The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM’s Arts Integration Certification™ is an accredited online program that enables educators to become certified Level 1 Arts Integration Specialists.
The program is designed for K-12 classroom and arts teachers who want to improve their teaching methods and engage students more deeply in and through the arts. It can also be beneficial for curriculum coordinators, teaching artists, administrators, and district-level leaders.
This certification program will help you to:
- Learn proven strategies in and through the arts that lead to scaleable and sustainable arts integrated efforts
- Confidently make standards-aligned connections across the curriculum through lesson and assessment design
- Create models of success for arts integration and STEAM programming
- Build buy-in and maximize your impact by honoring adult-learning practices
- Collaborate with teachers, administrators, and community members
- Design inspiring and innovative learning opportunities for all students and
- Assess maker-centered approaches and use data to make meaningful change.
The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM’s Arts Integration Certification™ is an accredited online program that enables educators to become certified Level 1 Arts Integration Specialists.
The program is designed for K-12 classroom and arts teachers who want to improve their teaching methods and engage students more deeply in and through the arts. It can also be beneficial for curriculum coordinators, teaching artists, administrators, and district-level leaders.
This certification program will help you to:
- Learn proven strategies in and through the arts that lead to scaleable and sustainable arts integrated efforts
- Confidently make standards-aligned connections across the curriculum through lesson and assessment design
- Create models of success for arts integration and STEAM programming
- Build buy-in and maximize your impact by honoring adult-learning practices
- Collaborate with teachers, administrators, and community members
- Design inspiring and innovative learning opportunities for all students and
- Assess maker-centered approaches and use data to make meaningful change.
Why Get Certified?
Whether you’ve been using arts integration for a while and are ready to take your next step, or you’re exploring different career options, Arts Integration Certification™ can help. Here’s how this program can benefit you and your future goals:
Credibility
In a recent survey, 86% of polled administrators said that certified arts integration specialists are more credible than non-certified specialists.
Advance with Hours
This accredited program comes with 520 PD hours, 20 CEUs, and up to 6 Grad Credits. So you can advance your career (and on the salary scale) with PD that makes a difference.
Career Options
95% of alumni report this program helped them become better educators overall, and 87% feel confident they now have skills that transfer across professions.
Getting Certified opens so many doors and opportunities. From leading others to a whole new career, our alums are using their skills in amazing ways – and so can you.
“Rather than just giving ideas, the program actually shows how to take Arts and blend it with the core subjects without adding any extra work for the teacher.”
– SHILPA VERMA, Class of 2020
“Before, I really felt like I was on an island. But now, this program has given me a process that I’m able to share with other teachers.”
– ELIZABETH BROOKS, Class of 2018
Who is This Program For?
The Arts Integration Certification™ Program is designed for:
“This program promotes deep thinking about new content areas and about the content areas you think you have mastery of. The program’s progression helps you dip your toe into the other content areas in manageable ways.”
– KATY SHIREY, Class of 2022
What You’ll Learn
Whether you want to become a national leader in using Arts Integration or the go-to person in your school/district for using the approach, this certification program will help you with:
Program Overview
Each sprint in the Arts Integration Certification Program contains 5-6 core video trainings, workbooks to help you put your learning into practice and a culminating project. Each project is part of your certification portfolio which is submitted to the mentor panel when you finish all 4 sprints.
This program is grounded in meeting these established standards.
View the full 2023-2024 handbook here.
Here’s the outline of each sprint…
SPRINT 1
Foundations of Integration – Building Core Knowledge
Arts Integration Specialists are required to have a working knowledge of arts processes, demonstrating this through curriculum support. Specialists must also know where to find curricular standards in all areas and how to align arts and content standards for natural integration. To support you in this, Sprint One covers:
- An Overview of Arts Integration
- Specific AI Strategies in Each Arts Area
- How to Connect through Standards
- The Standards Alignment Process
- The Arts Integration Lesson Planning Process
- How to Use Cognitive Demand to Support Arts Integration
Sprint Project: Create a set of 8-10 total standards alignments
SAMPLE OF RESOURCES INCLUDED:
- Integrated Vocabulary List
- Standards Quick Reference Guide
- Standards Alignment Template
- Integrated Habits of Mind
- Cognitive Demand Reference Sheet
SPRINT 2
Lessons and Assessments – Become a Lesson-Writing Master
Arts Integration Specialists are often tasked with creating lesson plans which connect naturally-aligned standards, provide equitable assessments in both areas, and are responsive to all students’ learning preferences. Here’s what we’ll cover in Sprint Two so you’ll feel confident in these areas:
- Components of an Arts Integration Lesson
- Sequencing Strategies to Lessons to Projects
- Lesson Implementation Cycle
- The Purpose of Assessment
- How to Assess Arts Integration
Sprint Project: Create 2 Arts Integration Lessons with Assessments (must include diagnostic, formative and summative examples).
