In a huge win for advocates of arts education, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has signed into law a bill to create a State Seal of Arts Proficiency to be affixed to diplomas of graduating public high school seniors who demonstrate completion of a rigorous arts study based on state standards. Bill SB1111, directing the creation of the seal, was introduced earlier this year by Sen. Paul Boyer of Phoenix and passed the Senate 30-1 and the House by a 51-6-3 vote.

The seal qualifications—involving a combination of focused study in at least one arts discipline, volunteerism, and a capstone project—are being developed by a working group of arts educators based on state standards for arts education and guidelines determined by the Arizona Department of Education and and The Arizona State Board of Education. Schools will be able to opt in to the voluntary program as soon as the 2019-20 school year.

The state Education Department and Arizona Citizens for the Arts were aided in advocacy for the passage of the seal legislation by arts education advocates from around the state.