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TAEA Districts of Distinction

Click here to learn more about the Districts of Distinction process, timeline, rubric, etc.

TAEA launched the District of Distinction program in 2019, starting with just 22 districts. From 22 winners the first year to 127 this year . . . that's a remarkable 472% growth in just eight years!

We are excited to announce the 2026-2027 District of Distinction honorees. These Visual Art programs submitted all materials to meet the criteria of the comprehensive 14-point rubric. Over 1,200 districts and learning institutions in Texas were eligible to apply for this prestigious Texas Art Education Association Visual Art Award, 127 districts met the high standards and will receive this outstanding honor indicating their visual art program is in the top 10% of Visual Art programs in the state.

As the sponsor of this award, the Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a division of TAEA, recognizes districts and learning institutions exhibiting outstanding leadership in promoting the arts in their district and community. We recognize Visual Art programs that have active TAEA members, promote TAEA art events, and actively participate in their community. This year we celebrate 18 first year awardees, 14 second years, 27 third years, 17 fourth years, 13 fifth years, 8 sixth years, 14 seventh years and 16 visual art programs that earned this accomplishment for the eighth year.

We congratulate our honorees and applaud their work advocating for creative learning opportunities that encourage individual growth and connect students to their peers, school, and society at large. We look forward to honoring them at the TAEA Fall Conference.

Nealy Holley & Susan Chiloroski
Visual Art Administrators of Texas

Sally Doyle
District of Distinction Facilitator

TAEA Districts of Distinction

8 Year Awardees

Aldine ISD
Alief ISD
Austin ISD
Comal ISD
Frisco ISD
Humble ISD
Klein ISD
Lake Dallas ISD
Lubbock ISD
Manor ISD
Round Rock ISD
Spring ISD
Texas City ISD
Tyler ISD
Victoria ISD
Waco ISD

7 Year Awardees

Bryan ISD
Channelview ISD
College Station ISD
Del Valle ISD
Edinburg CISD
Georgetown ISD
Huffman ISD
Hutto ISD
McAllen ISD
Northside ISD
Pasadena ISD
Plano ISD
Prosper ISD
Redwater ISD

6 Year Awardees

Abilene ISD
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
Ector County ISD
Fort Worth ISD
Katy ISD
Richardson ISD
Socorro ISD
Spring Branch ISD

5 Year Awardees

Burleson ISD
Chisum ISD
Clear Creek ISD
Conroe ISD
Dallas ISD
Deer Park ISD
Duncanville ISD
Garland ISD
Mansfield ISD
New Caney ISD
Pflugerville ISD
Pine Tree ISD
St. Joseph Catholic School

4 Year Awardees

Alvin ISD
Arlington ISD
Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
Castleberry ISD
Cedar Hill ISD
Fort Bend ISD
Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts
Galena Park ISD
Hallsville ISD
Hays CISD
Irving ISD
Killeen ISD
Lake Travis ISD
Little Elm ISD
Magnolia ISD
Rockwall ISD
San Marcos CISD

3 Year Awardees

Argyle ISD
Cleburne ISD
Coppell ISD
Denton ISD
Elgin ISD
Forney ISD
Gainesville ISD
Hearne ISD
Judson ISD
Kilgore ISD
Lockhart ISD
Lorena ISD
McKinney ISD
Merkel ISD
Nacogdoches ISD
New Braunfels ISD
Quinlan ISD
San Antonio ISD
San Saba ISD
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD
Seguin ISD
Sheldon ISD
Tomball ISD
Weslaco ISD
White Oak ISD
Wylie ISD
Ysleta ISD

2 Year Awardees

Grand Prairie ISD
Harlingen CISD
Keller ISD
Kerrville ISD
Leander ISD
Marshall ISD
Martin's Mill ISD
Mesquite ISD
Mission CISD
Mount Pleasant ISD
San Felipe Del Rio CISD
Splendora ISD
Temple ISD
West ISD

New Awardees

Belton ISD
Copperas Cove ISD
Denver City ISD
Donna ISD
Eagle-Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Goose Creek CISD
Houston ISD
Incarnate Word Academy
Lamar CISD
Lancaster ISD
Liberty Hill ISD
Melissa ISD
North East ISD
Santa Fe ISD
Somerset ISD
Southwest ISD
Wichita Falls ISD
White Settlement ISD