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Background: Over the past two decades, policymaking to address statewide dropout rates and the limited availability of fine arts education has lacked sufficient statistical support. This gap raises concerns about the impact of restricted access to fine arts, particularly among at-risk students navigating accountability-driven school systems. Purpose: This study examined the relationship between fine arts participation and academic and behavioral outcomes among 9th- and 10th-grade students at two demographically distinct high schools. The research addressed three questions: (1) What, if any, is the correlation between fine arts education and academic achievement, as measured by English I and II STAAR scores? (2) What, if any, is the correlation between fine arts education and behavioral outcomes, as measured by ISS, OSS, DAEP, and JJAEP placements? (3) To what degree do demographic factors, such as ethnicity, economic disadvantage, at-risk status, and emergent bilingual status, moderate the relationship between fine arts education and student outcomes? Methods: A quantitative quasi-experimental design was employed to analyze data from 6,629 students provided by a large Texas school district across the 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 academic years. Student records were categorized by the independent variable, fine arts credit completion (ranging from 0 to 1.5 credits), along with dependent variables, including demographic characteristics and academic and behavioral outcomes. Statistical analyses were conducted using the R programming language and included Spearman’s rank-order correlation, point biserial correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression. Results: Students who earned more fine arts credits had higher English I and II STAAR scores and fewer disciplinary incidents. A modest positive correlation was found between fine arts participation and academic performance, while a negative correlation was observed with disciplinary infractions, particularly ISS and OSS. Grade level and English I performance were significant predictors of arts enrollment. However, economically disadvantaged, emergent bilingual, and at-risk students were underrepresented in fine arts courses. Campus-level analysis revealed differences in access and outcomes, with one school showing stronger links between fine arts participation and student success. Conclusion: Fine arts education positively correlates with academic achievement and reduced disciplinary incidents. To ensure equitable access, schools should audit enrollment by subgroup, protect student scheduling, and invest in quality fine arts instruction. Policy leaders should include fine arts in accountability frameworks and prioritize funding for under-resourced campuses.