We’re excited about Nebraska’s Arts Education Data Project (AEDP), which was launched earlier this
fall. Our state’s AEDP program was made possible by a partnership between the Nebraska Arts Council
(NAC) and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). AEDP is a national program produced by
Quadrant Analytics with 43 participating states. Nebraska’s program is an interactive data visualization
tool featuring information about arts courses in our state’s public schools. This data can help inform
stakeholders about the impact of state policies, help parents identify schools whose arts offerings best suit
their children’s interests, or help educators understand trends in arts education over time. With more
information at our fingertips, we can advocate more effectively for arts education in our schools.
Cody Talarico, Arts Education Specialist at NDE stated, “As I’ve shared the project with a variety of
stakeholders, it’s been fascinating to see what questions people have and how they are using the tool to
find information. I’ve enjoyed hearing the Arts Education Data Project piques their interest and how they
are planning to leverage the data project in their own work.”
Nebraska’s AEDP can be accessed on both the NDE website and the NAC website. In addition to the
visualization tool, there is a User Guide and Introductory video for new users. Currently Nebraska’s
AEDP includes three consecutive years of school data through the 2022-2023 school year. New data for
the 2023-2024 school year is expected to be added in early 2025. According to Anne Alston, Arts
Programs Specialist at NAC, “In the past it has been challenging to get a comprehensive picture of the
for-credit offerings in art, music, theatre, and dance in our k-12 schools. I am delighted that we now have
a tool for this that is available to everyone.”
For more information.
AEDP on the NDE website: https://www.education.ne.gov/finearts/arts-education-data-project/
AEDP on NAC website: https://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/arts-education-data-project-aedp/
