Executive summary
AcA convened superintendents and leadership teams from school districts across Acadiana for a working breakfast focused on strengthening and scaling the Arts in Education (AiE) partnership. The presentation grounded the conversation in current reach and capacity—165 student performances, 58,000+ students impacted, 10,000+ classroom sessions, 3,000+ teachers impacted, and 135 schools—and reinforced that the partnership is built for scale through the ArtsinEdAcadiana.org platform and a dedicated AcA team. It also clarified the sustainability model, including an average cost of $18.36 per student supported through a blended funding approach (district contracts, AcA sponsorships, and Visionaries support). In the facilitated discussion, district leaders converged on a practical set of priorities:
- Systematize the district and school liaison roles so access to AiE does not depend on one champion. Successful districts start with principals, align expectations early, and build durable reminders into district systems (handbooks, portals, annual administrator retreats).
- Use the partnership as a communications engine for school pride and school choice: student work and performances become a “megaphone” when amplified through social media, community events, local media, public officials, and school board visibility.
- Apply arts to core district challenges including recruitment/retention, student mental health and belonging, teacher capacity, and academic achievement. Participants emphasized that arts are both well-being infrastructure and an academic strategy, and raised the need for equity-centered implementation that prioritizes students with disabilities, English learners, and students needing higher levels of support—starting there, not treating it as an add-on.
Two clear follow-ups emerged: Evangeline Parish expressed interest in joining the partnership, and multiple leaders encouraged AcA to present at district board meetings across the region, including districts not yet participating.
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