Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design

1. Fundamental concepts of artistic techniques, critical thinking, and creative expression beginning in the elementary levels;
2. Critical thinking, skill building, and expressing and communicating ideas, feelings, and concepts in greater depth at the secondary levels;
3. Additional experiences that allow interested students to study art and design in depth, and prepare them for entry into a career and college;
4. Opportunities for students to demonstrate their art and design knowledge and skills through Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting; and
5. Investigation of various aspects of art and design through cultural, social, and historical contexts.

The standards are built around four artistic processes: Create, Present, Respond, and Connect.

1. The Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design are organized by grade bands: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. This allows for some flexibility in instruction and greater differentiation for the support of students over time. All levels identify proficient for the older grade level in that band.

   

    

2. There are four art and design standards identified for grades Kindergarten through 12. These conceptual ideas take into consideration the current Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Art and Design Education (2000) and the National Core Arts Standards (2014), as well as other examples available and reviewed by the writing committee.

3. The overall concept for the art and design standards provide what students should know and be able to do in the identified grade bands. Performance indicators provide additional ideas to support the standards. The performance indicators allow flexibility for educators, practitioners, and communities to identify more specific elements through their own curricular development. This document focuses on the what (and not the how) learners will know and be able to do when they reach the identified performance indicators. This set of standards does not prescribe specific approaches or strategies, but rather allows the learning community to identify these areas through their own art and design curriculum plan.

4. The overall concept for the art and design standards provide what students should know and be able to do in the identified grade bands. Performance indicators provide additional ideas to support the standards. The performance indicators allow flexibility for educators, practitioners, and communities to identify more specific elements through their own curricular development. This document focuses on the what (and not the how) learners will know and be able to do when they reach the identified performance indicators. This set of standards does not prescribe specific approaches or strategies, but rather allows the learning community to identify these areas through their own art and design curriculum plan.

• National Core Arts Standards (2014)- Visual Arts
• Copyright Use
• Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Art and Design Education (2000)

• Arizona's Academic Standards in the Arts - Visual Arts (2015)
• Colorado Academic Standards Visual Arts Standards (2020)
• New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Visual and Performing Arts
• National Core Arts Standards Visual Arts (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/sites/default/files/Visual%20Arts%20at%20a%20Glance%20-%20new%20copyright%20info.pdf
• Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Art and Design Education (2000). Retrieved from: https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/standards/pdf/artanddesign.pdf

• WISELearn Resources - Check this resource archive, which is filled with lesson ideas and resources for the classroom. It is searchable by content area.
• Visit the WISELearn Educator Portal to learn how to become a curator of instructional materials and to share with the field.

• The standards review/revision process
• Existing/new academic standards Checklist to determine if revision or development is needed 

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI) will be updating the resources on this page to support districts in learning about and implementing the  standards. WI DPI supports a three-year implementation for districts to ensure appropriate time to fully implement the standards into the curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

District Teams - As Wisconsin school districts begin to implement the Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design, they are encouraged to consider the overall needs of the students in their care. It is essential that the school community discusses the delivery of the standards through a thoughtful alignment of instruction, learning, and assessment. Other factors to support this work will include planned professional learning to build educator and learner capacity of the key concepts. The use of collaborative leadership teams provides a solid start in ensuring proper planning and budgeting to support high-quality learning experiences that focus on access for all students. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equitable learning opportunities for all students are a central focus of the team. In addition, districts are encouraged to leverage the Wisconsin Standards for Art and Design to implement instructional support systems that align with the local Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).