smART stART is an arts-integrated literacy program for 1st grade teachers and students. It focuses on retelling stories and identifying narrative elements through an art form. Schools choose theater, dance, or music as the focus for their smART stART residency.

Throughout the ten-session residency, an Alliance Theatre Institute teaching artist co-facilitates lessons with the classroom teacher, providing job-embedded professional learning and supporting student learning outcomes. Two planning sessions allow the teacher and teaching artist to collaborate, devise, and refine the lesson and unit plans, learning extensions, and assessments.

The program is research-based and fully aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence and Georgia Fine Arts Standards.