No child left behind? I guess that depends on how you define the rear guard.

Researchers have documented that as schools come under increasing pressure to achieve results in the three Rs, the curriculum has narrowed, eliminating such "frills" as art, music and theater.

Arts advocates in Maryland think that's a shame and are actively attempting to combat the trend. A summit held today for Maryland school superintendents at Strathmore Hall in North Bethesda will address the issue of how the arts enhance student learning.

"We have been working for over 15 years to improve arts education in the city and the state," writes Mary Anne Mears, acting executive director of the Ats Education in Maryland Schools Alliance. "This event is a moment when a number of significant pieces are falling in place."

One positive development is a planned new school for the arts in Hagerstown, being built in a renovated theater. The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts will draw talented high-school students in Washington County seeking future careers in the performing and visual arts.