The Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) has recognized Abington School District for its outstanding commitment to visual arts education with the endorsement Outstanding Visual Arts Community 2020. October is National Arts & Humanities Month, and Abington School District is receiving this annual endorsement to kick off this important month and set the stage for an engaging year for students in the Visual Arts. The District is one of only 26 schools/districts selected across Pennsylvania to receive the 2020 OVAC endorsement.
Districts receiving this endorsement demonstrate the importance of their visual arts programs with:
- Rigorous and Inclusive Programs: Arts programs demonstrate rigor using standards-based curriculum taught at every level by highly qualified and certified arts educators.
- Highly Accessible Programs: Art programs are offered to all students at every level of education with a sustainable budget for the visual arts.
- Highly Visible Programs: Schools and districts identify their programmatic accomplishments, curriculum for all levels, art staff, mission statements, and arts events using their school websites and social media.
Students in Abington School District get to experience the importance of a well-rounded education with opportunities to engage in arts education courses at all grade levels, K-12. These opportunities prepare students with visual literacy. Visual literacy constitutes the new thinking and learning skills of a digital age and a creative economy. These are the types of cognitive skills young people will need to find their place in a globally competitive workforce.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that the arts and culture sector in 2017 was an $877.8 billion industry, which represented 4.5% of the nation’s GDP–a larger share of the economy than transportation and agriculture–according to a press release in early 2020 (National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, 2020). The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $135 billion in economic activity annually (spending by organizations and their audiences) that supports 4.1 million jobs and generates $22.3 billion in government revenue (Americans for the Arts, 2015). Technology innovations such as big data, data analytics, and visualization will simply increase the importance of visual and spatial learning skills.
PAEA empowers its members to transform their practices, students, colleagues, and communities to build a strong art education culture and citizenry. The nonprofit also promotes advocacy through research, knowledge, and learning by generating and sharing research-based models and resources, and promoting opportunities for student growth. For more information, visit https://paeablog.org/advocacy/outstanding-visual-arts-community
The post Abington School District Endorsed as an Outstanding Visual Arts Community first appeared on Abington School District.