6 Tips on the New Education Department Guidance
After years of advocacy from the arts education community, multiple meetings with U.S. Department of Education (ED) officials, and bipartisan support from Congress, arts educators now have long-needed guidance to help them access resources for their programs. On October 2, ED sent a letter to state education agencies detailing how federal funds can be used to support arts education across the United States.
With the passage of the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, Congress enumerated the arts as part of a well-rounded education, opening pathways for dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts programs to secure federal funds that had been previously inaccessible. Federal funds helped to increase the availability of arts programs in schools, but due to a combination of factors — including a lack of guidance — a significant number of students across the country continue to lack access to in-school arts education. In the 2023 survey of federal funds conducted by the Arts Education Alliance — an advocacy collaborative between EdTA and four other arts education associations — 27% of respondents reported not receiving any funds for their program, with the main cause being a lack of awareness on what/how federal programs can be used to support arts education.
While the law was clear about the inclusion of the arts as part of a well-rounded education, ED did not provide substantive guidance to states and districts on how federal funds could be used to support those programs. With the release of ED’s “Dear Colleague” letter, arts educators across the country will no longer have to wonder if federal funds can be used to support their programs. The letter from Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten shares examples from the field. Programs such as Title I will be used to close the gap in access to arts education faced by students in low-income areas, while programs such as Title II and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will provide educators professional learning opportunities to better support students with disabilities and diverse student populations.
Tips for Using ED’s Guidance
- Share the Letter to Chief State School Officers on Arts Education directly with your principal and district leaders as it represents a significant victory for funding opportunities in arts education.
- Read the 2023 Federal Funds Impact Survey and the EdTA Opportunity to Learn Standards to document your theatre education program needs and to identify ways that federal funding can be used to support your program.
- Develop a proposal for school leaders on Title I funds and how support for arts learning can help students meet academic standards. For more information on Title I funding, access Title I and Arts Education: Allowable Uses, and Title I: How Funding Works from our partner in the Arts Education Alliance, the National Association for Music Education.
- Advocate for arts-specific professional development for educators in your district using Title II or IV funds. You can learn more about these resources in NAfME’s Title II: How Funding Works and Title IV-A Toolkit.
- Build or leverage partnerships with staff, parents, and community organizations to develop a stronger support system for students to access arts in schools. Use the NAfME Local Advocacy Action Plan to develop a vision and action steps for lasting collective impact.
- Read NAfME’s ESSA Implementation Toolkit for more information on how federal programs such as Title I, II, and IV-A can be used to support your arts program.
The release of ED’s guidance marks an inflection point for arts education advocates and highlights the current administration’s commitment to advancing the arts for every child. We encourage members to strike while the iron is hot! Using ED’s Letter to Chief State School Officers on Arts Education, in combination resources provided in this article, now is the time to begin discussions with peers and program coordinators and develop plans for accessing federal funds for the 2025–26 school year.
Zachary Keita is Advocacy and Public Policy Communications Manager for the National Association for Music Education, a partner in the Arts Education Alliance advocacy collaborative with EdTA.
