Studio Pathways Institute for Liberatory Learning
The Future is Critical.
The Future is Collective.
The Future is Creative.
“A professional learning experience like none other.”
What Is our Institute for Liberatory Learning?
Studio Pathways Institute for LIberatory Learning (SPILL) is a 120-hour transdisciplinary professional learning experience for K–12 teachers, teaching artists, coaches, and school administrators who are ready to imagine something new.
Grounded in Do Your Lessons Love Your Students? (Rankine-Landers & Moreno, Routledge 2024), SPILL weaves together arts education,culturally responsive teaching, and liberatory pedagogy across four sequential studios. Each studio builds on the last.
Complete all four studios and earn the Certified Culturally Responsive Educator in the Arts (CCREA) certificate from Studio Pathways, with up to 12 UC Merced CEUs available for an additional cost.
“Studio Pathways has influenced and reinvigorated my teaching, educational philosophy and passion for arts education.”
Who is it for?
K–12 teachers, Teaching Artists, coaches, and instructional leaders seeking creativity in education, a culture of belonging, and students who enjoy learning
K-12 administrators seeking school climate transformation and improved student outcomes
“I have loved this work and am amazed that even doing this virtually I feel I have created great authentic relationships with the peers in my breakout room because of this and would love to be able to model and help my teachers use this in their classes.”
“I feel I have acquired a new tool. An equity tool. One that can be shared across our district. It was a great way to go deeper... about bias perceptions... about equity... and the community we serve... through the love of art.”
“I appreciated the role of art as a way to proceed, reflect and share my thinking and learning. What a powerful way to connect with students and adults!”
This is professional Learning that elevates the role of creativity, critical thinking, and care.
FAQs
1. I've done a lot of PD. How is SPILL different?
Most professional development is done to educators: a speaker, a workshop, a checklist. SPILL is designed for educators, by educators who have spent their careers in classrooms and art studios. You'll leave with a certification, CEUs, and a genuinely transformed relationship to your own teaching.
2. Can I start with one studio instead of the full bundle?
Yes. Every studio is available for individual enrollment. Most people start with Studio A and continue from there however, there's no obligation to commit to the full program upfront. The inaugural bundle price is half off and is only available this year. Your individual studio payments apply toward it should you decide to pay for the whole thing later.
3. My school wants to send two of us. Is there a group rate?
Yes, and it's a good one. Schools can enroll two teachers for the price of one during our inaugural year. Contact us at projects@studiopathways.org to set up your school enrollment.
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We are a core team of teachers, artists, and change-makers. Studio Pathways was co-founded by Mariah Rankine-Landers and Jessa Brie Moreno in 2019. They have worked with schools and learning organizations across the state of California and with National institutions. They are a respected voice in the field of Culturally Responsive Teaching through the Arts in which they name how the arts are the foundation for liberatory education. They published their book “Do Your Lessons Love Your Students? Creative Education for Social Change” in 2024. Learn more on Our Team page.
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Teaching through the arts increases cognitive capacity. We show how the art forms can be accessed and how thinking like an artist grows the minds ability to think critically and creatively. Ultimately, we believe in the human capacity to enjoy a full and liberated life. Our pedagogical framework lays the map for teaching with joy, meaning, and direction. Our work is researched backed and shown to increase cultures of belonging, knowledge acquisition, and a love for learning.
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We work with teachers pre-K to 12, Administrators, Coaches, Instructional Designers, Organizational Leaders, and Artists.
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Studio Pathways Institute for Liberatory Learning · studiopathways.org · projects@studiopathways.org
The questions people ask before they commit. Answered honestly.
About the Program
1. I'm a Teaching Artist, not a classroom teacher. Is this for me?
Absolutely — SPILL is one of the only programs in the country designed explicitly for both K–12 teachers and Teaching Artists learning together. That cross-pollination is intentional. The curriculum honors the full spectrum of arts education practice, from the classroom to the residency to the community space.
2. Can I take the studios out of order, or skip one?
Studios must be completed in sequence — A → B → C because each one builds directly on the last. Studio D can be started as soon as you enroll in the program due to its nature of learning. That said, you don't have to do them back to back. Studios run three times a year, so you can take Studio A this summer and Studio B in the fall. You move at your own pace; the sequence is what matters, not the speed.
3. What exactly do I get when I finish all four studios?
You earn the Certified Culturally Responsive Educator in the Arts (CCREA) credential, issued by Studio Pathways. You also have the option to earn 12 UC Merced CEUs (3 per studio at $50 each) which can support relicensure, salary advancement, and district PD requirements. You'll also join the Studio Pathways alumni community, with access to ongoing learning, networking, and opportunities.
