Secondary to Graduate Level Impact of CDE Modernization Initiatives on Theatre Education

Public EducationEducational LeadershipEquityPost-SecondaryPerformance StudiesTheatre PedagogyArts EducationArts Leadership
Written By Rachel Erazo

Author: Rachel Erazo

Publication Date: February 15th, 2026

Institution: Sanford School of Education, National University

Course: ED-5031 V2: Policy and Politics in the Administration of Education

ABSTRACT: Public school educators have faced an almost-aggressive push from administrators and state policies to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms over the past few years. In the Rocky Mountains, the modernization initiatives of the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) aim to enhance equity, integrate technology, and improve student outcomes across the state (Sidorkin, 2025; Shyr, 2025). While these policies offer potential benefits, their implementation in the visual and performing arts, particularly theatre, exposes gaps in alignment across educational levels. Theatre instruction relies on experiential learning, critical reflection, and written analysis, yet AI-focused modernization initiatives can create challenges for secondary students that ripple into undergraduate and graduate programs, exacerbating inequities in preparation and readiness (Pascoe, 2025; Holochwost et al., 2025; Cheng, 2025; Ellis, 2023).

 
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Rachel Erazo
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