Rural Arts Initiative

CCSESA Statewide Arts Initiative has been working to build momentum for arts education in rural communities. In 2019-20, eight counties participated in a Rural County Arts Cohort to increase student access to arts education. Subgrants were provided to assist counties in developing strategic arts plans and/or implementing existing strategic arts plans. A key component of building artistic literacy in rural communities has been implementing professional development focused on California Arts Standards and developing rigorous arts integration strategies that can open the door for interdisciplinary learning in the arts.

Imperial, Mariposa, and Nevada County Offices of Education implemented arts strategic planning processes with multiple stakeholders. Amador, Butte, Humboldt, Mono, and Tulare County Offices of Education implemented key components of their existing strategic arts plans.

Click on the map below to learn more about the eight county offices of education from across California and what work they have accomplished to build capacity for arts education as part of a complete comprehensive curriculum. Special thanks to consultants Peggy Burt, Dr. Merryl Goldberg, Patty Taylor, and Jim Thomas for their partnership and expertise. We also acknowledge the California Alliance for Arts Education and CREATE CA for supporting this effort. This collective work has been made possible through generous funding from the Stuart Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation.

To learn more about rural arts education, please access the Creativity at the Core Module 21: Creativity and Collaboration in Rural Communities developed by Kate Stover, Tulare County Office of Education.

Nevada County

Nevada County Office of Education in partnership with key stakeholders entered into a strategic arts planning process to increase student access to arts education. By establishing an Arts Strategic Planning Committee that included 33 members from across the County many key organizations were represented. The committee included school administrators (from school districts and the County Office of Education), directors of local Arts Organizations, Nevada County Arts Council members, teaching artists, local artists, a school counselor, career pathways coordinators, three parents (representatives from an elementary, middle and high school level), six teachers (representatives from an elementary, middle and high school) and three students from the high school. Read more to learn about their process and what strategic directions emerged.

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Humboldt County

Humboldt County Office of Education developed an arts strategic plan with key stakeholders to ensure that all students receive equitable, high quality, standards-based, articulated and sequential arts instruction. The plan includes the provision of arts subject-specific professional development (PD) for teachers as well as arts integration professional learning opportunities. The goal is to connect Humboldt County schools with community stakeholders for their mutual benefit and to make visible to policy makers, community, and educators the essential learning in visual and performing arts. Learn how Humboldt County Office is coordinating human, creative, and financial resources for the sustainability of arts education programs.

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Mono County

Mono County Office in partnership with key arts and education partners, developed the The Arts Master Plan which has provided a compass to guide work in the arts. As programs, projects, and initiatives come along, the Strategic Directions of the plan function as the North Star and helped to define key actions to meet the needs of Mono County students. Although that sounds as if the plan might limit the scope and scale of potential programming, it actually opens the door for connections with non-traditional partners. The plan is focused in its vision, but expansive in its paths to get there. Designed as a true cross-sector collaboration, the goals in the AMP enable work beyond the classroom and into the community. Learn how Mono County has taken strategic steps in implementing the Master Arts Plan and how they are making an impact in the lives of teachers and students.

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Imperial County

Imperial County Office of Education embarked on an arts strategic planning process that was facilitated by Jim Thomas, consultant for the California Alliance for Arts Education – made possible through the CCSESA grant and Stuart Foundation. Through a series of meetings with a broad group of stakeholders, the committee created a strategic plan that identified key directions to take to strengthen and expand arts education in Imperial County. Through a series of meetings, the committee worked to envision key actions that will help increase access for arts education. Learn more about their story.

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Mariposa County

Mariposa was pleased to lead an arts strategic planning process led by Peggy Burt, consultant for CCSESA and The California Alliance for Arts Education which resulted in a strategic arts plan.. The Mariposa County Strategic Art Plan was designed to provide a clear pathway forward for the Mariposa County Office of Education/Mariposa County Unified School District and members of Mariposa’s community working to support quality arts education for Mariposa’s youth. Developed by the County’s educational administrators, teachers, artists, parents, students, community organizations and interested citizens this plan is specific to Mariposa and reflects the nuanced nature of the community. Learn how the process helped to determine actionable outcomes that will benefit educators and students in Mariposa county. .

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Butte County

Butte County Office of Education has been working to implement their county arts strategic plan. This has involved working with rural arts educators and deepening professional learning in Butte County. Learn how Butte County Office has formed a regional partnership with districts in eight counties in Region 2 and has been working to build momentum for arts education. Hear how Butte County Office of Education is helping to increase artistic literacy across all arts disciplines and to build community engagement and support for arts education. See a video created to spotlight some stellar arts educators who share about their practice in the classroom.

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Amador County

Amador Arts Planning Initiative established an Arts Planning Team that convened for three days to develop a 3-5-year strategic plan for arts education. Through a consensus building process with a diverse stakeholder team, Amador County Office and partners have worked to envision advancing arts education TK-12 across the district. By identifying key strategic directions Amador County Office is making progress in implementing their strategic plan that will include implementation of standards-based courses of instruction countywide. Learn more about how they are working to identify exemplary practices and build capacity for arts education.

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Tulare County

The Tulare County Office of Education led a strategic planning process to include key stakeholders from various sectors to envision key goals for strengthening and expanding arts education in Tulare County which resulted in strategic plan. The Tulare County Arts Master Plan (AMP) is a strategic roadmap detailing the expansion of arts and cultural programs in the county’s schools. The AMP is aligned with the goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the eight state priorities in California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). To advance arts education in Tulare County, the AMP focuses on two foundational cornerstones – Arts as Core and Arts for All. Learn more about how Tulare County and partners are implementing their strategic arts plan.

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