| 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. |
