About Dream Academy Charter School

Dream Academy grew directly out of the Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle School community. Ninety-seven percent of community members said Baltimore needed an artist-integrated public school, ninety percent of Thomas Jefferson's staff voted in support of the conversion, and more than 650 families, students, educators, and artists helped shape the proposal. As Maryland’s first fully artist-integrated school, The Dream Academy sets a new standard for artist-integrated education. Located in West Baltimore, this Baltimore City Public Charter School will employ eight full-time teaching artists who collaborate with core instructional leaders to infuse creativity and the arts into every aspect of learning and community life.

Dream Academy is proud to partner with Arts for Learning Maryland, whose award-winning teaching artists and arts-integration model have been serving Baltimore City Schools since 2015. Through this partnership, our students learn alongside professional artists who bring creativity into every subject. Arts for Learning serves as our nonprofit Education Management Organization (EMO), supporting operations of Dream Academy.

Dream Academy is Maryland’s first fully artist-integrated public school. Eight full-time teaching artists work alongside classroom teachers every day, co-planning, co-teaching, and co-assessing units together.

• Grades served: PreK–8
• Enrollment: 350 students
• Average class size: 23 students
• Extracurriculars: String program (violin, viola, cello, grades 1–8), athletics (volleyball, basketball, flag football), afterschool clubs and programming in partnership with Fitness Fun and Games
• Showcases: Quarterly arts and arts-integration showcases in October, January, March, and June, plus rotating student art galleries throughout the building

Mission: Dream Academy Charter transforms teaching and learning through a vibrant, artist-integrated approach that empowers every student to achieve. By fostering intentional collaboration among artists, educators, families, and the community, we create an equitable and joyful environment where intellectual curiosity, creative expression, and authentic student voices thrive.

Vision: At Dream Academy Charter, every student thrives in an equitable, joyful, and innovative community where artist integration transforms teaching and learning and empowers learners to achieve their creative, academic, and personal dreams.

Dream Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school, open to all students in Baltimore City. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or any other protected status. Every child is welcome here, regardless of academic history, ability, or background.