NAfME is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, August 24 at 7:00 EST/6:00 CST to present tools that districts can use to seek Title IV funding for music programs under ESSA. Registration is available here.

The Title IV funding process requires that districts conduct needs assessments. The webinar will focus on how NAfME's Opportunity to Learn standards can serve as a template to conduct a needs assessment for arts programs. This document can also be a useful tool for campus-level advocacy, as it lays out national best practices for staffing, scheduling, and curriculum.

The TN Department of Education is accepting stakeholder feedback on the Every Student Succeeds Act through Monday, August 15. There is a longer survey for a variety of education stakeholders and a shorter version specifically for parents and students.

Education Stakeholder Survey

Parent/Student Survey

Please consider adding your voice to the responses.

The Tennessee Arts Commission has released several sets of talking points that may serve as useful references when responding (here and here).

NAfME has submitted comments on the Department of Education's proposed accountability regulations under ESSA. These include:

• Requesting more broad definitions for indicators states can use to measure school quality and student success, including access to the arts at all grade levels.
• Opposing the continued requirement that states rate schools using a single summative categorical rating.
• Advocating for added language clarifying that academic interventions should not result in loss of access to music instruction.
• Requesting measures of access be used in school improvement plans.

The full comments are available here.

Additionally, Lamar Alexander, chair of the Senate education committee, has been critical of the timeline for implementation of accountability requirements and has also expressed concerns about other regulatory language regarding ESSA.

ESSA Title IV, Part A Funding
The Every Student Succeeds Act includes a new block grant funding program under Title IV that can provide supplemental support to enrich well-rounded academic programs, including music. Originally authorized for $1.65 billion, current funding levels in the presidential and congressional budgets range from $500 million to $1 billion.

If you would like to contact your congressional representatives to encourage full funding for this provision of ESSA, you can do so through NAfME's Grassroots Action Center.

Military Band Funding
The McSally amendment, which would significantly reduce support of military musicians, was included in the Defense Appropriations Bill, which passed in the House but was filibustered in the Senate. The amendment is expected to now be attached to a larger omnibus spending bill after the November elections. Expect to see continued efforts by NAfME and other arts advocacy groups to have the amendment excised from that bill.

​Accountability under ESSA
The U.S. Department of Education is accepting comments on the draft language for state accountability plans through August 1. The draft language has a heavier focus on math and reading scores than ESSA's language suggested, and it continues to emphasize rating schools and districts with a single score.