| Arts for Academic Achievement Program | | | | student-centered approach. Teachers encourage |
| The Minneapolis Schools ' Arts for Academic | | | | the concept of self criticism and risk-taking. |
| Achievement Program is a program that aims to | | | | The Organization of the Minneapolis Schools' Arts |
| reform schools by using collaborations between | | | | for Academic Achievement Program |
| teachers, artists, and artistic organizations. The | | | | The Arts for Academic Achievement Program |
| main goal is to raise the students' academic | | | | involves planning; teachers plan using clear |
| achievement with strong content focus and arts | | | | standards to teach in and through the arts. The |
| strategies. Minneapolis Schools' Arts for Academic | | | | Arts for Academic Achievement Program |
| Achievement Program was launched in 1997 as | | | | provides teachers with a support system that |
| part of the Annenberg Foundation educational | | | | includes teams that work together to integrate |
| reform grant. The Arts for Academic | | | | arts into teaching and learning. These teams are |
| Achievement Program is a direct partnership with | | | | based in a school and different school teams |
| the Perpich Center for Arts Education. After the | | | | work together in cross school groups to develop |
| success of the Minneapolis Schools' Arts for | | | | lessons that include learning through the arts. The |
| Academic Achievement Program, the Perpich | | | | Minneapolis Schools also provides teachers with to |
| Center for Arts Education has expanded the Arts | | | | understand more deeply and examine more |
| for Academic Achievement Program across | | | | rigorously their arts integrated teaching practice. |
| Minnesota. | | | | A big part of the Minneapolis Schools' Arts for |
| The Minneapolis Schools' Arts for Academic | | | | Academic Achievement Program is collaboration |
| Achievement Program wants to provide the | | | | between various groups. This includes cooperative |
| urban students of Minneapolis with opportunities in | | | | efforts between artists, arts partners, and other |
| music, dance, writing, and other artistic forms. | | | | educators to forge new and/or deepen existing |
| Arts for Academic Achievement Program | | | | models and strategies to successfully engage all |
| teaches students how to express themselves | | | | students in meaningful learning in and through the |
| better. It has also proven to reduce absenteeism | | | | arts. One of the biggest parts of the collaboration |
| among high school students. The more that the | | | | is, of course, the students. Currently the |
| arts were integrated in the classroom, the better | | | | Minneapolis Schools' Arts for Academic |
| all students performed on tests, especially | | | | Achievement Program works with around 8,000 |
| students with barriers to learning. The program is | | | | students from 35 elementary, middle, and high |
| based on a great deal of educational research | | | | schools. This also includes 150 teachers, several |
| that shows the positive impact of arts based | | | | hundred art organizations and independent artists. |
| learning on students in not only academic areas | | | | The Minneapolis Schools' Arts for Academic |
| but personal and social as well. | | | | Achievement Program in 2006-2007 |
| Research shows that teachers and their teaching | | | | There are continued challenges for the Minneapolis |
| are altered by the Minneapolis Schools' Arts for | | | | Schools' Arts for Academic Achievement Program |
| Academic Achievement Program as well. The | | | | in this year's school year. The collaborations |
| program changes the teachers' perceptions about | | | | mentioned above must continue, already some |
| students. Through their participation in the arts | | | | schools from 2005 have not continued their |
| students gain intelligence, leadership and motivation | | | | involvement in the program. The program is also |
| and this is shown in the classroom. Many teachers | | | | affected by the artists and teachers that leave |
| change their instruction to a more | | | | the program. |