Which two details best provide evidence in support of the author’s thesis? Funding the Arts

[Over the past few years there has been a steady erosion of available funds for arts programs within public schools.] Music in particular has been hit hard. [Perhaps parents and school officials feel music programs are more of an accessory than anything else.] However, these programs provide valuable resources for students. [First, numerous studies have been done showing that prolonged enrollment in music programs improves grades for students.] Other studies show that playing an instrument improves critical-thinking and socializing skills. [Also, data is available that shows that students who play a musical instrument for an extended period of time are twice as likely to attend and graduate from college as non-musical students.] Critics argue that music programs are overly expensive, but this is just not true. Although the cost of starting a music program from scratch can be expensive, over time this cost drops dramatically. [Also, if schools sell tickets for seasonal concerts, music programs can actually bring in a profit.] Therefore, because music programs improve student grades, enhance critical-thinking skills, increase college graduation rates, and remain relatively inexpensive, we should not cut music from our schools.