By Leticia Fehling Director of Internal Communications
EAST ALDINE – Aldine ISD’s Visual Arts Department has once again earned statewide recognition for excellence, creativity, and student-centered learning.
The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) has named Aldine ISD a District of Distinction for the 2025-2026 school year, marking the eighth consecutive year the district has received the prestigious honor.
Out of more than 1,200 eligible school districts across Texas, only 126 — the top 10.5% — earned the distinction for the 2025-2026 school year.
The Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a division of T
AEA, recognizes school districts that demonstrate outstanding leadership in visual arts education while providing meaningful opportunities for students to learn, create, exhibit, and connect their work to the broader community. Districts are evaluated using a rigorous 14-point rubric that measures participation in TAEA, student exhibitions and contests, community engagement, field experiences, service learning, and collaboration across content areas.
For Aldine ISD, the recognition reflects more than a list of accomplishments. It represents classrooms where students are encouraged to see differently, think deeply, and tell their stories through art.
“Eight consecutive years as a TAEA District of Distinction is an incredible honor, but what makes it meaningful is the work behind it,” said Kaileigh Newman, Aldine ISD director of visual arts. “This recognition belongs to our visual arts educators, who place students at the center of everything they do. Through their creativity, innovation, and commitment, they help students build confidence, develop their artistic voices, and see themselves as creators.”
Aldine ISD’s visual arts program continues to strengthen the district’s legacy of arts education by offering students opportunities to explore creativity at every grade level. Through exhibitions, contests, community-based projects, and classroom experiences, students learn to communicate ideas, solve problems, and make connections through visual expression.
“A strong visual arts education gives students opportunities to d
iscover their talents, think creatively and communicate with confidence,” Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney said. “Receiving this distinction for the eighth consecutive year reflects the extraordinary work of our educators and the experiences they create for students every day. It’s another example of how Aldine ISD prepares students for success in the classroom and beyond, while providing the meaningful opportunities that lead families to choose Aldine.”
Aldine ISD will be recognized during the 2026 Texas Art Education Association Conference on Friday, Nov. 13, at Moody Gardens in Galveston.
The recognition celebrates the dedication of Aldine ISD’s visual arts educators and the thousands of students whose creativity continues to shape classrooms across the district.
Eight years. Thousands of student artists. One unwavering commitment to creativity.
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