The purpose of the Anchorage School District Visual Art Program, K-12, is to provide every child with a well rounded, sequential, and comprehensive visual art education. Through studies in the arts, students will gain the essential knowledge as defined by the district, state, and national standards in the arts. Education in the visual arts and through the arts is essential for the 21st century, and a complete approach to learning includes a cumulative visual arts education for grades K-12. 

A comprehensive, articulated arts education program engages students in a process that helps them develop their self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperative teamwork, and self-motivation necessary for success in life. It is the goal of the district’s Visual Arts Program to ensure all students have access to a rich education and understanding that the arts provide. 

The program engages students in a sequential art curriculum, K-12, in four basic disciplines:

• Aesthetics — a student should be able to recognize beauty and meaning through the arts in the student’s life.
• Art History/Heritage — a student should be able to understand the historical and contemporary role of the arts in Alaska, the nation, and the world.
• Art Production — a student should be able to create and perform in the arts.
• Art Criticism — a student should be able to critique the student’s art and the art of others. 

Art instruction is provided in an environment that challenges all students, builds on individual differences and provides a means for students to express themselves and develop a positive self-confidence.  Students develop skills to appreciate the arts, and may focus on the arts as a career pathway.