SAMPLE OF RESOURCES INCLUDED:
- Arts Integration Lesson Template
- Lesson Adjustment Guide
- 8 Big Ideas for Assessment Sheet
- Authentic Assessment Guidebook
- Assessment Planner
SPRINT 3
Connecting with Other Initiatives – Expanding Your Reach
As an arts integration specialist, you’re going to need to know how to connect with all of the other priorities that are going on in your school or district. In this sprint, you’ll learn how to use STEAM and the Innovation Design Cycle as a way to infuse arts integration when it makes sense. You’ll also learn how to foster positive relationships with partners and how to present effective professional development. You’ll cover:
- What is STEAM and how do we use it?
- STEAM vs. Arts Integration
- Creating a PD Session on Strategies, Lessons, Assessments, Standards or Extensions
- Presenting your PD Session via Recorded Video
Sprint Project: Create a PD session about arts integration or STEAM via recorded video which is shared at an online conference.
SAMPLE OF RESOURCES INCLUDED:
- STEAM Look-For List
- Implementation Framework
- Creating Engaging PD Reference Sheet
- Video Session Planning Sheet
- Editing PD Cheat Sheet
SPRINT 4
Leading Change Efforts – Working with Administrators
All Arts Integration Specialists must work with leadership in order for their efforts to succeed. You’ll need to know how and what data to collect, how to coach others through change, and how to serve as a bridge between teachers and leaders. In this Sprint, you’ll explore:
- How to Embrace Leadership
- Addressing Challenges
- Integrating Data Analysis
- Working with Administration
- Teaching Adults this Approach
- How to Build Buy-In and Break through Resistance
Final Sprint Project: Create a final portfolio that highlights your abilities as an arts integration specialist.
SAMPLE OF RESOURCES INCLUDED:
- Leadership Profile
- CBAM Phases of Change Resource
- Your Guide to Mentors, Facilitators, and Coaches
- Group Dynamics Identification Sheet
- Gap Analysis ID Form
Optional Live Virtual Coaching: Sprint Intensives
While the core program is self-paced, all participants have the option to add live, online coaching to any or all sprints.
These are called “Sprint Intensives”. Each 8-week Intensive meets in a dedicated Zoom room and allows you to work with a coach and cohort of others for your selected Sprint.
These Sprint Intensives are offered all year long, and help support learners who prefer more direction, a guide to preview their work, and a timeline to complete a Sprint.
You can review the Sprint Intensives Catalog here.
These coaching opportunities are optional, and carry an additional $250 fee per sprint.
Flexible Time to Complete.
The entire program is self-paced and online, so you can participate from home or work.
While designed to be completed in a year or less, you have up to 3 years to finish. So if life happens (and it will)…you’re covered.
“Thank you for this program. All of the people involved in making this program have been nothing but excellent the entire time and it brings me joy to be around people like me who are passionate about the arts and want to use that to make a bigger impact on education and the world.”
– CHAN’TELE ROUNTREE, Class of 2022
What Our Alumni Are Doing Now…
You’ll join hundreds of our alumni who are making a big impact in education. Here’s what many of them are up to:
Accreditation, PD Hours and Graduate Credit
This program is fully accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (
Additionally, all participants have the option of registering for 6 graduate credits through our partner, University of California San Marcos if they also complete 1:1 coaching for all 4 sprints*.
* Total additional fee for graduate credits is $1594. CSUSM charges $594 for the 6 graduate credits. Each 1:1 coaching sprint is $250 for a personalized 8-week instruction period. Both of these are additional to the base tuition fee of $2150.
Tuition
This is a comprehensive and internationally recognized certification program.
Other comparable programs cost between $5,000-10,000. However, in this economic climate, the reality is that kind of cost is out of reach for most educators.
We strive to provide the highest-quality, most respected Arts Integration Certification™ program possible. As such, your investment reflects that value. We are also committed to ensuring affordability pathways for as many educators as possible.
For 2024, the total investment in the Arts Integration Certification™ program is $2,150 plus a $15 application fee to ensure serious applicants.
We provide a variety of budgeting options for this including:
School Purchase Orders
Credit Card Payments
and 6-Month Installment Payments as low as $395/mo.
** Limited financial assistance payment plans of $199/mo for 12 months are also available to those who submit a financial assistance application.
BEST VALUE
One Payment of
$2,150
(Lowest cost)
FLEXIBLE PAYMENTS
6 Payments of
$395
(Budget friendly)
Payment Process
We make the payment process for this program extremely easy. We accept the following forms of payment:
- School Purchase Orders
- Credit Cards
- Check
Tuition is ONLY due if you are accepted into the program. If so, payment is due within 7 days of acceptance through your preferred payment method. If you are paying for yourself, we also have the added benefit of providing you with a convenient monthly installment plan to make the program budget-friendly.
