The woman who oversees fine arts for most of the city's schools has been picked to travel the country and counsel others on how to improve student achievement.
Joan Ashcraft, Tucson Unified School District's director of fine arts, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a member of the Teacher-to-Teacher Training Corps. Ashcraft is one of 75 corps members, chosen from more than 1,800 applicants.
"The caliber of the corps is top-notch," U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said in a press release.
"These educators are professionals who are using research-based strategies to help students learn and who are willing to share their classroom experiences with interested teachers and school districts."
The workshops are geared toward K-12 teachers and principals and offer presentations in proven classroom strategies in all subjects.
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Tucson has received widespread attention for its Open Minds Through the Arts program, which molds fine arts with core classes, such as math and science.
"Washington, D.C., has been watching our results," Ashcraft said. "If one teacher is teaching a math concept, arts can be used to help boost the understanding of the concept."
Tucson's program is in its fifth year and has won praise in Arizona and across the country. Last year, one local school with the program — Peter Howell Elementary — was profiled in the book "Third Space: When Learning Matters."
