The Teaching Profession
From the Report of the Transition Leadership Team of Jim Rex, State
Superintendent of Education:
Charge: Identify recommendations to elevate and reinvigorate the
teaching profession in South Carolina.
Committee on the Teaching Profession, SC Arts Education Summit 2007
Christine Fisher, Chair
Our Overall Goal:
To develop the professional of teaching in the arts through
 Mentoring
 Recruitment and retention
 Reviewing certification policy and implementation
 Providing a continuum of professional development
Goal I.
Recognition of the shortage of qualified arts teachers
Strategies:
A. Having arts education representative involved in any and all
strategies undertaken to address the shortage of qualified teachers.
 Members of the arts education community often speak to
college and university classes concerning arts education.
 Discussions with Council of Arts Education Presidents
(CAEP) have taken place to address teacher shortage. CAEP
will determine a framework and schedule to visit college and
universities to encourage entry in the teaching profession
utilizing professional organizations‘ board members.
 ABC (Arts in Basic Curriculum) Project and CAEP have met
with CERRA to discuss CERRA’s Teacher Cadet program and
recruitment and retention procedures.
Goal II.
Ensuring entering teachers are well prepared
Strategies
A. Establishment of a statewide Teacher Preparation Committee
1. Representatives of the arts education summit request that
leaders of arts education professional associations, arts
educator pre-service programs (undergraduate and MAT),
and the SC Arts Leadership for Success Academy serve on
this committee. The arts education community has been
very successful in increasing teacher retention through
effective preparation, and believes the strategies employed
could be replicated to assist retention in other curricular
areas.
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CAEP has assumed the responsibilities of a Teacher
Preparation Committee in that it has been working
on the following:
CAEP has been working on writing “no fail” lesson
plans for Teacher Cadet Program through CERRA in
dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Upon the
completion of these lesson plans, they will be
presented at the statewide Teacher Cadet Winter
Conference. Sessions will be presented on arts
standards and these lessons.
A document describing the arts degrees programs
in SC state and private colleges and universities is
being developed for use by guidance counselors,
teachers, parents, and students.
Each professional arts organization has a student
chapter. Information concerning the student groups
is posted on their Web sites and sessions are held
at their conferences.
Goal III. Recruitment and Retention
Strategies
A. Creation of an overarching marketing strategy by the SCDE to
attract high school students, undergraduates, career-changers, and
out-of-state educators to South Carolina schools.
1. The arts education community believes that its websites
could be effective conduits for information concerning
careers in arts education, and is interested in pursuing this
project in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of
Education (SCDE ).
 The SC Alliance for Arts Education (SCAAE) with
support from the SCDE wrote an Arts Career
document for teachers, students, parents, and
guidance counselors to use. It describes
occupations in various areas of the arts. The
document is posted on the SCAAE and SCDE Web
sites. In addition the professional organizations
include information on their Web sites.
2. Additionally, the arts education summit attendees agree that
it is critical for compensatory consideration to be given
teachers who are not eligible for national board certification
due to their curricular area. The SCDE should encourage the
National Board to implement certification for arts areas such
as theatre and dance.
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The SCDE Education Associate for the Visual and Performing
Arts has contacted the NBPTS concerning certification in dance
and theatre and received the following response:
“The EAYA/Career and Technical Education certificate
area includes both Theater Arts and Dance under the career
cluster Arts and Communications. In the pilots for this
certificate, both theater and dance entries were observed.
Some aspects of dance are covered in the Physical Education
Standards, as well. Ultimately, however, the certificate choice
is up to the teacher. Our recommendation to all potential
candidates is to carefully study the Standards in the certificate
field, as well as the demands of the entries and exercises to
determine if the entries and exercises will allow the teacher to
demonstrate his or her level of accomplished teaching practice
The decision is entirely up to the candidate and we would not
preclude any teacher from pursuing any certificate he or she
deems most appropriate to his or her practice.”
B. South Carolina should fund comprehensive induction programs for
new teachers, providing for networking, release time, and full-time
mentor coaching.
1. The arts education summit recommends that teacher preservice programs partner with teacher professional
organizations, inviting them to make suggestions concerning
mentor teachers. Many arts education professional
organizations operate regional “help lines” for new teachers;
such programs have been very successful. The ABC Project
is considering launching a summer professional development
institute for mentor teachers.
The Arts in Basic Curriculum Project’s committee Council of
Arts Education Presidents (CAEP) has done much work toward
teacher preparation and retention. The ABC Project has
solicited teachers to write “no fail” lesson plans for the high
school teacher cadet program.
The ABC project has assisted the four professional arts
education associations to develop email mentor programs
based on the SC Art Education Association (SCAEA) model.
(SCAEA, SCDEO,SCMEA, SCTA)
Conversations with a representative from USC Art Department
were held concerning an institute for mentor teachers. The art
department held an abbreviated institute for cooperating
teachers in visual arts.
A letter has been sent to district teacher induction coordinators
explaining the benefits of the four arts associations, an online
of the mentoring program, and the Deborah Smith Hoffman
Mentoring Award presented at each professional arts
organization’s state conference.
Goal IV. Professional Development
Strategies
A. Creation of regional meetings to foster collaboration between K–12
and postsecondary institutions, provide professional development
opportunities, and assist local districts in developing their own
high-quality professional development infrastructure.
1. The arts education community wishes to be at the table for
these discussions, as we currently have a number of such
collaborations (including Curriculum Leadership in the Arts,
the Center for Dance Education, and Arts in Basic
Curriculum). We also have undertaken efforts to support
local professional development efforts, including state-wide,
replicable professional development for district arts
coordinators and ABC regional outreach coordinators. We
would happily assist other curricular areas in establishing
such partnerships.
 The SCDE is establishing regional S2MART Centers to provide
professional development and resources for teachers in
Science, Social Studies, Math, Arts, Reading, and Technology.
 ABC secured a two-year grant from the NEA Grant to continue
funding Regional Outreach Consultants (ROCc).
 The SCAAE has offered a District Coordinators Institutes
sponsored by the SCDE for the past four years.
 The SCDE sponsored an institute for dance teachers through
the SC Center for Dance Education in 2007-08.
 ABC provides support for local professional development
efforts in schools and district presented by the director and
ROCs.
B. Provision of hands-on technical assistance to help schools develop
creative ways of providing effective professional development
within the school day.
 The ABC Project subsidizes substitute teachers in order for
arts, non arts teachers and administrators to attend
professional development workshops and networking
meetings. These are based on evaluations received from
teachers and statements of needs from arts teachers. This
approach has proved very effective.
 The SCDE Office of Academic Standards held Standards Support
Institutes in 2007-08. These sessions where designed to “train
the trainer.” There were 17 of these institutes held across the
state concerning arts topics such as standards implementation,
standards support documents, gifted and talented best
practices, and grant writing.
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The ABC Project provides ROCs for technical assistance for
grant writing, strategic planning, curriculum development, and
standards implementation.
C. Provision of recommendations of tested and proven professional
development approaches and creation a model for evaluating
professional development opportunities ….
The SCDE summer arts institutes are backed by evaluation and
research. We are willing to mentor other content areas
concerning the organization of these institutes.
The ABC Project and SCDE provide twenty summer institutes.
Two institutes have been added since the 2007 Summit. These
include Arts Teacher and the Special Learner and Video
Production in the Arts.
A letter has been sent to Dr. Rex suggesting the ABC Project
consult with the SCDE concerning professional development
planning and implementation.
D. Additional funding for the Teacher Advancement Program.
1. We have many excellent retired arts teachers who could be
helpful not only to arts teachers, but to classroom teachers
as well. We have proven that arts improve school ecology,
especially at rural and high-poverty areas. (Predicated on a
clear definition of the TAP program and its purpose.)
