Visual Arts (K-12) Standards Sources

The relationship of the Visual Arts Curriculum to 21st century skills is highlighted in the link below:

https://nccas.wikispaces.com/file/view/ArtsEducationStandards_21stCenturySkills.pdf

Changes ahead:

The Standards found on this page reference the 1994 voluntary National Arts Standards.

Arts learning standards were recently revised and published as the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) (http://nationalartsstandards.org). The new standards outline a conceptual framework for arts learning for K-12 students in Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts.

The NCAS was adopted by the State in October of 2016. The West Hartford Public Schools Visual Arts Department is working to combine components of the new standards with existing curriculum and standards during the adoption and revision period.

At a glance:

The National Core Arts Standards emerges from a grounding in the Artistic Processes of :

  • Creating: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work.
  • Presenting : Interpreting and sharing artistic work.
  • Responding: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning.
  • Connecting: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

Each artistic process branches into two or three anchor standards.

Anchor standards describe the general knowledge and skill that teachers expect students to demonstrate throughout their education in the arts.

The performance standards, which describe student learning, align with anchor standards.

Collectively, the design reflects a cohesive and aligned system that allows for commonality across the arts disciplines ( visual arts,music,dance,theatre and media arts) and specificity within each discipline, therefore establishing the appropriate level of breadth and depth required for national standards.

The link below references the National Core Arts Standards ( NCAS) which were presented in 2015:

http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/

And also https://www.arteducators.org/learn-tools/national-visual-arts-standards

Over the course of the next few years this page will be updated to reflect revisions. Changes will include an emphasis on inquiry,exploration and students leaving their school experience with life and career skills.