The mission of CoTA is to build teacher capacity to integrate the arts into the academic curriculum as an instructional methodology to teach core subject matter in elementary school education.

CoTA�s most important accomplishment over the past year has been the program�s cumulative impact in terms of improving student achievement for thousands of students. This is followed closely by the extensive professional development provided through artist/teacher collaborations, bringing the total of CoTA-trained teachers to 336 as of June 2010. In addition, 70 teachers participated in CoTA workshops last year, and more than 25,000 documented visitors engaged in a community exhibition and workshop sessions CoTA offered at the South Chula Vista Library. Other milestones for the organization included a decision by the board of directors to hire an executive director, the organization�s commitment to fund additional research on CoTA outcomes, and the major decision to launch the Online Teacher Resource Center, which will expand significantly the reach of CoTA�s methodology through technology. CoTA�s board-approved strategic goals for the current year include: 1) providing leadership in instructional transformation through expansion to additional sites in the San Diego region, and launching the Online Teacher Resource Center as a virtual professional learning community; 2) contracting with a reputable academic researcher to design and implement a valid and reliable quantitative investigation of the long-term impact of CoTA on student achievement; 3) building internal capacity as a springboard for growth; 4) solidifying the organization�s financial base; and 5) improving CoTA�s visibility through creation of an electronic newsletter and the development of a web-based marketing plan.