Redding School of the Arts is a charter school in northern California. The school believes when it comes to young minds, art enriches, expands and prepares them for a full life in useful and unexpected ways. Children who participate in music and arts programs often do better in other subjects than children who do not, and low achieving students engaged in a visual and performing arts program have better attendance, increased self-esteem, and cooperate more fully with teachers and peers.

For all their benefits, in these economic times, art and music programs are at risk all across the United States. It is time to face the music. You can play an instrumental role in keeping the arts alive in schools around the country!

Mission Statement

The mission of Redding School of the Arts, where education and the arts connect, is to educate K-8 students who have an interest in visual and performing arts and cultivate their knowledge and skills for the betterment of their local and global community. Utilizing an inter-disciplinary theme based approach, students will learn to read, write, speak, problem solve, use technology and sustainable practices. RSA seeks to accomplish its goal of high academic and behavioral standards through a student centered, multicultural and multi-lingual environment with an emphasis on the arts. This charter school will enable students to become literate, self-motivated and life-long learners who participate in the art of their community.  

Historical Information

Redding School of the Arts opened its doors in August of 1999. The school was created at a time when local elementary school's visual and performing art programs were in rapid decline or nonexistent. The founders believe that education in its entirety is complete when the arts are included in the academic program and when students are instructed at their academic level. From this educational platform Redding School of the Arts was created. The school serves a diverse ethnic and social economic population reflecting the greater Redding area. However, the learning needs of our students are different. Students attending RSA have a real interest in the Arts. This often means students who are low academic achievers but excel in the arts or students who excel in academics and excel in the Arts choose to attend. The school has been able to document over time that low academic achievers are personally challenged academically and in the Visual and Performing Arts. Being a small school allows yearly adjustments to the school's class structure such as the combination of grade levels within the school or of the higher level math classes to meet the students' educational needs.

Redding School of the Arts is recognized nationally for its innovative approach to special education. The educational model focuses on identifying students with exceptional needs as early as possible and meeting their educational needs in a proactive, preventive fashion. In fact, the school received a California Dissemination grant to share the knowledge of providing services to children in a positive direct model where by all students, including the talented and gifted students, benefit. The school has also received the California Creative Schools Award. This was the first time a charter school or an elementary had received such an award in California.