Bridging the Gap: Helping School Leaders Assess and Strengthen Their Arts & Enrichment Programs
Too often, school leaders struggle to effectively assess the quality of their arts and enrichment programs. Unlike math or reading, where standardized test scores provide clear metrics (for better or worse), arts education requires a different approach. An approach that acknowledges both qualitative and quantitative measures of success.
As a result, many principals and district leaders find themselves making decisions about arts programming based on surface-level observations, budget constraints, or student enrollment alone, without a deeper understanding of what high-quality arts education looks like. This leads to programs that are either underfunded, undervalued, or misaligned with the broader goals of student development.
At Brave Art NYC, we help school leaders build competency in evaluating their arts programs, setting meaningful goals, and providing arts educators with the support and accountability they need to grow and thrive.
The Challenge: Why Arts and Enrichment Programs Go Unassessed
Research shows that when school leaders lack training in arts education, they often struggle to set clear expectations and benchmarks for success (Winner & Hetland, 2007). This results in:
Vague or unrealistic goals – School leaders may set goals such as "increase student engagement" without defining what engagement looks like in an arts setting.
Lack of teacher evaluation tools – Arts teachers are frequently assessed using the same rubrics as academic teachers, failing to capture the nuances of arts instruction.
Inequitable resource distribution – Without clear data on program impact, the arts often receive fewer resources than core academic subjects.
The result? Arts educators feel unsupported, enrichment programs lack direction, and students miss out on the full benefits of high-quality arts education.
What Does a Strong Arts Program Look Like?
A thriving arts program doesn’t just exist, it actively contributes to student growth, creativity, and critical thinking. According to a report by the Arts Education Partnership (2019), the strongest arts programs share the following characteristics:
Clear Learning Objectives: Arts education isn’t just about creative expression; it involves skill-building, cultural literacy, and interdisciplinary connections.
Regular Assessment: Students should demonstrate learning through performances, portfolio reviews, and self-reflection, rather than traditional tests.
Culturally Responsive Teaching: The program should reflect the diverse backgrounds of students, engaging them in meaningful, culturally affirming work.
Integration with Core Curriculum: When possible, arts instruction should support and enhance academic learning, making connections across disciplines.
Sustained Student Participation: A strong arts program doesn’t just introduce students to the arts—it keeps them engaged over multiple years, allowing for deeper skill development.
How School Leaders Can Assess and Improve Their Arts Programs
To move beyond surface-level evaluation, school leaders must take intentional steps to assess and enhance their arts programs. Here’s where to start:
1. Develop Arts-Specific Evaluation Tools
Instead of using the same observation rubrics for arts educators and academic teachers, develop evaluation tools that reflect the discipline-specific nature of arts instruction. Look for evidence of:
Artistic skill-building and technique development
Student engagement and creative problem-solving
Culturally responsive teaching practices
Student autonomy and expressive decision-making
2. Set Meaningful, Measurable Goals
Goals for arts programs should align with overall school priorities and reflect arts education's unique value. Examples include:
Increasing student participation in arts programs over time
Ensuring every student receives at least X hours of high-quality arts instruction per year
Expanding arts-integrated learning opportunities across subjects
Establishing artist-in-residence or professional development programs for arts teachers
3. Engage Arts Educators as Leaders
School leaders often make programming decisions without fully consulting their arts educators. To strengthen arts programs, administrators should:
Regularly meet with arts teachers to discuss needs and goals
Provide professional development tailored to arts education
Include arts educators on broader instructional leadership teams
4. Gather Data Beyond Enrollment Numbers
Enrollment numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Consider:
Student reflections on their arts experiences
Feedback from families and the broader school community
Performance videos, artwork portfolios, and classroom observations as forms of assessment
Brave Art NYC: A Resource for School Leaders
At Brave Art NYC, we specialize in helping school leaders build thriving, high-quality arts programs. Our services include:
Program Audits & Evaluations – Assessing current arts offerings and identifying areas for growth.
Professional Development for School Leaders – Training on arts education best practices, evaluation tools, and goal setting.
Teacher Coaching & Mentorship – Supporting arts educators with tailored feedback and professional learning opportunities.
A strong arts program doesn’t happen by accident—it requires intentional planning, assessment, and support. School leaders who invest in their arts educators and programs will see the benefits ripple across their entire school community.
If your school is ready to take arts education to the next level, Brave Art NYC is here to help. Let’s build something transformational together.
Sources:
Winner, E., & Hetland, L. (2007). "Art for Our Sake: School Arts Classes Matter More Than Ever—But Not for the Reasons You Think." The Boston Globe.
Arts Education Partnership. (2019). "The Arts Leading the Way to Student Success: A 2020 Action Agenda for Advancing the Arts in Education."
