The Alliance - Officers

Dont know much about the arts in your community?

Dont know much about the arts programs in your school district?

Want to know more?

Want to discover your strengths...and identify
whats missing?

Fast Facts about A Community Audit for Arts Education

1. The Community Audit provides a report card to the community on the status of arts education within its schools. Much as the box scores in the sports pages provoke debate regarding athletic performance, the findings of the Community Audit can be a public document to promote dialogue around arts education.

2. The findings of a Community Audit can give an initial assessment of quality: how good are we in providing high-quality arts learning experiences for all our students? Where do we excel? Where do we fall short?

3. The Community Audit also provides a planning tool to improve quality by examining the known critical factors for success. By displaying the gaps in a school districts efforts, the Community Audit can reveal the necessary next steps toward improvement.

4. The Community Audit provides a useful vehicle for community goal-setting and implementation: what will we do in what time frame for whom? Establishing clear goals and measurable objectives are essential in the improvement process.

5. The Community Audit provides a valuable tool for resource allocation. The truly difficult decision-making process about resource use can now be better informed, and better decisions can now be made.

Through its Community Audit for Arts Education project, the MAAE has established a means to involve school districts, artists, arts and cultural institutions and local citizens in raising awareness of the benefits of K-12 arts education, community resources that support high quality arts education, and strategies to bring communities and schools together to strengthen education for all students in the community.

For $ 2500 ~ The MAAE will provide consultants to facilitate two three-hour meetings or one six-hour meeting. In addition, the community may elect to conduct an electronic survey process. Potential hosts include a school district, a local arts council, PTA and/or parent groups, citizen groups, or a combination of the above. The Audit host will receive a complete report and executive summary.

For $ 1500 ~ The MAAE will provide website access and survey software to a school district or community group that wishes to conduct A Community Audit for Arts Education electronically.

For $ 1000 ~ The MAAE will provide facilitators to train a core group of local citizens to conduct A Community Audit for Arts Education in their community and/or school district.