North Carolina and Missouri: A+ Schools

Photo courtesy of North Carolina Arts Council

The relationship between arts education and improved student outcomes is well-established, with research demonstrating that students who study the arts have better attendance, lower dropout rates, and higher standardized test scores in reading and math and are better prepared to enter the workforce.

The North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) has long recognized the importance of arts education. Since 2010, NCAC has managed A+ Schools, a whole-school arts education model that integrates the arts into the state’s mandated curriculum and every aspect of the students’ learning experience. A+ Schools of North Carolina first began in 1995 with the Kenan Institute of the Arts. The success of the program is pronounced. NCAC, in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and other research partners, collects data on participating A+ network schools each year to better understand A+ schools’ outcomes, potential professional development needs and best practices. Consistently, the data indicates that highly engaged A+ schools report improved attendance, fewer disciplinary problems, stronger teacher satisfaction, and higher levels of community and parental involvement. Moreover, there is a cumulative effect, insofar as student outcomes strengthen with prolonged A+ engagement.

A primary key to the success and sustainability of A+ Schools of North Carolina is the network of schools that are engaged in A+ practice and philosophy. The A+ network includes schools of all grade levels in rural, suburban and urban communities across North Carolina. As a collective, the network shapes the programs, services and trainings that are provided by A+ Schools. Other states, such as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, have adopted the A+ model and developed their own statewide networks. Foundational to all the networks of schools is the adherence to the A+ Essentials, a framework originated by the North Carolina A+ Schools network for developing a creative culture that supports each school’s unique needs.

Missouri is the latest state working to adopt the A+ model. A+ Schools Missouri, managed by the Missouri Arts Council, will choose three pilot schools in late 2025 to participate in an inaugural training course beginning in August 2026. The trainings and transformation of integrating the A+ framework will occur over the next three years. The Missouri Arts Council will fund 100% of training and support to establish a school as an A+ School, which costs approximately $90,000 for the initial three years.

For more information about A+ Schools of North Carolina, contact A+ Schools Director Michelle Burrows. To learn more about A+ Schools Missouri, contact A+ Schools Missouri Program Director and Missouri Arts Council Arts Education Program Specialist Jenni Ryan.