The current continuing resolution (CR) that extends Fiscal Year 2024 government funding is set to expire on March 15, meaning legislators have approximately two months to determine Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) government funding levels. With a new administration and the 119th Congress being sworn in, in January, advocates have the chance to interact with new and returning legislators, sharing their stories and discussing why music education is important to the community they serve and necessitates continued federal funding.
The House appropriations committee approved its FY25 proposal for Labor-HHS-Education funding, which not only slashes Title I funding by 25%, but also proposes the complete elimination of Title II funding. In addition to slashing funding for two of the Department of Education’s (ED) most vital programs, the current proposal would eliminate the only Department of Education program focused on supporting the arts, the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program. To rationalize the elimination of AAE the appropriation committee’s report stated, “funding provided by the Department should be focused on core education such as reading, writing, and math”. This rationalization ignores the well-rounded focus of ESSA, as well as the benefits the arts provide across subject areas.
Now is a vital time to show our support for music education and federal programs that increase its availability by encouraging legislators to make every effort to provide sustained funding to programs critical to music education. We urge NAfME members, parents, advocates, and all those who support music education to reach out to their elected officials in Congress through our new advocacy campaign platform, Quorum. This campaign includes sample messaging for your letter to Congress, but we encourage you to personalize your message and share why YOU support music education.
EMAIL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
NAfME Priorities
Title I, Part A—Provides funds, through both school-wide and targeted assistance programs, to school districts to help disadvantaged children achieve proficiency on challenging academic standards and improve the performance of low-achieving schools.
Title I-A would receive $13.7 billion, a $4.7 billion decrease below FY 2024 funding.
Title II—Focuses on improving student academic achievement by bolstering skills and expertise of teachers, principals, and other educators and increasing the number of high-quality teachers and principals in schools.
Title II would receive no funding and be completely eliminated under the latest proposal.
Title IV, Part A—A flexible block grant program that supports activities in three broad areas: (1) providing students with a well-rounded education (e.g., college and career counseling, STEM, arts and music, civics, advanced placement); (2) supporting safe and healthy students (e.g., comprehensive school mental health, drug and violence prevention, health and physical education); and (3) supporting the effective use of technology.
Title IV-A would receive $1.4 billion, a $10 million increase over FY 2024 funding. Taking into account the drastic cuts to Titles I and II, Title IV funding would need to supplement deficiencies in other areas.
Assistance for Arts Education Program (AAE)—Promotes arts education for all students, through activities such as professional development for arts educators; development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials; and community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local education agencies, and centers for the arts. AAE would receive no funding and be completely eliminated under the latest proposal.
Additional Key Programs Facing Elimination
Teacher Quality Partnerships—The program funds comprehensive undergraduate and graduate educator preparation programs that combine student teaching under an experienced mentor, with coursework in child development, teaching methods, and curriculum development.
Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence—Designed to support comprehensive teacher preparation at programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and minority serving institutions (MSIs). |
