The Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency is the latest testament to a rich history of excellent arts education in the state. This diploma seal is administered by the Arizona Department of Education’s Office of Arts Education and is awarded to graduates who complete minimum arts pathway requirements throughout their high school career. The State Seal of Arts Proficiency, or SB1111 as sponsored by Senator Paul Boyer, had bipartisan support and was a grassroots effort from Arizona Arts Education Advocates from across the state. It was signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey on May 14th, 2019. Board rule was adopted by the State Board of Education on October 28th, 2019.
Seal Objectives
Stakeholders from across the state of Arizona convened during the summer of 2019 to outline the objectives and the pathway requirements to achieve the State Seal of Arts Proficiency. Stakeholders identified that the purpose of the seal is:
To celebrate students who demonstrate high levels of proficiency in the Arizona Arts Education Standards through personal expression and creative experiences in arts education programs
To identify pathways of artistic literacy that cultivate skills for 21st century success
To prepare students for college and career readiness, including active participation in the creative industries sector
To promote increased access to well-rounded, high quality arts education across the state
2020-2021 Timeline
Wednesday July 15th 8am: LEA APPLICATIONS OPEN
Tuesday September 15th 11:59pm: LEA APPLICATIONS DUE
Thursday October 15th 8am: LEA NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION STATUS
Friday April 16th 11:59pm: LEA SEAL ACHIEVEMENT REPORT DUE TO ADE
Monday May 3rd: DISTRICTS RECEIVE DIPLOMA SEALS FOR QUALIFYING GRADUATES
In the 2019-2020 school year, the Arizona Department of Education put out a call for student designers of the State Seal of Arts Proficiency. The Arizona Department of Education is proud to announce the winning design for the State Seal of Arts Proficiency. The selected design will be affixed to the diplomas of all graduates who meet the minimum arts education requirements. Congratulations Chloe Ball from Pinnacle High School in the Paradise Valley School District! This design will be printed on copper foil and sent to schools administering the State Seal of Arts Proficiency by May 1st of each year.
As part of their mission of “Connecting Communities” and to create more access, the 2020-2021 ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards (HSMTA) is seeking nominations for Best Lead Male and Best Lead Female candidates from schools that do not have access to theatre programs.
