Please view a short video showcasing our 2022 awardees for the TAEA District of Distinction.
I am excited to announce the 2022-2023 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, 69 districts met the high standards and will receive this outstanding honor indicating their visual art program is in the top 5.5% 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 16 Visual Art programs that earned this accomplishment for the fifth consecutive year, 13 programs that scored a four-peat, 10 programs with a three-peat, 12 programs with a two-peat, and we welcome 18 (wow!) first year awardees.
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.
Sandra Newton
Visual Art Administrators of Texas Division Chair
District of Distinction is an annual recognition program created by Texas Art Education Association and run by the Visual Art Administrators of Texas (Administration and Supervision division of TAEA) to honor school districts that are leading the way in the visual arts. The Visual Art Administrators of Texas would like to recognize districts with outstanding leadership (be that formal or informal) in promoting the arts in their district and community. We are looking to recognize districts that are active participating members in TAEA and beyond. The rubric is differentiated by number of students in the district and has exemptions in regions that do not have sponsored events. This allows for each district submitting to meet 12 out of the 14 criteria (excluding exemptions). A district may receive the award each academic year.
If your school district is engaged in advocating for the visual arts, your district could be a TAEA District of Distinction.
Winners will be announced in August of 2024 and recognized at the TAEA Conference 2024. (Rubric will be based on events/activities from August 2023 – June 2024.)
Districts of Distinction honorees will:
A committee of TAEA members and administrators from across Texas will be assembled by the Visual Art Administrators of Texas Chair and Chair Elect. The committee will check the criteria and mark whether the district submission meets the qualifications to receive the designation of a TAEA District of Distinction. All districts fulfilling the rigorous criteria will be awarded the title of a District of Distinction.
The winning district(s), as part of the award, will be asked to submit their district logo and a celebration photo to feature on the TAEA website and at the fall conference. In addition, winning districts will be asked to share a few words about the impact of earning the District of Distinction on programs and school district, attend the award ceremony at the fall TAEA conference, and attend at the Visual Art Administrator of Texas meeting at the fall TAEA conference.
If you are interested in participating in the TAEA District of Distinction program for the 2023-2024 academic year please complete the folder request form, and a Google submission folder will be shared with your District Representative. Submission deadline is June 14, 2024.
2023-2024 Criteria / Rubric (PDF) (Revised 08/18/2023)
2023-2024 Rubric Example Slide Show (PDF)
Example 2023-2024 District of Distinction Folder (Google Drive)
Please email questions related to submitting your documentation for the 2023-2024 academic year to , , or .
Click any image to see more information about the artwork.