Our Strategies

To achieve the Fund's mission and vision, AEAF has identified two core strategies, along with embedded learning and evaluation to inform our work.

Cultivate the Next Generation of Visual and Performing Arts Teachers

To cultivate the next generation of visual and performing arts teachers (VAPA), AEAF has funded the Californians Dedicated to Education (CDE) Foundation to convene and support a community of practice focused on improving pathways into the VAPA teaching careers. CDE Foundation will bring together exemplary VAPA credentialing programs to: 

  • Share promising practices 

  • Identify and remove systemic barriers to certification

  • Strengthen educator pathways 

  • Advance access to the VAPA teacher workforce

https://cdefoundation.org/

Convene a Policy Table to Ensure All Students Receive a High-Quality Arts Education

To strengthen implementation of the AMS Act and reduce barriers to VAPA teacher certification, AEAF has convened a policy table to determine priorities, shape a shared agenda, and coordinate collective action. This table brings together a coalition of education leaders, advocates, and policy partners to: 

  • Align around shared AMS Act implementation priorities 

  • Advance VAPA credentialing pathways 

  • Strengthen accountability and policy clarity

  • Coordinate advocacy efforts across stakeholders

  • Five organizations have been selected to anchor the policy table:

Create California
Ed Trust West
Learning Policy Institute
Logo of Californians for Justice with a green hand holding a yellow and white striped item and the organization's name in bold blue text.
California County Superintendents Arts Initiative

Advance Learning, Impact, and Field Insight

Sustainable systems change requires ongoing learning and adaptation. AEAF is investing in understanding the evolving landscape of AMS Act implementation, tracking progress toward workforce and policy goals, and identifying emerging opportunities to strengthen the field. This strategy may include:

  • Learning and evaluation efforts to assess our impact and inform our work

  • Data analysis and research to understand workforce trends and implementation progress

  • Time-limited, strategic investments that accelerate emerging opportunities aligned with AEAF’s mission

  • Field-building and knowledge-sharing efforts to inform future action