A Survey and Analysis of the Implementation of Visual Art Standards in Mississippi Classrooms

The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether art teachers were implementing Mississippi State Frameworks for art. Teachers who opted not to use the frameworks were asked to list teaching methods used in lieu of the state- suggested teaching strategies. This study was conducted through survey, although some information was gathered through informal interviews. Participants included members of the Mississippi Art Education Association and K-12 teachers in Jackson city schools. Of the one hundred and sixteen surveys mailed out to Mississippi art teachers, fifty were returned. Of those who responded, sixty-four percent (N=32) were adherent to the Mississippi State Frameworks. The findings demonstrate that the majority of Mississippi art teachers utilized state standards when planning lessons and curriculum. The remaining thirty-six percent who did not use the standards cited reasons for not doing and provided their alternate teaching methods. Besides asking whether teachers used the frameworks, other questions not directly related to the original purpose of the study were included on the survey. The responses to these additional questions revealed aspects about art curriculum within state classrooms, including teacher education, certification, use of textbooks, art media, and grading systems. This survey provided insight into the content material that was being taught in Mississippi art classrooms and also gathered opinions about the usefulness of the state’s art educational standards when planning visual art lessons