Arts for Learning Maryland (A4L MD), the Baltimore-based affiliate of Young Audiences Arts for Learning, is preparing to open a new public charter school following approval from the Baltimore County Board of Education.
Dream Academy Charter School will open for student enrollment in 2026, operating in partnership with Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle School (TJEMS), where A4L MD has worked alongside educators and students piloting arts-integrated programming since 2014.
The new school will offer A4L MD’s unique arts-integrated model backed by ten years of proven impact. The organization’s award-winning after-school and summer programs —ASALA and SALA, respectively—have both been linked to consistent gains in literacy, math, attendance, and social-emotional outcomes in students, particularly those performing below grade level.
With Dream Academy, A4L MD is set to bring its data-driven model to life in a year-round classroom setting.
“We have seen this model work for students for over a decade in after-school and summer programs,” said Stacie Sanders Evans, A4L MD’s President & CEO. “Finally, families will have the opportunity to learn this way all year round.”
At Dream Academy’s core is the bold idea that arts-integrated learning, co-led by certified teachers and professional teaching artists, can not only help students thrive academically but also empower them to feel seen, valued, and inspired to learn.
The planned charter directly addresses critical needs outlined by Baltimore City Public Schools and the Maryland State Department of Education, to address enrollment, attendance, and academic performance at TJEMS. The proposal to convert TJEMS into Dream Academy was developed in close collaboration with the community, with 650 Baltimore families, students, educators, and artists consulted in the process. A 2022 survey showed overwhelming community support, with 97% of respondents agreeing that an Arts for Learning school is needed in Baltimore, and 86% indicating they would enroll their children. 90% of the TJEMS staff voted in support of the conversion.
“Dream Academy is not just about integrating the arts, it’s about transforming how we teach,” said TJEMS middle school teacher Dr. Yvette Freter. “It’s a dynamic academic innovation, based on research and experience, home-grown in Baltimore City for Baltimore City.”
Founded in 1950 as Young Audiences of Maryland, A4L MD is recognized nationally for its longstanding commitment to whole-child education and its deep Baltimore roots. To learn more, visit https://www.artsforlearningmd.org.
Arts for Learning Maryland will be the second Young Audiences Arts for Learning affiliate with a public, arts-integrated charter school. Young Audiences of Louisiana, based on New Orleans, founded Young Audiences Charter School in 2013.
