You are here

Art and Design Education

Art students

Art and Design Education programs include Visual Thinking in the areas of:  

  • Design (Utilitarian Art through environment design like architecture, landscape, urban planning, interior design, etc.; object design like products, furniture, transportation, fashion, appliances, etc.; information design like publications, websites, video, film, photography, etc.; and experience design like interactive exhibits, toys, games, events, theme parks, etc.),

  • Visual Communication (Information Art involving maps, charts, graphs, diagrams, media tools etc.)

  • Visual Culture (Everyday Art exploring one’s own and other’s culture which may involve crafts, festivals, costumes, mascots, lawn decorations, folk art, etc.)

  • Fine Art (Professional Art through drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, media arts, and so on,)

Administrative Rule PI 8.01(2)(j)

Wisconsin Education Standards j, k, and l articulates that “art instruction shall be provided in accordance with a written comprehensive art curriculum which is based on concepts developed through sensory awareness, aesthetic discrimination and skill development in the creation of art, and the knowledge of human art heritage. Art instruction shall be provided for all pupils in grades kindergarten through 6 and shall be performed by or under the direction of a licensed art teacher. Art instruction shall be available to all pupils in grades 7 through 12 and shall be taught by a licensed art teacher.”

Specific information about programming and curriculum design is available through two publications - Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards for Art and Design Education (2000), and Planning Curriculum in Art and Design (2013). Districts are free to consider the standards of their choosing in their work.

New Academic Standards for Art and Design Adopted 2019.

Standards Review
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction went through a transparent and comprehensive process for reviewing and revising the academic standards in art and design. We are pleased to announce that the State Superintendent has decided to adopt the Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design. The full standards document is available online at Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design- Full Set.  Visit the home page for the Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design at https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts/art-design/education-standards. It shares videos, instructional resources, and other information about the standards. Thank you to the writing committee, stakeholders, educators, the State Superintendent's Standards Review Council, and members of the public for the feedback shared to inform this work.
 
Districts are free to consider the standards of their choosing in their work.
 

For more information about the standards and process, visit the links.

For further information about art and design education in Wisconsin, please follow the links: