Fine Arts Instruction

The information on this page is intended to be used by educators, administrators, area education agencies, students, parents and other individuals who have an interest in fine arts education in Iowa. Fine arts education includes the disciplines of Dance, General Music, Instrumental Music, Media Arts, Theatre, Visual Art, and Vocal Music.

Fine Arts Standards

Iowa's Fine Arts Standards were approved and adopted by the Iowa State Board of Education on November 15, 2017, based on the recommendation of the Iowa Fine Arts Standards Adoption Team. See the team's final report.

Implementation

• Implementation of the Iowa Fine Arts Standards - Provides guidance on how to use Iowa's Fine Arts Standards.

Dance Standards

• Dance Standards, K-12
• Glossary for Dance Standards

Media Standards

• Media Arts Standards, K-12
• Glossary for Media Arts Standards

Music Standards

• General Music Standards, K-8 (revised from National Coalition for Core Arts Standards)
  Note: A small number of changes were made to the National Core Arts Standards to eliminate redundancies, provide clarification, and create developmentally appropriate expectations and continuity across grade levels. All changes are listed in blue. Blue font indicates minor changes to language, while blue highlighted areas indicate larger-scale changes to whole performance standards.
• Harmonizing Instruments Standards
• Music Composition and Theory Standards, 9-12
• Music Technology Standards, 9-12
• Traditional and Emerging Ensembles Standards
• Glossary for Music Standards

Theatre Standards

• Theatre Standards, K-12 (revised from National Coalition for Core Arts Standards)
  Note: Minor changes were made to the National Core Arts Standards to provide clarification and create developmentally appropriate expectations and continuity across grade levels. All changes are listed in blue font.
• Glossary for Theatre Standards

Visual Arts Standards

• Visual Arts Standards, K-12
• Glossary for Visual Arts Standards

Early Childhood

Fine arts standards for early childhood are included in the Iowa Early Learning Standards - 3rd Edition - Area 5, Creative Arts, pages 166-181.

Resources

Looking for more resources to support implementation of Iowa's Fine Arts Standards? Check out our repository of templates, tools, lesson plans, and assessments available on AEA Learning Online. Log in, then search Module 5: Resources For Implementing Iowa's Fine Arts Standards.

Iowa Fine Arts Educator Newsletter

The Iowa Fine Arts Educator newsletter is sent out quarterly providing timely updates, resources and professional learning opportunities to fine arts educators and those who support them.

Sign up to get the Iowa Fine Arts Educator newsletter.

Iowa Arts Education Data Project

The Iowa Arts Education Data Project showcases Iowa’s arts education data through a user-friendly, interactive dashboard. The dashboard is intended to promote meaningful dialogue around arts education across the state and to encourage equitable and data-driven decisions by schools, districts, educators, community members, and policymakers that support a well-rounded education for all Iowa students.

The Iowa Arts Education Data Project displays high school course and enrollment data by fine arts discipline—dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and media arts/other—as well as by grade level, gender, and school demographics. Stakeholders can use the data to determine areas of strength as well as areas of need. By providing a variety of demographic lenses as well as various grain sizes by which to view the data—state, AEA region, district, and school—the dashboard provides compelling snapshots of fine arts education access and opportunities across Iowa.

Iowa Arts Education Data Project Dashboard

Online Professional Development Modules

The Iowa Department of Education will partner with AEA Learning Online to offer five free online professional learning modules around Iowa's Fine Arts Standards. Designed to be flexible to district and educator needs, they can be taken individually or bundled together for one license renewal credit.

The modules are:

1. Introducing Iowa's Fine Arts Standards
2. Understanding Iowa's Fine Arts Standards
3. Applying and Connecting Iowa's Fine Arts Standards
4. Assessing Iowa's Fine Arts Standards
5. Resources for Implementing Iowa's Fine Arts Standards

To enroll in the modules, go to https://training.aealearningonline.org

Law

The following laws reference arts education:

• Iowa Code section 256.11
• Iowa Administrative Code 281-12.5(5)"i"

Good Conduct-GPA Policies and Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities - Explains the restrictions on imposing grade penalties for imposing academic penalties in curricular activities (such as vocal music and instrumental music competitions) based on application of a school's Good Conduct rule or minimum GPA standards for participation in activities.

Festivals, Contests, Exhibits, & Competitions

Music

For information about Iowa high school music festivals/contests, contact the Iowa High School Music Association at 515-432-2013 or visit the website.

Visual Arts
For information about Iowa visual arts student exhibits and competition opportunities, contact the Art Educators of Iowa.

Theatre
For information about Iowa theatre and drama competition opportunities, contact the Iowa High School Speech Association and Iowa Thespians.

Professional Organizations

The following arts education organizations are actively serving Iowa educators in areas of professional development, advocacy, and leadership opportunities:

• Art Educators of Iowa
• First Iowa Orff Chapter 28 - Cedar Falls
• Iowa Alliance for Arts Education
• Iowa Arts Council
• Iowa Bandmasters Association
• Iowa Communication Association
• Iowa Choral Directors Association
• Iowa High School Speech Association
• Iowa Music Educators Association
• Iowa Music Teachers Association
• Iowa String Teachers Association
• Iowa Thespians
• Jazz Educators of Iowa
• KEI - Kodaly Educators of Iowa
• Sioux Valley Orff - Sioux City