Every Student Succeeds Act:
Resources for Orchestras
The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) marks an important, new opportunity to ensure that every student has access to arts and music education. Now, even more of the decisions about how the arts are supported in education will be made at the state and local levels. The highest poverty schools currently have the least access to music education, denying many students all of the advantages that a complete music education can provide. As civic-minded community-based organizations, America’s adult and youth orchestras work every day - through their programs, partnerships, and policy engagement - to increase access to music education in our nation's schools and communities. Below are links that provide an overview of the new law, public statements to elected officials that urge full funding and support, resources to equip arts advocates at the state and local level, and next steps for orchestras to take action.
League Overviews of ESSA and arts access gaps
- "Music Education for All Students" Symphony (Fall 2016)
- Preliminary Outline of Education Law: Key Arts Provisions (12/10/15)
- Next Steps in Closing the Gaps in Arts Education in Our Schools (1/20/16)
- “‘Enough’ is Not Enough” Symphony (Fall 2012)
U.S. Department of Education ESSA Resources
- Overview of the Every Student Succeeds Act
- Links to ESSA Law and Evolving Guidance
- Guidance on Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Well-Rounded) Grants
- USDoE Urges States to Engage Stakeholders re: ESSA Implementation
- Education Secretary Issues Letter Emphasizing Arts as Eligible Use of Federal Funds
Public statements urging support for the arts in ESSA Implementation
- League comments to U.S. Department of Education regarding non-regulatory ESSA guidance (5/25/16)
- Coalition letter to Senate urging robust funding for Title IV, Part A (3/17/16)
- League statement at U.S. Department of Education to support arts in high-poverty schools (1/11/16)
- National arts coalition letter to House and Senate Education Committee (9/15/15)
Next step: Your orchestra’s advocacy at the state and local levels
The Arts Education Partnership provides a number of helpful resources to support your advocacy activity:
- Arts Education Partnership ESSA Resource Center
- Arts Education Partnership ESSA: Mapping opportunities for the arts
- Research-backed messages on the benefits of arts education
- A chart documenting arts-friendly policies state-by-state
- Tips for school leaders to increase arts education
- Education Commission of the States' report: ESSA's Well-Rounded Education
- Education Commission of the States' report: ESSA: Quick guides on top issues
- National Association for Music Education action steps and analysis of final rules on ESSA state plans and accountability
- ECS guest blog by National Association for Music Education on State ESSA Plan Submissions (1/18/18)
Orchestras can further demonstrate their support for equitable access to music education by signing on to the League’s statement of common cause supporting in-school music education. Drafted with input from more than 50 orchestras, the statement reflects a collective opportunity for all orchestras to take individual, community-specific action to improve access to music education in schools nationwide.