Publications

2015-2016 Creative Learning Initiative Annual Report
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 the Austin Independent School District (AISD), CLI designs systemic and sustainable programs that integrate creativity, creative teaching strategies, and the arts with classroom teaching, campus programming, and campus improvement. Evaluation findings suggest CLI implementation had a positive impact on the district, its teachers and the students it serves.
Creative Learning Initiative 2016–2017 Annual Report
Report of program evaluation activities for the 2016-2017 school year.

The Creative Learning Initiative Innovates Teaching and Learning: Impact Highlights of the 2014–2015 School Year
The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI), a collective impact partnership among the Austin Independent School District (AISD), the city of Austin, and MINDPOP (an arts partnership dedicated to expanding creative learning in Austin and representing over 50 arts and cultural agencies), created arts-rich schools at a rate that exceeded the benchmark goal. The CLI had a positive impact on both teachers and students, as well as on the district. Teachers reported positive experiences with the program activities and positive changes in student engagement, behavior, and student achievement. Students…

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.”

ACCESS Initiative 2009-2010 Summary: Conflict Resolution and Violence Prevention at Garcia Middle School
This report summarizes the 2009-2010 evaluation results of AISD's ACCESS initiative conflict resolution and violence prevention program at Garcia Middle School.

2017-2018 Coordinated School Health
The Coordinated School Health (CSH) reports describe how the CSH program was implemented at AISD campuses. The reports provide summary- and campus-level information about achieved CSH action goals and information about changes in physical fitness of students at the campus since the previous year.

The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI) Annual Evaluation Report 2014–2015
This report presents findings from the 2014–2015 school year, the second year of comprehensive data collection of the Creative Learning Initiative (CLI) in the Austin Independent School District (AISD). Data suggest participating in the CLI had a positive impact on both teachers and students, as well as on the district. Teachers reported positive experience with the program activities and positive changes in student engagement, behavior, and student achievement. Student outcomes included increased student access to arts opportunities, improved student attendance, decreased discipline…

Any Given Child Creative Learning Initiative: Results From the November 2013 Creative Learning Initiative Survey
The November 2013 Creative Learning Initiative Survey was designed to gather participants’ feedback about the arts-based instruction workshop that took place in November, the facilitator(s) of that workshop, the participants’ implementation of the arts-based instruction, and the impact of the workshop on their students and their own professional growth. Staff from the McCallum and Travis vertical teams participated in the Creative Learning Initiative. Staff from 22 of the 24 campuses participated in the November Creative Learning Initiative workshop, and staff from all 24 campuses…

Fine Arts Enrollment and Academic Outcomes: 2006-2007 6th Grade cohort study
For the 2006–2007 At-Risk 6th-grade cohort, more fine arts enrollment in middle school was correlated with more positive high school outcomes for students in the following areas: academic persistence (i.e., graduating, completing the GED, or maintaining enrollment beyond their expected graduation date), attendance, standardized achievement tests in math and reading, and discipline.