USDOE Federal Arts Funding Guidance
Arts Education Alliance
Praises U.S. Department of Education
Efforts to Expand Access to Arts-Rich Schools
“Dear Colleague” Letter to State Education Agencies Clarifies Use of Federal Funds to Support a Well-Rounded Education that Includes Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts
HERNDON, VA (October 3, 2024)—The Arts Education Alliance—an advocacy collaboration between the Educational Theatre Association, National Art Education Association, National Association for Media Arts Education, National Association for Music Education, and National Dance Education Organization—thanks the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for releasing a “Dear Colleague” letter today to state education agencies clarifying the use of federal funds for arts education under Titles I, II, III, IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Carl. D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This is the first time ED has released such guidance since 2013, which was two years before ESSA passed shifting language from core academic subjects to a well-rounded education including music and the arts. The release of new guidance marks a monumental win for arts education programs and is the culmination of years of work from arts education advocates.
Since the passage of ESSA, federal funding streams have helped to increase the availability of arts programs in schools, but due to a variety of factors, including a lack of guidance, a significant number of students across the country continue to lack access to in-school arts education. In particular, students attending schools in low-income and urban areas lacked access to the full breadth, and subsequently the full benefits, of a comprehensive arts education.
With the release of ED’s new guidance, arts educators across the country will no longer have to wonder if/how federal funds can be used to support their programs. 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 IDEA will provide educators professional learning opportunities to better support students with disabilities and diverse student populations. Alongside broadening access to the arts, ED’s guidance will enable a larger swath of the student population to receive the benefits of artistic involvement; offering opportunities for creative expression, team building, and a host of other benefits, ranging from social engagement to culturally enriching experiences.
The release of ED’s latest guidance marks an inflection point for arts education, officially recognized as part of a well-rounded education in 2015, and now receiving comprehensive guidance on how federal funds can support its programming. Once again, we thank ED for renewing their commitment to the arts as an essential part of PreK-12 education, we thank our advocates for their tireless work to reach this point, and we thank educators for their work in bringing the arts into classrooms across the United States. The Arts Education Alliance is proud to have supported this effort and we look forward to continuing our work to ensure arts education remains a priority in federal education initiatives.
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