Academy for Learning Through the Arts (ALTA) Public Charter School

Description

ALTA is a public charter school, authorized by the DC Public Charter School Board in August 2005, to serve students in grades K-6 (and eventually Pre-K through grade 7). The ALTA curriculum focuses on the natural connections between concepts in core academic areas that include the visual and performing arts. Research indicates that an arts-integrated education narrows the achievement gap between students from low and high socioeconmic backgrounds. This means, in practice, that arts specialists and classroom teachers plan together and teach together in all areas of the curriculum. The staff planning process includes curriculum mapping, which defines concepts/big ideas and related essential questions to be taught each month, as well as standards-based learning objectives.