BECOMING AN ABC ADVANCEMENT SITE

Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Advancement grants (provided by the SC Arts Commission) support ongoing comprehensive planning, strategic projects and implementation of standards-based arts education initiatives, including artist residencies and residency-plus activities. Schools have to address in their plans how they will deliver a comprehensive arts education (dance, music, theatre, visual arts and creative writing) to the school population. 

Interested school members in their school becoming an ABC Site should contact the ABC Project to set up an initial meeting with key arts teachers and administration to discuss the intent of the school. SC Arts Commission Regional Coordinators should also be contacted. Schools must address becoming a comprehensive arts education program and may choose also to become arts integrated.  Schools are also encouraged to visit other established ABC Sites to better understand the various ways to become a comprehensive arts school.
 
First-time applicants to ABC Advancement will receive a one-year award. They must then reapply at the end of the provisional period in order to enter the two-year ABC Advancement cycle.
 
ABC Advancement grantees (known as ABC Sites) are expected to send representatives to meet with colleagues from other current sites for professional development days during the school year. The ABC Project pays for two substitutes so representatives can attend these networking meetings.
 
The ABC sites are part of the larger ABC Project, which is overseen by a steering committee of approximately 90 members including artists, art and other educators, school administrators and representatives from higher education, business and government entities. The committee generally meets three times per year.
 
Among ABC Project programs and activities that support the efforts of ABC sites are the Curriculum Leadership Institute in the Arts (CLIA), a summer arts leadership program for arts educators; the Arts Education Leadership Institute (AELI), a summer planning intensive program for school and school district teams; the SC Center for Dance Education at Columbia College; and an expanding statewide outreach program.

To apply to become an ABC Site a school must have successfully completed a Five Year Strategic Arts Education Plan. The plan must have been written broadly based planning and program advisory committee. This steering committee must continue to function at the guiding committee and meet on a regular basis to review, critique and revise the school’s arts education strategic plan.

Arts Education Strategic Planning:

A strategic arts education plan is designed to serve as a guide toward the development and implementation of a quality arts education program. It should offer the promise of meeting the needs of all students at all levels of the instructional process.  The plan should be grounded in the overall educational philosophy and should be consistent with the primary mission of the district or school. 

Based on the needs of the original ABC Advancement Sites, the ABC Project developed the ABC Arts Education Strategic Planning Manuel.  The manual is designed to support the strategic planning process model displayed on the next page.  A series of worksheets will guide participants through the planning process.  The manual is structured to serve as the basis of planning team deliberations and to facilitate attainment of consensus on major plan components.  Specifically, agreement must be reached with regard to the following:

•           The significant challenges facing arts education in the district or school

•           The arts education philosophy of the district or school

•           The district’s or the school’s mission with regard to arts education

•           The district’s or school’s long-term arts education goals

•           The specific strategies by which the district or school will work toward the designated goals

These five features will form the basic structure of the plan.  Comprehensive action plans will address key issues related to priority activities, schedules/timelines, leadership responsibilities, and associated costs. 

Crucial to a successful planning effort is the strategic planning team.  This group should include broad-based representation, not only from the educational community, but from the larger, external community as well.  It is recommended that planning team composition include district and school administrators, district- and school-level arts educators, parents, students, community leaders, community arts representatives, and business/industry leaders.  Planning team participants must understand the responsibility demanded by the process, must be willing to devote significant time and energy to the effort, and must have as their primary focus an interest in moving the district forward in the area of arts education.

The ABC Project will assist in the strategic planning process at no charge.  Please feel free to contact the ABC Project for any assistance..

Christine. Fisher

Arts in Basic Curriculum Project

105 McLaurin Hall

Rock Hill, SC 29733

Phone: 803/323-2451

Fax: 803/323-2554

fisherc@winthrop.edu

SC Arts Commission Grant Guidelines