RESEARCH:
The FLEX + PRO Effect
Support teachers. Strengthen classrooms.
New research explores how art-specific curriculum and professional learning relate to teacher satisfaction, classroom climate, and student engagement.
The Impact of Relevant Support
During the 2025–26 school year, the Center for the Advancement of Art Education conducted two studies examining how the use of FLEX Curriculum + PRO Learning relates to:
Teacher satisfaction, burnout, and support
Student engagement and classroom behavior
Curriculum planning and instructional challenges
Together, the findings suggest that supporting art teachers is associated with a stronger educator experience and a more positive classroom environment.
FLEX + PRO teachers were twice as likely to report high professional satisfaction.
FLEX + PRO teachers were 2.5 times as likely to report low burnout.
Students in FLEX classrooms exhibited less disruptive behavior.
Students in FLEX classrooms were off-task less often than students in non-FLEX classrooms.
Findings are based on participating visual art educators in the 2025–26 Visual Art Teacher Retention and Student Engagement studies. The studies were comparative and observational; explore the methodology of each of our studies here.
Supported teachers create stronger learning conditions.
Teachers bring their time, energy, and creativity to meet student needs. Relevant resources and professional learning help them direct more of that effort toward their students.
FLEX can help reduce planning demands with adaptable, standards-aligned curriculum resources. PRO provides art-specific professional learning grounded in real classroom needs. Together, they can help teachers focus on instruction, relationships, and stronger learning environments.
Reflections from Teacher Participants
“Having FLEX has led to a better use of my time. I was able to spend more time and energy addressing issues in the classroom and learning how to improve motivation for my students.”
“I feel more confident in my teaching and the information provided to students. If my principal were to ask questions, I knew how to answer and show proof.”
Insights from FLEX + PRO Teachers
FLEX teachers report saving an average of 1.7 hours per week on lesson planning.
FLEX helps reduce respondents’ professional stress or burnout.
FLEX helps increase student engagement.
Access to PRO helps users feel professionally supported by their district.
These are self-reported user survey results, separate from the CAAE research studies.
Support That Reaches Beyond the Platform
District leaders cannot remove every challenge teachers face. They can provide resources that make the work more manageable, relevant, and sustainable.
FLEX + PRO can help districts:
- Reduce curriculum-planning demands
- Provide relevant, art-specific professional learning
- Support instruction and student engagement in art classrooms
Hear From the Researchers
Our Center for the Advancement of Art Education spent a year studying FLEX + PRO in real classrooms. In this webinar, our researchers walk through what they found and why it matters for district leaders.