The ABC Project provides SCDE sponsored/approved CLIA I, II,
and III which create teacher leaders in the arts.
See III.B.1.
E. Creation an annual Superintendent’s Award for effective
professional development.
1. When this award is established, please consider the summer
institutes created and managed by the ABC Project!
F. Establishment of a standing committee of educators, researchers,
and community members to assess and recommend improvements
in professional development.
1. The arts community believes we have a place in this
discussion, as we have current research and evaluation on
our professional development outcomes.
Meet with Deputy for Standards and Learning concerning the
arts place on this committee.
G. Development of a process through which teachers can earn credit
toward recertification by demonstrating an impact of their
professional growth on student achievement.
1. The arts have an effect not only on the achievement of
students in their arts classrooms, but in other subjects as
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Goal V.
well. We believe the associate for visual and performing arts
should be part of this committee.
2. Investigate and take appropriate action to ensure arts
teachers are able to use to school and district funds to attend
arts-based professional development opportunities.
Meet with Deputy for Standards and Learning concerning the
arts place in this regard.
Professional Development for Standards Implementation
(PDSI) funds are available to districts to plan and implement
professional development for teachers in the eight core
content areas including the arts. This was communicated
during the 2007-08 Standards Support Institutes.
3. Expand the opportunities for those in PACE to attend a wider
variety of arts summer institutes than is currently allowed.
SCALSA and Arts Assessment I Summer Institutes
(classroom assessment) count toward two of the three
courses PACE teachers can claim toward their requirements.
ABC communicates with PACE to determine times at which
PACE teachers meet in order to avoid overlapping meetings
and other issues.
CAEP Mentoring programs are designed to further assist all
new teachers especially PACE arts tewachers.
Leadership
Strategies
A. Creation of a system that rewards effective teacher performance
and establishes a teacher career progression system that includes
leadership positions.
1. Again, we believe that all instructors play a part in school
ecology and success. For supporting research, we encourage
you to review the ABC 10-year evaluation and 5-year
longitudinal study.
 Meet with Deputy for Standards and Learning concerning the
arts teachers place in rewarding effective teacher performance.
 A teacher career progression exists in the professional arts
association, in CLIAs, including ROCs, and to become mentors
to new arts teachers.
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B. Establishment and piloting of a statewide teacher exchange
program.
1. We urge you to make sure all teachers are eligible for this
program, and that the plan is created to reflect the needs of
teachers in all curricular and geographic areas.
Meet with Deputy for Standards and Learning concerning the
arts in teacher exchange program
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C. Creation of an enduring leadership development and growth
continuum that delivers practical, rigorous, and relevant training to
all school and district leaders.
1. It is imperative that arts education training be included in
this course of study. Many school administrators were not
privy to a full arts education, and, as such, may not fully
understand its far-reaching benefits to the individual learner
and school community.
Strategic arts planning through Arts Education Leadership
Institute (AELI) and summer institutes provide districts and
schools the ability to actualize their leadership potential in the
arts. School and district team come together to develop a
strategic plan for the arts, as well as, local school and district
strategic arts education planning.
Any Arts Strategic Planning for schools or districts done by the
ABC Director or ROCs requires school administrator and at least
one district administrator to be a part of the planning team.
D. Greater participation by teachers in a range of leadership activities,
including school reform, professional development, research, and
state and local governance.
1. The arts community (through ABC and the SC Alliance for
Arts Education, and SCDE) offers training in research,
advocacy, planning, curriculum development, etc. We are
interested in professional development offerings that would
work for both arts and non-arts teachers, such as action
research. We invite Jim Rex to visit our summer institutes
and read SC arts education research.
A letter has been sent to Dr. Rex inviting him to any and all of
the ABC Project facilitated SCDE sponsored 2009 summer
institutes.