Resources
We have curated the following arts education program improvement resources and organized them by arts education focus area. These documents offer practical, how-to suggestions for advancing arts education in school settings. Many of the items on this page are excerpts of larger works. If you wish to access any of these documents in their entirety, click here. This program improvement approach is based on Arts Education Partnership’s What School Leaders Can Do To Increase Arts Education publication. Click here to review this framework.
Establishing a Schoolwide Commitment to the Arts
Establishing a schoolwide commitment to the arts looks at the place of arts teaching and learning in the values, rules, and relationships that shape how a school functions. An arts program is well positioned to play an important role in daily school life when it is aligned with the school’s overall mission and guided by clear philosophies, principles, and goals for student learning.
Family & Community Engagement with Arts Programs
Conduct a Family Engagement Assessment p. 17-18
Summary & Source:
This resource section provides tools and strategies for assessing family engagement in arts education programs. Understanding family perspectives helps schools identify strengths and areas for improvement, leading to more effective family involvement and support for student success in arts education. Use this resource to conduct an assessment, analyzing the feedback, and create an action plan to enhance family engagement based on the insights gathered. This ensures a more inclusive and supportive environment for students.
Americans for the Arts, & National Parent Teacher Association. (2020). ArtsEd Leader’s Guide: Improving arts education with a stronger family–school partnership. National PTA. https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/programs/reflections/reflections-2020-2021/artsed-leaders-guide.pdf [pta.org]
Arts Education Planning & Policies
Generating an Arts Education Strategic Plan p. 60-117
Summary & Source:
The “Generating an Arts Education Strategic Plan” section offers a detailed guide for developing a comprehensive plan to advance arts education in a district or county, starting with defining a practical vision and assessing current strengths and challenges. This resource is crucial as it helps education leaders move from abstract goals to actionable strategies by identifying key areas of focus such as curriculum, infrastructure, and sustainability. Education leaders can use this resource to facilitate strategic planning sessions, engage stakeholders in a collaborative process, and create a dynamic, long-term plan that addresses challenges while aligning with the community’s vision for arts education.
Aarn, K., & Burt, P. (2022). Strategic Arts Education Planning Guide: Expanding Access to the Arts in Schools and Community (4th ed.). Create CA & Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. https://www.lacountyartsedcollective.org/sites/artsforall/files/media/pdf/materials/strategic-arts-education-planning-guide_2022.pdf
Role of Arts Education in School Priorities & Goals
A School District Case Study: CSD #25 (QUEENS, NY) p. 17-18
Summary & Source:
This resource highlights the importance of school leaders articulating clearly their beliefs and values around the role of arts in education. This resource serves as both an advocacy tool and a planning guide, helping leaders move from abstract support for the arts to concrete, actionable steps that embed arts education into the district and school culture planning efforts. In particular, see the “Lessons for New York City’s Superintendents” call out box on page 18 that outlines how education leaders can set arts education priorities. This case study goes beyond including arts education in school priorities and goals, addressing how a strong arts education vision can advance efforts in funding, staffing, curriculum, partnerships, and more.
President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, & Arts Education Partnership. (1999). Gaining the arts advantage: Lessons from school districts that value arts education. Washington, DC: President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and Arts Education Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.pcah.gov
Arts Education Planning & Policies
Establishing an Arts Education Policy p. 51-53
Summary & Source:
The “Establishing an Arts Education Policy” section highlights the importance of adopting a clear, community-supported arts education policy as a key element in delivering and sustaining arts programs. This resource provides guidance for education leaders to create or adopt a policy that reflects shared values, while ensuring the arts are recognized as a core part of the curriculum. Education leaders can use this resource to review sample policies, customize their own approach, and involve stakeholders in crafting a comprehensive, equitable arts education framework that aligns with district needs and goals.
Aarn, K., & Burt, P. (2022). Strategic Arts Education Planning Guide: Expanding Access to the Arts in Schools and Community (4th ed.). Create CA & Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. https://www.lacountyartsedcollective.org/sites/artsforall/files/media/pdf/materials/strategic-arts-education-planning-guide_2022.pdf
Investing Time & Resources in Arts Learning
Investing time and resources in arts learning explores the people, places, and materials that form the foundation and underlying structure of arts teaching and learning. Strong arts education programs are supported by school leaders who secure the physical, financial, and human resources needed to provide comprehensive arts instruction and a variety of arts experiences for all students.
