Wylie ISD Wins 2024 TAEA District of Distinction Award

Wylie ISD’s Visual Arts Department has been named a “District of Distinction” by the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA). Only the top 5.5 percent of districts in the state earned the honor this year.

“I am incredibly proud of our visual arts program!” Glenn Lambert, Director of Fine Arts, said. “This distinction from the Texas Art Education Association is a testament to the exceptional dedication and passion of our students, teachers, and community.”

TAEA announced Wylie ISD among the list of 94 honorees of the 2024 District of Distinction Award. The districts received the honor for providing a well-rounded education that advocates and integrates visual arts curriculum to inspire creativity and build social-emotional learning that connects learners to their community and beyond.

“This accolade not only highlights our commitment to excellence in visual arts but also celebrates our vibrant participation and leadership in promoting the arts,” Lambert said. “This achievement is a reflection of the collaborative spirit and hard work that drives our arts education, and I am honored to share this success with everyone who has contributed to our thriving visual arts community.”

TAEA is the leading advocate for the visual arts in the state. The organization has previously honored outstanding TAEA members for work in their classrooms and districts. This is the fifth year that TAEA is honoring districts that meet rigorous criteria as evidenced from data.

For the 2024 award, over 1,200 districts were eligible to apply. Each district submitted documentation they met from the 14-point rubric over the 2023-2024 school year. Only 94 districts met the high standard and will receive the outstanding honor indicating they are in the top 5.5 percent in art education of districts in the state.

“Wylie ISD has set a high standard for visual arts advocacy, integrated visual arts curriculum, encouraged creativity, community participation and student growth,” Nealy Holley, Chair of the Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a division of TAEA, said. “It is a true testament to your visual art educators’ skill, dedication, and flexibility that the quality of your programs continued to provide strong and comprehensive visual art educational experiences to students.”

All 94 districts, including Wylie ISD, will be honored at the TAEA Fall Conference in November.