Toledo School for the Arts is a public charter school in downtown Toledo, Ohio founded by former director Martin Porter. It was first sponsored by the Toledo Board of Education. In 2008 the school was chartered by Bowling Green State University. TSA serves over 700 students from any school district in Ohio in Junior Division , and Senior Division. TSA's college preparatory curriculum integrates the visual, language, and performing arts. In addition to core academic subjects, classes are offered in dance, music, theatre, english language, and visual arts and include training and career development for students interested in pursuing professions in the arts. TSA students have been accepted to many of the nation's best colleges and universities.
First Friday is a monthly event for the public with performances, demonstrations and exhibits of student work. The highlight of each year is Kaleidoscope, a performance and art exhibit that features student works from each department as well as student soloists. Students collectively participate in an average of 180 performances and exhibitions each year.
Community
TSA has "ARTnerships" with Toledo's major cultural institutions, including the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Toledo Ballet Association, Toledo Repertoire Theatre, and Ballet Theatre of Toledo. ARTnerships are community organizations that share TSA's vision. In 2004, TSA moved to 333 14th Street, a new building located in uptown Toledo. In 2009 the school opened its own gallery to allow them the ability to hold art shows and sell student art throughout the year. In 2009 TSA was awarded a No School Left BehindBlue Ribbon from the US Department of Education, and in 2008 was the first charter school in the nation to receive the Title 1 School of Distinction award. In 2007 TSA was identified as one of the leading charter schools in the nation, and featured in the US Department of Education publication, Innovations in Education Reform. TSA has twice been designated a Bronze Medal School by U.S. News & World Report. In 2016 TSA was named the number one charter school in Ohio by the website Niche, a website that ranks schools based on data and reviews. They were also named the 25th best school in Ohio by Niche.
