Read the Grant

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    Abstract:
    The purpose of the Pinellas County Schools (PCS) Elevate A. R. T. S. (Arts Relationships Technology Steam) project is to provide innovative, collaborative and sustained professional development for twenty-five music and art teachers in ten high poverty schools, in order to reduce the high arts teacher turnover rate and to improve student achievement. While teachers may elect to teach in high poverty schools with the best intentions, many are ill-equipped to weather the challenges due to lack of appropriate professional development and isolation. Project Elevate A.R.T.S. aims to close this revolving door and increase student achievement by employing the research-based Design Thinking Model © 2012 IDEO LLC to engage stakeholder input on causes and solutions, provide targeted professional development, and build capacity for sustained support.

    The project goals are:
    1. Provide high quality research based Professional Development to expand standards-based art content knowledge and innovative instructional practices. Absolute Priority
    2. Increase student achievement in the arts. Absolute Priority
    3. Develop high-quality digital tools for use in arts instruction, student achievement evaluation (student portfolios) and teacher collaboration. Competitive Priority
    4. Increase Math and Science achievement through focused alignment of Math, Science and Arts State Standards – moving from STEM to STEAM. Invitational Priority
    5.  Retain high quality arts teachers in high poverty schools.
    6. Increase student engagement in the arts in high poverty schools.