Arkansas A-Plus Helps Bring Arts Integration to Schools Across the State

Arkansas A+ has been infusing the arts into schools across the state since 1995.

A+, a leader in whole school transformation through arts integration within the College of Education and Health Professions, continues to grow its network of schools and educators. In 2025, A+ delivered 34 arts integration programs for 398 teachers across the state, a 36% increase from the previous year. This increase in programming helped expand the organization's reach to over 24,000 students, almost double its total in 2024.

Executive Director Alyssa Wilson said the A+ model provides educators with a revolutionary way to reimagine instruction.

"Incorporating movement, inviting students to embody a concept, turning ideas into plays, adding music or making something tangible - these moments transform classrooms," Wilson said. "When creativity is prioritized alongside technology, our classrooms become places where students don't just consume information but actively experience it."

Professional development workshops with A+ are designed to get teachers and school leaders out of their comfort zones, inspire creativity, strengthen teaching practices and equip participants with ready-to-use arts integration strategies for long-term implementation.

Workshops are led by A+ fellows — experienced educators and teaching artists who build professional development around engaging activities. Math teachers engaging kinesthetic learning with human coordinate planes or language arts teachers bringing new words to life through theatre and movement are just a couple of hands-on lessons that fellows design to get teachers thinking about creativity in the classroom.

"It was engaging like a classroom should be," said Kindal Davis, a fifth-grade science teacher at Washington Middle School, about the A+ experience. "You almost forget that you're at a [professional development], yet you're learning more than you do at any other." 

On a larger scale, A+ Whole-School Transformation programs offer a research-based framework that weaves the arts into core academic subjects, nurturing creativity in every student. Unlike short-term professional development models, this A+ initiative works across entire school communities, including administrators, classroom teachers and arts specialists, to create lasting change in instructional practice and school culture.

Since its inception, A+ has guided 34 schools through the multi-year transformation. Since 2022, the organization has expanded its reach by recruiting 11 new member schools to enter the structured implementation model. Generous support from the Windgate Foundation helped establish Arkansas A+ and continues to fuel its growth. 

A+ member schools commit to a three-year implementation process that includes intensive summer institutes, collaborative planning, comprehensive professional development for all teachers and ongoing mentoring and support to help address ongoing challenges with student engagement, achievement and/or limited access to arts instruction. In return, member schools are seeing improved student performance.

At Landmark Elementary School, which began A+ transformation in July 2024, Arkansas Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (ATLAS) test data showed gains within their first semester, with significant improvements across English language arts, math and science. Similarly, Guy-Perkins Elementary, now in its third year of A+, was recognized by the College of Education and Health Professions' Office for Education Policy as one of the state's high-growth schools in English language arts.

Last summer, three new member schools embarked on A+ journeys. The organization is also expanding its team of fellows, adding several new educators and artists to support the growing program.

One of those A+ fellows is veteran fourth-grade and special education teacher Audrian Harville, who joined the organization in 2015 hoping to help other teachers around the state find joy in the art of teaching.

"Finding ways to insert as much creativity into my room is critical since it allows students who do not always feel successful in school the sense of achievement," Harville said. "Being sure to get creative in grading and application is necessary to give students that chance to let their own artistic light shine."

A+ continues to eye growth, looking to welcome new schools and partnerships in the near future to reach more teachers and students across Arkansas.

To learn more about Arkansas A+ and its arts integration model, visit their website.