Mr. Allen D. Bell

Arts Education Innovation in the South

Posted by Mr. Allen D. Bell, Sep 15, 2010 1 comment


Mr. Allen D. Bell

While many states in the South rank low for high school graduation rates and education levels, the region boasts a number of excellent arts education programs that are pushing the envelope to improve schools in their states.

Two of those arts education programs produced by state arts agencies in the nine-state region served by South Arts have received U.S. Department of Education Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants.

One of those programs is the Whole Schools Initiative administered by the Mississippi Arts Commission. The other is Value Plus Schools administered by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

The Mississippi Whole Schools Initiative started in 1991 with six pilot elementary schools. The program takes an arts integration approach to redesigning schools to encourage collaboration, transparency, and deep learning. The Whole Schools Initiative is currently being implemented in 15 schools, while a total of 50 schools have participated during the history of the program, including elementary, middle, and high schools.

Value Plus Schools is an arts integration program that began in 2006 in response to a needs assessment conducted the previous year in Tennessee. The five-year whole school reform program integrates performing, visual, literary and traditional art forms into non-arts subjects, while teaching dance, visual art, theatre and music as core stand-alone subjects, as well. Value Plus schools include on-site mentoring, arts integration training, an academy for school leadership, and a summer intensive for all participating schools.

Additional flagship programs in the region include: the Arts in the Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project cooperatively managed by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the South Carolina Department of Education and the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Winthrop University; the A+ Schools Program established by the Kenan Institute for the Arts and currently housed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and the Arts 4 Excellence whole schools program administered by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Alabama Department of Education.

While those who want to improve education in our region still have a long way to go, there are programs, leaders and schools that are blazing a trail for others to follow.

1 responses for Arts Education Innovation in the South

Comments

Brad says
September 15, 2010 at 10:47 pm

Shelby County Schools (Memphis, TN) is implementing a three year arts infusion program in 16 elementary and middle schools. The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant. Teachers in both arts and non-arts areas receive PD in arts infusion, collaborate with local arts organizations and attend winter and summer intensives. Please visit our web site for more information: scsaip.weebly.com

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