State of the Arts 2023-24
The 12th annual State of the Arts (SOTA) Report – a powerful reflection of both remarkable progress and the opportunities that remain for arts education in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Over the past five years, arts education in CPS has been tested by profound challenges, including the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing effort to address systemic inequities. Through it all, the Creative Schools Certification (CSC) has remained a critical tool for shared measurement, tracking access to and quality of arts education in CPS.
In a historic milestone, 99% of all CPS schools – 640 out of 649 – submitted arts education data, providing the most comprehensive picture of arts education to date. Latest data from the 2023-24 school year reveal substantial gains, and the percentage of Excelling schools has surged, driven by increased investments in arts staffing and a district-wide commitment to prioritizing the arts.
Yet this report is more than a celebration – it is a call to action. For the first time, the report features an Advocating for Equity in Arts Education section, offering new analyses of CSC data through lenses of systemic disparities, including alongside the CPS Opportunity Index – an indicator that measures the level of opportunity for each CPS school.
State of the Arts Toolkit
To equip stakeholders with data-informed insights and a clear call to action, a new State of the Arts Toolkit has been created to accompany this year’s report. Designed for school leaders, arts partner organizations, and funders, the Toolkit offers tailored talking points and curated data visualizations, along with a Facilitation Guide that provides context for the visualizations, highlights key messages, and poses discussion questions and action steps specific to each stakeholder group.
State of the Arts Dashboard
The SOTA Dashboard provides an interactive platform to explore the data through customizable filters including school type, CPS network, ward, or community area – empowering stakeholders to view and analyze the data through an individualized lens.
Together, the SOTA Report, Dashboard, and Toolkit form a powerful trio of tools – built to inform, inspire, and ignite data-driven strategies and advocacy. The future of arts education will not be shaped by chance, but by collective action, advocacy, and investment. Together, we can ensure that every student, in every grade, in every CPS school experiences the transformative power of the arts.
Visit the links below to see the SOTA Report, Dashboard, and Toolkit.