assessing the needs of your district
A critical step in leveraging the presence and quality of arts programming in your district is to assess the current status of arts education within your school district.
The arts education field has produced critical research on the role of the arts in student academic achievement and community building. Assessing the arts education needs of your district is an important first step toward developing a plan to increase the quality and quantity of arts programs in your schools.
In an effort to inform this process, we've included two resources that offer insight into the needs assessment process:
The Kennedy Center's Alliance for Arts Education Network produced this tool in an effort to make research findings relevant and accessible. The audit builds upon existing research and provides school boards with a tool to evaluate existing commitments, areas of accomplishment, and future priorities for arts education. It is designed to help lead discussions regarding the status of arts education in a district's local community. It encourages the involvement of cross sections of the community who may or may not have a history of working together. While designed to encourage serious evaluation, it is most valuable as a vehicle for encouraging conversation and community planning in support of arts education.
The Community Arts Education Project is designed to help parents, local schools, and school districts collaboratively determine the status of arts education in their school district. It provides exercises and tools, enabling communities to conduct a needs assessment of the current status of arts programs in their schools. Created by the
California State PTA and the
California Alliance for Arts Education, this tool is relevant and applicable to school district assessments nationwide.
