Premier Communities for Theatre Education

Recognizing schools and districts that exemplify excellence in theatre education.

Premier Communities for Theatre Education (PCTE) is an EdTA recognition for schools and school systems that exemplify excellence in theatre education. Rooted in EdTA’s Opportunity-to-Learn Standards for Theatre Education, the honor is awarded to schools (EdTA Premier School) and districts (EdTA Premier District) that provide teachers and students with the resources to achieve at or above standard as suggested by the National Core Arts Standards in Theatre. Both the EdTA Premier School and District recognitions cover a period of three academic years, inclusive of the year the application is submitted.

The PCTE recognition supports EdTA’s vision that every student will have access to theatre taught by qualified educators as a vital part of a well-rounded education. Additionally, EdTA hopes that such recognition will serve as an advocacy tool to sustain and/or grow the work at the local level.

Preparing Your Application

To learn more about preparing your application, expand each item below.

Gather the required data points.

Make sure the applicant has access to the following information for your school:

Student demographics
Teacher/student ratio
Theatre teacher course load
Theatre education electives offered
Standards used for assessing theatre education
Theatre facilities in your school
Budget/funding (including Title I and Title IV usage)

Check that your school is eligible.

To apply, your elementary, middle, or high school must meet the following criteria:

School offers curricular theatre coursework; all school theatre coursework uses standards-based instruction
All theatre programming adheres to licensing, copyright, and intellectual property laws
Theatre instruction is delivered by qualified theatre educators district-wide
Theatre teachers are evaluated using meaningful evaluation methods to measure instructional design, classroom management, and pedagogy in the theatre classroom
Program strives for diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (see EdTA’s Racial Equity Statement)

Prepare documentation showing adherence to criteria.

In addition to meeting the above eligibility criteria, applicants must provide evidence of community engagement and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion. Applicants must also demonstrate achievement of the EdTA Opportunity to Learn Standards for Theatre Education, including the following required evidence:

Section C: Curriculum and Curricular Resources

Required Evidence:

Theatre course syllabi referencing standards
Course scope and sequence
Student assessment example
Student work sample
Standards based lesson plan

Section D: Scheduling

Required Evidence:

All theatre teachers’ daily schedules

Section E: Staffing

Required Evidence:

A copy of a completed theatre teacher evaluation

Optional Evidence (choose one):

Completed worksheets from EdTA Theatre Educator Evaluation workbook (available here)
Proof of highly qualified/effective teachers (licenses; national board certifications; CTE certifications; SAG/AFTRA memberships; completed, de-identified evaluations)

Section F: Resources & Equipment

Required Evidence:

Photos of classroom and storage spaces

Section G: Safety (Optional)

Optional Evidence:

Facility safety manual/procedures

Additional Evidence (choose one):

Completion of EdTA/NFHA safety course
Schedule of maintenance
Inventory of safety equipment

Submitting Your Application

To access the application, log in or create a free EdTA account following the prompts.

School Application
The application period for schools opens January 21 and closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 11. The distinctions are awarded each year in the spring and are applicable for three academic years, beginning with the academic year of application.

District Application
Applications for districts will open during the 2026-27 school year.

At the end of the three-year period, schools and districts must re-apply and submit new documentation to ensure continuing adherence to the qualifications of the distinction.