Community Arts Education Project
The Community Arts Education Project (CAEP), developed by the California State PTA and CAAE is designed to help parents, local schools and school districts to work together to create district wide systemic change in arts education. CAEP is both a guidebook and a hands-on technical assistance process that enables districts to assess current arts learning programs and funding allocations, identify gaps in delivery, and create long range plans that will ensure equitable access for all students in each of the four arts disciplines.
Over the past 5 years, district and community members in more than 20 school districts have participated in a strategic planning process, culminating in the presentation and adoption – of a district arts education policy and a long-range budgeted plan. To view a list of participating school districts and sample policies and plans, click here.
As an extension of a well-received publication authored by CAAE and the California State PTA, CAEP was initially funded as a pilot technical assistance project by the National Endowment for the Arts and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The project was also conceived as part of larger county-wide arts education initiatives in Los Angeles and Alameda Counties. A published guide to the strategic planning process, The Insider’s Guide to Arts Education Planning, is available here.
Key Elements of Project
- Formation of a Community Arts Team with broad representation of the community and district
- Initial and ongoing support from District Superintendent and School Board
- An established planning process and timeline, based on the CAEP guidebook
- Shared leadership among community and district “co-chairs”
- 80-100 hours of technical assistance with an experienced "arts education planning coach"
- Support from county-wide arts and education agencies
- Leadership development and training for co-chairs in meeting facilitation techniques and strategic planning
- Professional development in visual and performing arts content standards
- Project evaluation
Anticipated Outcomes for Each Targeted District
- An adopted arts education policy
- An adopted district-wide plan for implementing a K-12 arts education program
- An adopted district-wide funding plan that will support program implementation