Our Mission and Goals

CEDFA Mission
and Goals

The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) promotes student achievement by providing professional development opportunities based on state and national standards in art, dance, music, and theatre.

The Fine Arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the basis for
art, music, theatre, and dance education in K-12 Texas schools. The Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts (CEDFA) promotes student achievement in the fine arts by defining and supporting quality TEKS-based professional development for Texas educators.

Guided by its Task Force, CEDFA has identified the following four goals and corresponding achievement strategies to direct the Center’s actions.

GOAL 1: TO FACILITATE SYSTEMIC CHANGE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINE ARTS TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BY:

  • evaluating, aligning, and supporting systems that promote student learning in art, music, theatre and dance

  • demonstrating ways to use the TEKS in teacher evaluation

  • using the TEKS to select textbooks and instructional materials

  • developing and maintaining strong student assessment in the fine arts based on the TEKS

  • assisting policymakers in using the Fine Arts TEKS when designing and implementing a restructured teacher licensure system and the resulting teacher education programs.

GOAL 2: TO PROVIDE A COORDINATED, STATEWIDE FINE ARTS NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS LEADERSHIP IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINE ARTS TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BY:

  • establishing a cadre of master fine arts teachers to serve as a resource for other teachers

  • providing quality personnel for professional development in art, music, theatre, and dance

  • conducting fine arts workshops across the state

  • providing relevant instructional materials and resources

  • establishing and maintaining a fine arts website for art, music, theatre, and dance educators

  • working with professional associations to ensure that their professional development offerings are aligned with the TEKS.

GOAL 3: TO STRENGTHEN FINE ARTS INSTRUCTION THROUGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BY:

  • developing educators’ awareness of the Fine Arts TEKS and providing for thoughtful examination of art, music, theatre, and dance curricula

  • identifying instructional needs of teachers that correspond to the Fine Arts TEKS

  • selecting professional learning strategies and delivery systems appropriate for the students and content being taught

  • supporting teacher initiatives to develop and use new and effective instructional approaches, including experiential learning

  • demonstrating problem-focused models for implementing the TEKS.

GOAL 4: TEACHERS WILL INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN ART, MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE BY:

  • relating instructional design directly to the content and skills of each fine arts discipline

  • using a variety of instructional strategies to develop learners’ critical and creative thinking abilities

  • providing exemplary student work at various developmental levels

  • teaching a variety of ways for students to reflect on and assess their progress

  • using references and resources to assist them in further exploration and inquiry.