the motivation they need to step up achievement. Teachers can use music and art to help students learn content in the core-subject.