This week marked the beginning of National Arts & Humanities Month! President Obama once again commemorated the occasion with a Presidential Proclamation, stating that “this month, we recognize the ways the arts and humanities have forever changed our country, and we recommit to ensuring every American has the opportunity and the freedom to question, discover, and create.”
As we head into National Arts & Humanities Month, we want to update you on the state of arts education in Congress and let you know how you can make your voice heard in Washington. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate each approved legislation to replace the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
This fall, a select congressional conference committee is working to reconcile the Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177) and the Student Success Act (H.R. 5) into a final piece of legislation that President Obama will sign.
If successful, it will be the first time in 14 years that federal K-12 education policy has advanced. This is a big deal for a whole generation of students.
Combined, the two bills contain 13 arts-friendly provisions, including retaining the arts as a core academic subject which is a key legislative priority.
We’ve developed a national petition to the members of Congress serving on the conference committee to voice support for retaining arts-friendly provisions within the education reform bill. To honor National Arts & Humanities Month, join over 8,000 other advocates in signing the petition! Once you’ve signed, encourage 5 of your friends and colleagues to do the same.
For more information on the ESEA reauthorization process, check out our blog post here.
Thank you for your support of the arts!