Access to Arts Education Facilities
Arts Ed Collaborative’s Facilities Review Process
Summary & Source:
AEC’s Facilities Review Process outlines a structured approach for evaluating dedicated arts learning spaces within schools. It involves a collaborative review by arts specialists, who visit each space, document observations, and categorize findings into “pluses,” “minuses,” and safety concerns. Education leaders can use this process to identify immediate safety issues and prioritize short-term maintenance needs alongside mid- to long-term capital improvements. By compiling notes and photos together into a practical overview, leaders gain actionable data to advocate for and plan investments that enhance arts facilities.
Arts Ed Collaborative. (2025, December). Arts Ed Collaborative’s Facilities Review Process. [PDF]. Arts Ed Collaborative. Retrieved from https://artsedcollab.org
Diversity of Funding Sources for Arts Education
Developing a Funding Strategy p. 118-120
Summary & Source:
This resource provides a comprehensive framework for creating a sustainable and diversified funding plan to support arts education. This resource is crucial because it helps education leaders secure long-term financial support by identifying various funding sources, including government funds, local foundations, and community partnerships, while aligning with the strategic goals of the arts education plan. Education leaders can use this resource to explore diverse revenue streams, collaborate with stakeholders, and ensure that funding is integrated into the overall strategic planning process, allowing for the successful implementation of arts education initiatives. Given that this resource was developed by Create CA and LA County Department of Arts and Culture, some of the examples are specific to California and have Pennsylvania equivalents (e.g., the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts).
Aarn, K., & Burt, P. (2022). Strategic Arts Education Planning Guide: Expanding Access to the Arts in Schools and Community (4th ed.). Create CA & Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. https://www.lacountyartsedcollective.org/sites/artsforall/files/media/pdf/materials/strategic-arts-education-planning-guide_2022.pdf
Arts-Focused Professional Learning Opportunities for Educators
artlook® Map – Organization Program Types Search
Summary & Source:
Arts Ed Collaborative administers artlook® SWPA – a no-cost, open-access map and searchable directory of people, places, and programs supporting arts learning for students in Southwestern PA. It’s the only platform of its kind in the state that brings together arts education data from schools, arts organizations, and teaching artists in a single platform. Education leaders can use search filters to find arts partners who offer professional learning opportunities that meet particular needs of arts specialists in their unique disciplines and non-arts teachers interested in integrating the arts. The provided link highlights arts partners who offer professional development for the current school year.
artlook® SWPA. (n.d.). artlook® Map – Organization Program Types Search. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from
https://swpa.artlookmap.com/search?filters=%7B%22programTypes%22%3A%5B4%5D%2C%22documentType%22%3A%5B%22organization%22%5D%7D&schoolYear=15&type=true
Dedicated Budget for Arts Education
Price Tags Optional Exercise p. 112–114
Summary & Source:
This exercise is a budgeting activity designed to help school leaders estimate the costs of implementing arts education strategies. It provides a framework for assigning approximate price tags to various program components—such as staffing, materials, and professional development—so leaders can visualize financial needs. By using this method, school teams can prioritize initiatives, identify funding gaps, and develop a realistic, dedicated arts budget aligned with their strategic plan. This tool encourages informed decision-making and resource allocation to sustain arts programs effectively.
Aarn, K., & Burt, P. (2022). Strategic Arts Education Planning Guide: Expanding Access to the Arts in Schools and Community (4th ed.). Create CA & Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. https://www.lacountyartsedcollective.org/sites/artsforall/files/media/pdf/materials/strategic-arts-education-planning-guide_2022.pdf
Creating an Arts Rich Learning Environment
Creating an arts-rich learning environment focuses on the qualities of arts learning opportunities available both in and out of the classroom. Comprehensive arts programs engage all students in exploration of the essential understandings and core skills of each discipline—dance, media arts, theatre, and visual arts—on a sustained basis and in progressively greater depth.
Alignment of Curriculum to Arts Learning Standards
National Core Arts Standards Explained for Arts Educators
Summary & Source:
AEC’s National Core Arts Standards Explainer outlines a framework for arts education, focusing on four artistic processes—Creating, Performing/Presenting/Producing, Responding, and Connecting—and corresponding anchor standards that define student expectations across various artistic disciplines. This explainer provides a clear, high-level overview into how National Core Arts Standards are structured. Education leaders can use this resource to guide curriculum development, assess student progress, and align arts programs with national standards, supporting a cohesive and comprehensive arts education experience.
Arts Ed Collaborative. (2023, April). 2023 AEC’s NCAS explainer: National Core Arts Standards explained for arts educators [PDF]. Arts Ed Collaborative. Retrieved from https://artsedcollab.org/
Time in School Schedule for Arts Instruction
National Art Education Association: Opportunities to Learn Standards, Time & Scheduling p. 12
Summary & Source:
The Opportunity to Learn Standards outlines guidelines for scheduling arts instruction at different grade levels. The national organizations supporting art, dance, media arts, music, and theatre education each have their own guidelines for scheduling these subjects as critical parts of the school day. Visual and media arts education leaders can use this resource to inform the structuring and scheduling of their arts programs, learning how to better facilitate equitable programming, as well as the importance of well-balanced arts learning experiences.
