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By Zachary Keita, NAfME Advocacy and Public Policy Communications Manager

Originally posted on The National Association for Music Education website, and has been adapted for dance.

After years of advocacy from the arts education community, multiple meetings with U.S. Department of Education (ED) officials, and bipartisan support from Congress, arts educators now have to help them access resources for their programs. On October 2, ED sent a 鈥淒ear Colleague鈥� letter to state education agencies detailing how federal funds can be used to support arts education across the United States.

With the passage of the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, Congress enumerated the arts as part of a well-rounded education, opening pathways for dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts programs to secure federal funds that had been previously inaccessible. Federal funds helped to increase the availability of arts programs in schools, but due to a combination of factors鈥攊ncluding a lack of guidance鈥攁 significant number of students across the country continue to lack access to in-school arts education. In the of federal funds that the Arts Ed Alliance conducts in collaboration with partner arts organizations, 27% of respondents reported not receiving any funds for their program, with the main cause being a lack of awareness on what/how federal programs can be used to support arts education.

While the law was clear about the inclusion of the arts as part of a well-rounded education, ED did not provide substantive guidance to states and districts on how federal funds could be used to support those programs. With the release of , arts educators across the country will no longer have to wonder if federal funds can be used to support their programs. The letter from Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten shares examples from the field. Programs such as Title I will be used to close the gap in access to arts education faced by students in low-income areas, while programs such as Title II and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will provide educators professional learning opportunities to better support students with disabilities and diverse student populations.

Tips for Using ED鈥檚 Guidance

1. Share the directly with your principal and district leaders as it represents a significant victory for funding opportunities in arts education.
2. Read the and the NDEO Opportunity to Learn Standards to document your arts education program needs and to identify ways that federal funding can be used to support your program.
3. Develop a proposal for school leaders on Title I funds and how support for arts learning can help students meet academic standards.
   1. For more information on Title I funding, access NAfME鈥檚 , and articles.
4. Advocate for arts-specific professional development for educators in your district using Title II or IV funds.
   1. For more information on Title II and IV funding, access NAfME鈥檚 and
5. Build or leverage partnerships with staff, parents, and community organizations to develop a stronger support system for students to access arts in schools.
   1. Use the to develop a vision and action steps for lasting collective impact.
6. Read for more information on how federal programs such as Title I, II, and IV-A can be used to support your arts program.
7. To assist advocates in understanding and utilizing the latest guidance from ED, the Arts Education Alliance is releasing a recorded webinar explaining the impact of the guidance, the role of the federal government in supporting arts education, and how federal programs can support the arts in your school. .
   

The release of ED鈥檚 guidance marks an inflection point for arts education advocates and highlights the current administration鈥檚 commitment to advancing the arts for every child. We encourage our members to strike while the iron is hot! Using ED鈥檚 Letter to Chief State School Officers on Arts Education, in combination resources provided in this article, now is the time to begin discussions with peers and program coordinators and develop plans for accessing federal funds for the 2025鈥�26 school year.

Photo Credits (in order from top to bottom): Karen Campbell Kuebler, Photography by Michelle Reid, and Jennifer Lowe