School Certification Benefits and Responsibilities

Access to ABC Advancement Grants

ELIGIBILITY

• The ABC Advancement Grant is a reserved grant fund, available only to ABC Certified Schools. Therefore, a school must first successfully demonstrate the priority to arts education as a means to student development through its philosophical commitments and be designated an ABC Certified School.

PURPOSE

• The purpose of this South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) grant is to support ABC Certified Schools in their commitment to implementing standards-based arts curricula and to making the arts an integral part of the basic curriculum and daily classroom instruction.
• ABC Advancement Grants provide financial support, that may otherwise be unavailable, to supplement the expenses required to achieve the highest quality and comprehensive arts education practices.

ACCESS

• As an ABC Certified School, the school is eligible to receive ABC Advancement Grant funds for the next three fiscal years or the effective duration of certification. In order to remain eligible, a school must maintain ABC Certified School status which requires a reapplication for certification every three years.
• Individual ABC schools maintain the responsibility to request funds from the SCAC on a yearly basis and fulfill all terms and conditions of a grant recipient as determined by SCAC.

SUPPORT SERVICES BY ABC INSTITUTE

ABC Institute is a resource-oriented partnership, charged with providing leadership to achieve a quality, comprehensive arts education for all students in SC. As such, the partnership convenes and engages with numerous groups around issues of education, arts education, and arts in education at both the state and national level. Consequently, the ABC staff provides unique support services to ABC Certified Schools which have included but are not limited to:

• providing academic and intellectual resources, such as books, white papers, etc.
• informing practitioners on state and national resources
• representing arts education communities in educational policy arenas
• facilitating professional learning opportunities
• coaching on leadership, advocacy, and collaborative strategic planning
• providing individual assistance and guidance to schools.

How to Become an ABC School Arts Education Strategic Plan School Certification Guideline

ABC Schools are Model Schools

AMONG THE PROFESSION

ABC Schools serve as models for others to learn from, both in-state and across the country. Commitment to the arts is strategic in nature and often against popular trends, meaning it requires courageous and creative leadership.  Accepting the ABC Certification is accepting the responsibility of a professional learning community and agreeing to provide professional learning opportunities to others. This may be accomplished in various ways:

• Allowing teachers, administration, policymakers, and other interested parties to schedule school visits
• Allowing members of your school’s team to provide professional development to other schools
• Contributing to state and national conferences and sharing best practices as an ABC School
• ABC Schools are expected to participate in ABC School programming during the school year to meet with colleagues from other current ABC schools and discuss updates on arts education.
• Principals are expected to participate in the ABC Peer to Peer Principals Network and are encouraged to attend the Joint Arts Administrators Institute, hosted by Palmetto State Arts Education.

A Resource to the ABC Network

WITHIN PRE-K – 12

The ABC Network is a community defined by the unifying vision that all students in SC deserve quality, comprehensive arts education as part of the basic curriculum. For ABC Certified Schools, the ABC Network is both a benefit and responsibility. It is beneficial because of the potential to share resources, professional learning opportunities, and mentorship support. It is a responsibility because the ABC Network includes other organizations, teaching artists, and art educators who may need guidance and can learn from the wisdom and experiences of an ABC School.