Chronology:
From Project to Policy: The Maine Arts Commission 1994-2010

1994 December

Maine Arts Commission (MAC) contacts Colley Consulting to review its existing Artist in Residence and School Touring Program with the goal of increasing participation, then at 7% statewide

1995 January

Colley Consulting outlines tasks, schedule and budget into a formalized contract

1995 February-April

Colley Consulting team collects, sorts, and analyzes quantitative and qualitative data to develop a marketing plan to all Maine school districts, based on non-competitive grants to every Maine school district on a 3 year rotation

1995 May

Bernadette Colley presents the plan to the Maine Arts Commission Education and Advocacy Committee, officially ending Colley Consulting's formal consulting relationship with the Commission

1995 June

Maine Arts Commission (MAC) approves Colley Consulting's plan proposed by its Education and Advocacy Committee

1995-1997

MAC Education staff develops "Partners in Arts Learning," (PAL) using Colley Consulting's concept, data, and marketing plan design

1998-2001

MAC's First 3-year PAL Implementation Cycles results in 77% participation in the MAC's arts education services and programs among Maine school districts

2001

Arts Extension Service of Amherst MA conducts an independent third-party evaluation of the Maine Arts Commission's PAL program See Craig Dreeszen's remarks

2002-2004

MAC's Second 3-year Implementation Cycle results in 97% participation in the MAC's arts education services and programs

2004

In the span of ten years (1994-2004), the Maine Arts Commission's sphere of arts education policy influence on the state's local school districts has grown from 7% to 97%

2008 and 2010

Maine is the only state in the US to receive a perfect score of 100 A+ for its congressional voting record on arts funding on the Congressional Arts Report Card published (2008, 2010) by Americans For the Arts Action Fund PAC

We believe there's a connection