5 Steps To Engage Your Elected Officials In Arts Advocacy

Dear ____,

 I am writing to you to share my deep concerns for all children and young people in the U.S. as they return to school and/or continue to learn from home.  Like you, we are concerned for their health and well-being and that they have all the support and resources they need to assure they continue to develop and thrive as we move through this unprecedented time. Music making and learning have been critical elements that have sustained children, families and entire communities through this pandemic period and we are working to assure that music and arts education continue to be part of a well-rounded education for all children as schools are reimagined and as learning expands through in-school and online learning.  Your actions a Member of Congress can assure equity and access to music and arts learning for all children, which is critical for their social and emotional development.  I respectfully advance the specific requests below.   

Our nation’s schools and communities currently are confronted with significant and unusual challenges to keep our children safe, healthy, and educated amid this unprecedented public health crisis.  We are grateful for the emergency funds appropriated by Congress to help state and local education entities during this difficult time.  We also understand the need for the flexibility Congress has extended to governors and their state and local education agencies to use federal funds to meet community and education needs.

Multiple research studies have demonstrated that music education leads to greater academic achievement, stronger social and emotional connections and improved well-being for students  The healing power of music clearly has been a strong and abiding force during this historic time, has reinforced that music is vital to our human connections and is at the heart of learning for students.   

Please see the attached “Arts Education is Essential” unified statement (https://www.namm.org/sites/www.namm.org/files_public/resources/NFArtsEdEssentialFINAL.pdf) developed by The NAMM Foundation and dozens of other nonprofit cultural and education organizations that underscores the vital role that music and arts education must play as we all work together to rebuild and innovate to support student learning across the United States. 

Therefore, to support our nation’s children, we ask the following of Congress.

• • • Provide maximum pandemic-related emergency assistance to states and local communities for education so that every child in our country can be educated and receive the needed resources and support from school and community and develop to become contributing citizens of our country.
    • Fund to the fully authorized level ESSA, Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, SSAEG) to state and local school districts to expand access to well-rounded subjects, specifically including music and the arts.  FY 2020 funding provided $1.2 billion; fully- authorized funding of $1.65 billion is necessary to ensure that the well-rounded education goals of ESSA are realized for every child. Note: a just-completed survey by The NAMM Foundation revealed that 277 school districts reported using Title IV Part A funds in the current school year for music education. Funding supported equitable programs for underserved, poor and rural communities, supported student growth and social emotional learning, advanced teacher training and influenced school culture and community connections through music and art offerings.
    • Support ESSA’s Title I funding for our nation’s most vulnerable children and Title II funding that promotes the effectiveness of our teachers; fulfill the intent of the law with authorized funding.
      • Authorize funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that provides competitive grants in every state and congressional district for our national arts and culture organizations.

Add details here about your School District or organization and the local impact it has on the students and community.

Thank you for your attention and support in this important manner.

Sincerely,
______________

Dear ____,

I am writing to you to share my deep concerns for all children and young people in the U.S. as they return to school and/or continue to learn from home.  Like you, we are concerned about their health and well-being and that they have all the support and resources they need to assure they continue to develop and thrive as we move through this unprecedented time. Music-making and learning have been critical elements that have sustained children, families and entire communities through this pandemic period and we are working to assure that music and arts education continue to be part of a well-rounded education for all children as schools are reimagined and as learning expands through in-school and online learning.  Your actions as Governor can assure equity and access to music and arts learning for all children, which is critical for their social and emotional development.  I respectfully advance the specific requests below.   

Our nation’s schools and communities currently are confronted with significant and unusual challenges to keep our children safe, healthy, and educated amid this unprecedented public health crisis.  We are grateful for the emergency funds appropriated by Congress to help state and local education entities during this difficult time.  We also understand the need for the flexibility Congress has extended to governors and their state and local education agencies to use federal funds to meet community and education needs. 

Multiple research studies have demonstrated that music education leads to greater academic achievement, stronger social and emotional connections and improved well-being for students  The healing power of music clearly has been a strong and abiding force during this historic time, has reinforced that music is vital to our human connections and is at the heart of learning for students.   

Please see the linked “Arts Education is Essential” unified statement (https://www.namm.org/sites/www.namm.org/files_public/resources/NFArtsEdEssentialFINAL.pdf) developed by The NAMM Foundation and dozens of other nonprofit cultural and education organizations that underscores the vital role that music and arts education must play as we all work together to rebuild and innovate to support student learning across the United States. 

Title IV, Part A of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants to states and local school districts to expand student access to a well-rounded education that includes music and the arts, among other subjects.  We are urging Congress to fund this Title IV program in FY 2021 at its authorized level of $1.65 billion to ensure that the well-rounded education goals of ESSA are realized for every child. Note: a just-completed survey by The NAMM Foundation revealed that 277 school districts reported using Title IV Part A funds in the current school year for music education. Funding supported equitable programs for underserved, poor, and rural communities, supported student growth and social-emotional learning, advanced teacher training, and influenced school culture and community connections through music and art offerings.

Therefore, to support our nation’s children, we ask the following of Governors and state education agencies: 

• • • Utilize ESSA’s Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and other federal programs to create and expand music learning opportunities to assure well-rounded educational opportunities and address the social and emotional well-being of all students.

• • • Support quality music education as an essential learning tool and available to all students as exemplified by state standards and policies that define students’ access to learning opportunities.

We offer support to the Governor and state education officials on behalf of efforts to expand awareness and celebrate music education programs that contribute to the positive culture of schools, as well as can serve as accountability indicators. We also volunteer to be a resource to state and local education officials in the development of policies and best practices for music education.

Add information here about your school district or organization

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,
_____________