Current MENC Government Relations Strategy and Specifics Breakdown
View MENC’s government relations and advocacy agenda. This “living” document details MENC’s plan for achieving policy and legislative goals on behalf of music education, and offers a brief synopsis of our most up-to-date government relations and advocacy action plan. View the agenda here.
Additionally, reference the collaboratively developed “Strengthen Arts Education in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Legislative Recommendations” document for a more specific breakdown of MENC’s joint legislative efforts in conjunction with our arts in education community partners.
Federal News
Congressman Ruppersberger Offers Praise for The National Anthem Project on House Floor—Congress Subsequently Passes Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act
Just in time for the 2008 National Anthem Celebration, Representative “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D-MD), a vocal supporter of MENC’s National Anthem Project, achieved passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R. 2894, the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act.
H.R. 2894 honors Maryland’s rich historical ties to Francis Scott Key’s penning of the national anthem, the growth of our nation since that time, and the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812, through the minting of a new celebratory coin in 2012. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. The Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act will now move to the United States Senate for further consideration.
During his floor speech in support of the act, Congressman Ruppersberger offered the following remarks on the impact of The National Anthem Project:
“Even though it has been our anthem for more than 75 years, many Americans still don't know the lyrics to this wonderful song of our national anthem. A 2005 survey revealed that only 39 percent of Americans knew all of the words to our national anthem.
The National Anthem Project has worked to educate Americans about our national anthem. Last year, they brought more than 5,000 school children to Washington to sing the anthem at the Washington Monument with the United States Marine Band.
This legislation will create a commemorative coin to honor America's national anthem. This $1 silver coin will be minted for the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and will help fund the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. It is my hope that this collectible coin will inspire more Americans to learn the lyrics of ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' and learn more about the War of 1812 and the history of our national anthem, as well as the role Baltimore played in the history of our national anthem.”
To read Mr. Ruppersberger’s remarks in their entirety, please click here.
To access a press release on the act from the Congressman’s office, please click here.
Recent Arts in Education News Clippings:
· Bill to require P.E. eliminates arts electives
· Hempfield eyes cuts in languages, music, art
· SNAAP Judgments
· Plan to use arts money for mines rejected
· Music schools seeing influx of funds
· Bill to protect PE, arts classes vetoed
· Elementary-school educators learn how to use the arts to teach other subjects
· Proposed school music cuts protested
No Child Left Behind
Secretary Spellings Proposes New No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Title 1 Regulations, Asks Community for Comments
Recently, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced a draft series of Title 1 Regulation updates (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) for the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
Secretary Spellings has stated that "the purpose of these proposed regulations is to build on the advancements states have made in accountability and assessment systems under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in the past six years, while incorporating key feedback from the field into a more clear vision of what it takes to educate each and every student. Issuing regulations that strengthen Title I implementation will help bring about higher-quality assessments and stronger accountability for results, as well as provide parents with the information they need to make informed decisions about public school choice and Supplemental Educational Services."
MENC believes that in order to fully accomplish these goals, the U.S. Department of Education would be wise to include several additions tailored to ensuring that the influence of music and the other arts is more prevalently represented in future performance evaluations. As such, we recommend that members write in to the U.S. Department of Education offering the following policy suggestions:
MENC "asks" pertaining to the USDE proposed NPRM regulations
· The U.S. Department of Education's new NPRM contains a proposal for the standardization of graduation rates and new reporting requirements for rates directly associated with AYP. In response to this idea, MENC is asking that members nationwide advocate on behalf of the inclusion of the following additional language in the Title 1 reforms: "Strategies crafted to aid with the reform of schools not currently achieving AYP will encompass information pertaining to the various manners in which music education programs have been associated with a rise in graduation rates and other forms of success, as noted in the findings of multiple recent Harris Interactive Polls.
· "In response to the U.S. Department of Education's proposal for the creation of a National Technical Advisory Council (TAC) comprised of standards, assessments and accountability system experts, MENC asks that members advocate on behalf of including on this council the opinions of not only those individuals representing subjects tested for AYP, but also from ALL core academic subjects (including music and the other arts).
· MENC recommends that members advocate on behalf of expanding the U.S. Department of Education's Supplemental Educational Services (SES) focus to include tutoring and other forms of assistance for students struggling in ANY core academic subject, so long as the evaluation is conducted as required and standards for reporting on the monitoring of effectiveness be complied with.
In addition to advocating on behalf of the above listed "asks," please be advised that MENC is extremely interested in hearing from YOU about your local concerns and recommendations for the U.S. Department of Education's proposed Title 1 update. You are encouraged to include your own commentary and suggestions when contacting the USDE, and MENC asks that you please share your thoughts with us as well. E-mail us at advocacy@menc.org.
* The U.S. Department of Education is currently accepting public comments on the NPRM (proposed regulations) through June 23, 2008. Comments are to be submitted to the USDE in written form in accordance with the instructions in the NPRM. For your use, a copy of the NPRM is available online.
