As policymakers plan for school reopening in the fall, Save The Music Foundation joined 52 other national organizations to support a unified statement on the necessity for arts education for all students across the United States, “Arts Education Is Essential.”
“Arts education supports the social and emotional well-being of students, whether through distance learning or in person.”
“Arts Education Is Essential” speaks to arts education’s role in supporting the social and emotional well-being of students, an area that administrators, educators, and parents have highlighted as essential to student safety and success during the pandemic and as students return to school, whether in-person, online, or in a blended fashion, this fall. Arts education also creates a welcoming school environment and a healthy and inclusive school community, helping students, educators, parents, and the community at large build and strengthen their connectedness during this time of social isolation and social distancing.
“Arts education is part of a well-rounded education for all students as understood and supported by federal and state policymakers.”
The statement also reminds the public that arts education is a part of a well-rounded education as defined by the federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and supported in state laws throughout the country. 46 states require an arts credit to receive a high school diploma, and 43 states have instructional requirements in the arts in elementary and secondary schools.
Join the conversation online using the hashtag #ArtsEdIsEssential and advocate for your arts program!
“It is imperative that all students have access to an equitable delivery of arts education that includes dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts that supports their educational, social, and emotional well-being, taught by certified professional arts educators in partnership with community arts providers.”
The music and arts education community has been active during this pandemic in providing administrators, educators, and other stakeholders guidance and support, as well as forward-thinking planning for music educators and district arts supervisors to take a lead as school districts make plans for the next school year. In any decision about how school districts will operate in the next and future school years, music and arts education will be essential in providing all students equitable educational opportunities that also continue to prepare them for an ever-changing world.
“Arts education nurtures the creation of a welcoming school environment where students can express themselves in a safe and positive way.”
Check out what Save The Music is doing to help educators prepare for the school year:
As of May 26, 2020, the following organizations have signed the “Arts Education is Essential” statement. To add your organization to the list, contact [email protected].
| Afterschool Alliance | Music for All |
| American Choral Directors Association | Music Teachers National Association |
| American Composers Forum | NAMM Foundation |
| American Orff-Schulwerk Association | National Art Education Association |
| American String Teachers Association | National Association for Music Education |
| Americans for the Arts | National Association of Elementary School Principals |
| Barbershop Harmony Society | National Association of Secondary School Principals |
| Carnegie Hall | National Coalition for Core Arts Standards |
| Casio America Inc | National Dance Education Organization |
| Chorus America | National Education Association |
| CMA Foundation | National Federation of State High School Associations |
| College Band Directors National Association | National YoungArts Foundation |
| Conn-Selmer, Inc. | Organization of American Kodály Educators |
| D’Addario Foundation | Quadrant Research |
| Eastman Music Company | QuaverEd |
| Education Through Music | Recording Academy |
| Educational Theatre Association | Save The Music Foundation |
| Give a Note Foundation | State Education Agency Directors of Arts Association |
| Hal Leonard | The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation |
| Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Band Directors’ Consortium | United Sound, Inc. |
| Jazz at Lincoln Center | Varsity Performing Arts |
| Jazz Education Network | West Music Company |
| KHS America | WURRLYedu |
| KORG, USA | Yamaha Corporation of America |
| League of American Orchestras | Young Audiences Arts for Learning |
| Little Kids Rock | YOUnison |
| Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation |
Update: as of June 26, 2020, the Arts Education is Essential document now has 100+ signing organizations! Click here to view updates to this list.