4. My school wants to send two of us. Is there a group rate?
Yes! And it's a good one. Schools can enroll two teachers for the price of one during our inaugural year launch. Transformation is genuinely more powerful when you're doing it alongside a colleague who shares your context, your students, and your school culture. Contact us to set up your school enrollment at projects@studiopathways.org.
Logistics & Commitment
5. How much time does this actually take? I'm already stretched thin.
SPILL is designed with real teachers in mind. We know you are people who are already doing the most. Each studio is 30 hours, and studios run three times a year, so you're never racing a deadline. Most participants complete one studio per season. The online and self-paced options mean you can fit learning into your actual life, not the imaginary one where you have unlimited free time. The only non-negotiable is the sequence which you complete in order, at whatever pace works for you.
6. Is this only for California teachers?
Not at all. SPILL is open to educators anywhere. The program is grounded in frameworks that are nationally and internationally relevant. Arts education, culturally responsive teaching, and liberatory learning have no geographic limits. That said, California teachers have a particular advantage: SPILL qualifies for Proposition 28 arts education funding, and UC Merced CEUs are widely accepted for California salary advancement and relicensure. Teachers outside California should check with their district about CEU acceptance.
7. I'm a school administrator, not a classroom teacher. Should I enroll?
Yes! The most effective school-wide transformation happens when administrators understand the frameworks teachers are working with. Principals and instructional coaches who go through SPILL alongside their teachers report that it fundamentally changes how they support creative and culturally responsive practice in their buildings. You'll earn the same CCREA credential and CEUs as everyone else. We shorten Course D for Administrators to 10 hours which can be used in conversation with current school leaders who have implemented SPILL schoolwide.
Pricing & Enrollment
8. What's the launch discount and how long does it last?
For our inaugural year, we're offering SPILL at $1,194 — 50% off the full program price of $2,388. This is a founding participant rate, offered to the educators who believe in this work early and help shape what SPILL becomes. We haven't set a hard end date, but this price will not be available once the inaugural cohort closes. If you're on the fence, this is the moment.
9. What happens if I start and can't finish?
Life happens! We know that. We’ve been there. Studios run multiple times a year, so if you miss a session or need to pause between studios, you can simply pick up at the next available offering of the studio you need. There's no penalty and no starting over. The only guideline is that Studio D (the Arts Practicum) should be completed within 12 months of finishing Studio C. We want you to finish. We'll make it as easy as possible for you to do that.
Still have questions?
We'd love to hear from you. Reach out anytime. We're real people who care about this work.
Email: projects@studiopathways.org
Website: studiopathways.org · @studiopathways
Studio Pathways Institute for Liberatory Learning · CCREA — Certified Culturally Responsive Educator in the Arts · UC Merced CEUs available
Studio Pathways Institute for Liberatory Learning
What does your teaching already know?
13 questions. No wrong answers. Discover your educator archetype and the pathway through SPILL that meets you exactly where you are.
Join Our Inaugural Class.
Summer 2026 · Full program: $2,388. Founding rate: $1,194 — 50% off. Bring a colleague for free. Ends when the inaugural cohort closes.
This is professional learning that finally loves you back.
Explore the SPIRAL Framework, Core Four, Studio Habits of Mind, and more. Intro into visual and performing arts integration methodology and liberatory pedagogy. Includes: Two copies of Do Your Lessons Love Your Students? Creative Education for Social Change (Rankine-Landers & Moreno, Routledge 2024). Limited seats available at this price.
In-Person · 30 hours
Location: Oakland, CA
June 22–26, 2026
9am-4pm PST
Explore assessment through a liberatory lens. Weaves together Performances of Understanding and Grading for Equity with culturally responsive frameworks. This offer includes bringing a colleague for free. This limited seats available at this price.
Online · 20 hours + 10 asynchronous hours
Location: ONLINE
LIVE July 13–17, 2026
10am-12pm + 1-3pm PST
Participants collaborate to develop an arts-centered, integrated curriculum unit using Studio Pathways protocols, frameworks, and methodology to center the arts, culminating in a final unit presentation. Limited seats available at this price.
Online · 10 hours + 20 asynchronous hours
Location: ONLINE
LIVE August 3-7
10am-12pm PST
The Future is Critical.
The Future is Collective.
The Future is Creative.
“I am intrigued, as well as impressed, with how art as a medium can be used to tackle difficult issues and, at the same time, create a level playing field for learning. ”
Need more information? Contact us anytime.