Publications
The Creative Learning Initiative Benefits AISD English Language Learners
English language learners were more likely to attend school and to meet the STAAR passing standards in reading and math when their teachers used creative teaching strategies more frequently. These findings coincide well with the research that encourages teachers of foreign languages to be creative in their teaching so that students not only benefit from language learning, but also develop broader educational objectives and learning outcomes (Maley & Peachey, 2015).
Creative Learning Initiative: Implementation Summary, 2018-2019
The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI) is a community-wide effort to bring creative learning and the arts to each and every student in Austin. Lead by MINDPOP, the City of Austin, and Austin Independent School District (AISD), CLI designs systematic and sustainable programs that integrate creativity, creative teaching strategies, and the arts with classroom teaching, campus programming, and campus improvement. Overall, CLI implementation in 2018–2019 was comparable to prior years and continues to have a positive impact on students. This report summarizes the CLI implementation activities.
Creative Learning Initiative 2016–2017 Annual Report
Report of program evaluation activities for the 2016-2017 school year.
Creative Learning in Adverse Times
This paper describes the work done to advance CLI goals despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among many successes resulting from CLI’s resourcefulness and adaptability was an increase in secondary arts enrollment for students in special groups (e.g., special education, economically disadvantaged, and emergent bilingual). In addition, CLI’s novel Season of Arts Experiences provided 28 schools who would not have otherwise participated access to 27 unique arts partners, contributing to over 107 total arts partnerships in the 2020-2021 school year.
Creative Teaching in 2017-2018
Creative instruction across the curriculum is a critical pillar of the Creative Learning Initiative (CLI). This report, the second in a series of three on CLI, shares teacher’s reactions to training in Creative Teaching, how and why they use it in the classroom, and how that usage relates to student outcomes. To view the interactive report, click on the link below, then use the green drop down menu in the upper left corner to select “Creative Teaching.”
Creative Campus Distribution in 2017-2018
National research shows that students attending arts-rich schools have higher levels of motivation and better academic and social success. This report, the first in a series of three on the Creative Learning Initiative, is used to track the progress of our district's investment in the whole child through the arts and creative teaching at each campus. To view the interactive report, click on the link below, then use the green drop down menu in the upper left corner to select “Creative Campus Profiles.”
Creative Teaching in the Classroom: A Case Study Using the Hot Seating Strategy in English Language Arts
In this report, we give a comprehensive description of how an AISD 2nd-grade teacher, Mrs. Theresa Wood, integrated a drama-based Creative Teaching strategy into her guided reading lesson. This Creative Teaching strategy, called hot seating, involves students interviewing characters from the story they have read. This case study will provide a vivid understanding of why teachers choose hot seating to amplify their instructional goals in English language arts lessons, how a teacher facilitates the strategy in the classroom, and how it can be extended and modified to fit different needs.
Afterschool Centers on Education Foundation Communities Cycle 9 Final Report, 2019-2020
The Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) is the program administered through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grants. The ACE Foundation Communities’ Cycle 9 program provides intentional afterschool program experiences that are high quality, challenging, and inspiring. Across activities and centers, the afterschool program focuses on three primary objectives: decrease school-day absences, decrease discipline referrals, and increase academic achievement. This report examines outcomes for participants.
Creative Campus Profiles, 2016-2017
Research on creative learning shows that students attending arts-rich schools have higher levels of motivation and better academic and social success. Arts richness is measured in the Creative Campus profile reports according to nine diverse components and is based on information gathered in the 2016-2017 Arts Inventory and school records. This is an annual report used to track the progress of our district's investment in the whole child through the arts and creative teaching. By systematically investing in understanding the arts-richness of our schools district and campus leaders can…
Sequential Fine Arts in 2017-2018
AISD promotes access to sustained learning for all students in music, visual art, drama, and dance. This report discusses the relationship between sequential fine arts participation and student outcomes for the school year 2017–2018 and how the relationships differ between based on student characteristics (i.e. race, ethnicity, special education status and limited English speaking status). To view the interactive report, click on the link below, then use the green drop down menu in the upper left corner to select “Secondary Visual and Performing Arts Participation (2017-2020).”