Community School of the Arts is proud to announce that the Institute for the Creative Arts High School, the tuition-free public charter high school CSA sponsors, has been recognized as an Arkansas Gem School for the 2025-2026 school year. The honor is awarded by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to schools demonstrating exceptional achievement, strong academic growth, and sustained improvement for students.

Through the "Arkansas Gem School" program, Arkansas is awarding $7 million in recognition of schools demonstrating exceptional performance. These awards are given to schools with exceptional student achievement, strong academic growth, sustained improvement over time, or a combination of excellence across multiple measures of school performance. Gem Schools are identified for excellence in one or more areas, including:

• Exceptional Achievement: high levels of student performance

• Strong Academic Growth: students making significant year-over-year gains

• Sustained Improvement: consistent progress over multiple years

• Combined Excellence: strength across several measures of school success

Student growth was a driving factor in the recognition. Growth measures how far students advance in a single school year, and ICA recorded the highest rate of student growth of any school in Arkansas. They received an A grade as a district and as a school.

Community School of the Arts is a Fort Smith nonprofit offering after-school programs, private lessons, camps, and workshops in the arts for students of all ages, and it is the sponsoring organization of the Institute for the Creative Arts. Both call the Arkansas Center for Creative Arts at 1101 Riverfront Drive home.

The Institute for the Creative Arts is a tuition-free public charter high school and open to all students. At ICA, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum is united with exceptional pre-professional arts training. Programs span dance, film, music, theatre, and visual art, offering students the opportunity to explore their passions while preparing for future success.

Guided by professional artist-teachers, students receive personalized training, coaching, and mentorship designed to help them excel at the next level, whether in higher education or the professional arts industry. Beyond artistic excellence, students develop essential life skills such as discipline, teamwork, communication, and time management, all within a supportive, creative, and safe environment.

Quote: Dr. Rosilee Russell, Founder & President

I am so proud of our young artists and scholars at ICA! They worked very hard to earn this grade. I'm also extremely proud of our professional team of teachers who have taken the time to tutor students one-on-one who need help to get good grades. We created a very focused plan of action that allows for all students to receive help, and it's working! It's a great day for ICA!

Quote: Mr. Michael Johnson, Dean of School

The improvement of ICA's letter is an example of the dedication, hard work, and support of the faculty, students, and parents involved in our school. Without them, any plans and preparation to help our students would not have worked. The ICA team put in months of research, lesson planning, and data analysis to get our school aligned with what it would take to help improve the quality of learning for our students. The students put in the hard work and time to not only practice their arts but also to grow as individuals academically. I cannot thank the parents enough for making sure students were at school and were held accountable for their learning. We will do even more this year to hold ourselves accountable and continue to improve.

Quote: Ms. Kelly Lucero, Special Services [DRAFT — pending her approval]

Growth is the measure that tells us whether every student is moving forward, not just some of them. Leading the state in growth means the supports we build around our students are reaching the ones who need them most, and that is what I am most proud of in this recognition.

Learn more about Community School of the Arts and the Institute for the Creative Arts at csafortsmith.org and icafortsmith.org, or call 479-434-2020.