National Art Education Association. (2025, September). Opportunities to learn standards: Visual and media arts programs PreK–12 [PDF]. https://www.arteducators.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/OTL-PreK-12_Visual_Media_Arts_Programs.pdf
Time in School Schedule for Arts Instruction
No Roadblock to Arts Learning p. 23
Summary & Source:
The Las Cruces schools case study describes how they successfully adapted block scheduling to support both the arts and learning in other academic content areas. It tells the story of a student who wanted to prioritize music while maintaining rigorous coursework, and how the school created flexible solutions like independent AP courses. Education leaders can use this example to see how block scheduling, when paired with creativity and collaboration, can support students pursuing in-depth arts learning without sacrificing other academic goals. This resource emphasizes flexibility, professional development, and stakeholder buy-in as keys to making schedules work for arts education.
President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, & Arts Education Partnership. (1999). Gaining the arts advantage: Lessons from school districts that value arts education. Washington, DC: President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and Arts Education Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.pcah.gov
Alignment of Curriculum to Arts Learning Standards
AEC Curriculum Process: Steps for Developing Arts Curriculum
Summary & Source:
The Arts Curriculum Writing Process resource provides a structured approach to developing arts curricula, including reviewing core values, analyzing current application of standards, and designing learning objectives and instructional strategies. The steps outlined in this resource make it more likely that arts learning opportunities are aligned to national standards, meet student needs, and foster effective instruction. Education leaders can use this resource to guide curriculum development, facilitate collaboration among staff, and ensure that instruction is comprehensive, sequential, and tailored to diverse student needs.
Arts Ed Collaborative. (2023, April). AEC curriculum process: Steps for developing arts curriculum [PDF]. Retrieved from https://artsedcollab.org/
Time in School Schedule for Arts Instruction
National Association for Music Education: Opportunities to Learn Standards, Curriculum & Scheduling p. 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21, 23
Summary & Source:
The Opportunity to Learn Standards outlines guidelines for scheduling arts instruction at different grade levels. The national organizations supporting art, dance, media arts, music, and theatre education each have their own guidelines for scheduling these subjects as critical parts of the school day. Music education leaders can use this resource to inform the structuring and scheduling of music programs, as it contains broad suggestions for all content areas, and specialized suggestions for general music courses, ensembles, composition/theory, harmonizing instrument, and technology classes.
National Association for Music Education. (2020). National Opportunity to Learn Standards [PDF]. National Association for Music Education. https://nafme.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/NAfME-Opportunity-to-Learn-Standards-2020.pdf
Time in School Schedule for Arts Instruction
National Dance Education Association: Opportunities to Learn Standards, Curriculum & Scheduling, p. 4-5, 10, 14, 17
Summary & Source:
The Opportunity to Learn Standards outline guidelines for scheduling arts instruction at different grade levels. The national organizations supporting art, dance, media arts, music, and theatre education each have their own guidelines for scheduling these subjects as critical parts of the school day. Dance education leaders can use this resource to inform the structuring and scheduling of dance programs, with broad recommendations for all grades, and specific guidelines for varying age levels, providing clear pathways to aid in facilitating timely and effective programming.
National Dance Education Organization. (2018, February 22). Opportunity‑to‑Learn standards. National Dance Education Organization. https://www.ndeo.org/Portals/NDEO/Standards%20Documents/NDEO_Opportunity_to_Learn_Standards_2-22-18(1).pdf?ver=i_1yJxa3GvB3rC5pMi5eYw%3d%3d
Time in School Schedule for Arts Instruction
Educational Theatre Association: Opportunities to Learn Standards, Curriculum & Scheduling p. 7-8, 16
Summary & Source:
The Opportunity to Learn Standards outline guidelines for scheduling arts instruction at different grade levels. The national organizations supporting art, dance, media arts, music, and theatre education each have their own guidelines for scheduling these subjects as critical parts of the school day. Theatre arts leaders can use this resource to inform the structuring of theatre programs, as it presents guidelines for how effective scheduling can facilitate strong theatre arts programs in schools.
Educational Theatre Association. (2016). Opportunity‑to‑Learn standards. Educational Theatre Association [PDF]. https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/SCHOOLTHEATRE/7f9e7fa8-ea41-4033-b6a3-1ce9da6a7b6f/UploadedFiles/etB5iCLgQuScxGr3X9Zg_2016%20EdTA%20Opportunity-to-Learn%20Standards.pdf