Abstract :
Increasing numbers of educators and parents are
recognizing that traditional educational models
can be unsupportive and, at times, alienating
to children, particularly those with special needs.
SAIL, a public charter* school in Washington, DC,
for children 5–12 years old (often labelled as having
special needs), has used an innovative education
model that infuses the arts in learning experiences.
Providing a unique physical and social environment,
an arts-based curriculum, and authentic
assessment methods, SAIL is steadily achieving
or exceeding its goals after two years of operation.
This paper describes the work of SAIL.
*A charter school is an autonomously governed
public school designed to educate students in
non-traditional ways and obligated by its charter
to monitor and record its performance.