*Between the dates of May 14 to May 20, MENC Members in the cities of Boston, MA, Dunwoody, GA, Kansas City, MO, and Seattle WA were invited to attend a series of meetings designed to spark discussion regarding the possible new Title 1 Regulations for NCLB. If you attended one of these meetings and would like to share your findings with us, please e-mail MENC Director of Government Relations Chris Woodside at chrisw@menc.org. Additionally, stay tuned for an upcoming issue of Teaching Music magazine featuring an interview with music advocate Anthony Beatrice, who attended and participated in the Boston meeting.
Recent NCLB News Clippings:
· Teacher Perspectives on No Child Left Behind and Arts Education: A Case Study
You Should Know …
… MENC’s National Board is preparing for a June Capitol Hill Round-Up Session!
On June 13, in the Cannon House Office Building in downtown Washington, D.C., the MENC National Board will take part in an "MENC Capitol Hill Round-Up" session designed to provide board members with an intimate look into the world of music education public policy and advocacy development.
The Round-Up will begin with a half-hour introductory review segment hosted by Director of Government Relations Chris Woodside, dedicated to providing board members with a point-by-point overview of MENC's current legislative and advocacy agenda, as well as an update on the overall progress the organization has made in these areas over the course of the past year. A question and answer session will immediately follow.
After the conclusion of the review of MENC's recent public policy and advocacy work, the Round-Up will then host a two-hour speaker series featuring a variety of individuals hailing from a diverse backdrop of arts in education organizations, government institutions and congressional offices. Guests will address a variety of issues prominently on the minds of music education advocates, including but not limited to, the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the future federal role of arts education in America, and their own personal projects in the field. Look for a review of the MENC Capitol Hill Round-Up in next month’s edition of the MENC Legislative Memo!
Local News
D.C. Schools Adopt New Budget Formula, Chancellor Rhee Argues Improved Methods of Financing Will Result in Art and Music for All
In a recent Washington Post article, Washington, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is reported to have discontinued the District school system’s well established practice of utilizing a “weighted student” budget formula in favor of a new, equally controversial system that she claims, amongst other benefits, will do wonders for restoring a prominent role for the arts in D.C. schools.
Prior to the change, public and charter based schools in Washington had been funded by way of a uniform per-pupil rate (developed each year to cover the costs of all school system operations), with Local School Restructuring Teams being held responsible for deciding upon exactly how funds would then be dispersed (after conferring with local principals). While the per-pupil system does remain in place, Rhee’s new strategy, which involves instituting a series of staffing requirements for elementary, middle, and high schools, will be based primarily on the enrollment projections of individual schools.
Some critics argue that Rhee’s new system creates even less transparency than its predecessor, and provides the Chancellor with an unprecedented amount of unchecked authority. Rhee’s team maintains, however that the new strategy is a winner, and will make certain that many D.C. schools which have gone without music, art and physical education for many years, will now have the opportunity to provide students with a much more well rounded learning experience.
To read The Washington Post article on Chancellor Rhee’s new education funding plan in its entirety, please click here.
Take Action
The California Budget Crisis Continues … Get Involved!
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other state legislators presently face an increasingly massive budget deficit. Consequently, California's education budget for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year is now in grave danger.
Statewide budget cuts to arts education will result in disastrous losses to valuable music education resources. Some music teacher positions may be eliminated from schools altogether, arts supplies and musical equipment could be sacrificed, and even music programs that ultimately survive the cuts can expect to see significant increases in class size, at a minimum. The cold, hard truth is that California schools have not faced a prospective arts budget cut of this size and magnitude since 1979.
Something must be done -- and now.
Music education advocates in California and all across the country have a responsibility to act immediately in order to let Governor Schwarzenegger and the rest of the state's delegation know that significant, disproportionate funding cuts to music education and other arts programs is not acceptable. Please contact the Governor, your congressperson, and/or your local state representative, to make the following requests on behalf of protecting the future of music education and other arts programs in the state of California:
· Absolutely zero funding cuts in K-12 education for the 2008-2009 school year.
· No decrease in state monies allotted to California schools.
· Arts Block Grant Funding is to continue to be designated only for arts in education programs in schools. Vote NO on any bill designed to allow for the redesignation of block grant funding monies.
· Most importantly: Arts funding cuts of all kinds hurt education. Protect music and the other arts in this, and all future education budgeting.
Thank you for your continued support of music education.
Congressional Corner
Representative Lois Capps (D-CA)
Congresswoman Capps has served as the representative for California’s 23rd district for the past 10 years. Capps won the special election for her seat in 1998, after then-representative, and her husband, Walter Capps, died while in office. Representative Capps is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Natural Resources Committee. A nurse and health care advocate for 20 years prior to her election, since her arrival in Congress, Capps has been responsible for the founding of the Congressional Nursing Caucus and the School Health and Safety Caucus.
Representative Capps on the value of music education:
“As someone who worked with children in our public schools for over 20 years, I know firsthand the importance of music education in a child’s life. Music education can play a critical role in our children’s lives by enhancing their personal growth, enriching their educational experience and overall development, and influencing their future professional careers. Music played a prominent and positive role in my childhood as I took violin and piano lessons and sang in our church choir. Today, I am a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on the Arts, where I work to promote music education along with other arts education programs for our children and all Americans.”