New Federal Guidance: A Victory for Arts Education!

As we begin National Arts and Humanities Month, we are happy to announce that the U.S. Department of Education has issued a letter of guidance to Chief State School Officers regarding the use of federal education dollars to support a well-rounded education-including the arts-through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The letter states:

"Arts education-including dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts-is key to equitable access to a well-rounded education and central to our shared commitment to ensure that every student receives high-quality instruction that prepares them to be active, engaged, and lifelong learners."

The new guidance aims to bring educators, administrators, and advocates together to better understand what funding sources are available for enhancing arts education programs in their communities.

Why does this matter?

The letter clarifies that school districts can "use Title I, Part A funds to bolster arts education programs as a strategy to support students attending Title I schools with a high percentage of low-income families in meeting the State's challenging academic standards."
The guidance goes further to discuss how other federal formula funds can be used to support arts education through professional development, in and out of school arts programming, support for children with disabilities, and career and technical education.
The U.S. Department of Education had not distributed guidance to state school officers since 2013 when K-12 federal law for education was governed under the No Child Left Behind Act. The new guidance aims to bring educators, administrators, and advocates together to better understand what funding sources are available for enhancing arts education programs in their communities.

A special thank you goes out to the arts community across the country who have advocated tirelessly for this guidance. Your efforts have helped make quality arts education more attainable for all.

Our work doesn't stop here! Congress will return after the election to finalize Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations, now is the time to contact your representatives and encourage them to continue supporting arts education funding in 2025. Learn how to message your Member of Congress through the Americans for the Arts Action Fund.