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Raising Expectations

From our first days in Baltimore in 1950, Young Audiences Arts for Learning has fueled the imagination of countless students. Today, we uplift this legacy, embracing the transformative power of arts in the educational journey of our nation’s young people.

With the RAISE (Responsive Arts in School Education) program, we ask: Can innovative arts partnerships enhance the resilience and adaptability of students amid unprecedented challenges? Can the collaboration of teaching artists, social workers, and educators forge a new frontier in trauma-informed and culturally responsive education? Are we setting a new benchmark for excellence?

The answer is unfolding before us: We are Raising Expectations.

RAISE: A New Paradigm in Arts Education

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the RAISE initiative is a bold step into a future where education is not just responsive but anticipatory of the needs of students navigating a complex world. Through the synergy of teaching artists (TAs) and school social workers (SSWs), RAISE delivers customized, in-depth arts education residencies, grounded in the understanding of trauma and cultural diversity. Our action-oriented training, coaching, and shared learning networks across 14 affiliates forge a community committed to excellence, reaching over 17,000 students and 800 educators.

The impact of RAISE is not just local but national, with best practices and learnings radiating out to influence over five million students. Our vision is supported by robust research, evidence-based practices, and a rich online library, ensuring our insights serve as a beacon for educators everywhere.

Proving Our Impact: Arts Integration in Action

RAISE is not just an idea; it’s a proven strategy in motion. By integrating arts into the fabric of education, we see students becoming not just learners but thinkers, creators, and leaders. They’re developing the 21st-century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation. They’re becoming the protagonists of their educational stories, engaged, present, and accounted for in every sense.

Within these pages, we share the stories that matter, the data that supports, and the outcomes that inspire. RAISE is more than a program—it’s a promise that every student can exceed expectations when given the opportunity to blend the vibrancy of the arts with the rigor of education.

Join us as we celebrate the progress, acknowledge the journey, and look forward to the horizons we have yet to explore.