Since its inception in 2001, the Appalachian Education Initiative has been dedicated to ensuring that quality arts education should be a central part of the education of every public school student in West Virginia. 

AEI’s mission is to promote students’ personal development, academic performance and 21st century workforce preparation by ensuring that educators, parents, business and community leaders and others understand the value of arts education and support its place from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

AEI has three primary areas of focus:

• Advocacy:  AEI advances quality arts education as a critical component of a balanced and complete school curriculum by:

• Initiating collaborations with local, state and national arts and education agencies to develop programs and resources
• Educating state and local policymakers, parent organizations and business organizations about the benefits of the arts
• Facilitating a statewide arts education information network
• Promoting the arts as an effective tool to teach subjects across the K-12 curriculum
• Highlighting the power of the arts to engage students of all skill and age levels and from all economic and cultural backgrounds

• Research and Information Dissemination: AEI conducts research and distributes supporting national, state and local statistical data and information concerning the relevance of arts education and the inclusion of the arts in the curriculum.

• Professional Development: AEI supports the implementation of high-quality, standards-based professional development programs by:
• Developing strategies to ensure standards-based instruction and professional development of highly qualified teachers and teaching artists are considered as part of every district’s plan

• Identifying curriculum models and lesson plans for effective use of the arts as teaching tools, and informing the field of these resources

AEI is the West Virginia member of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN).  KCAAEN is a coalition of statewide non-profit organizations working in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to support policies, practices, programs and partnerships that ensure the arts are an essential part of American K-12 education.