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
Congress Heads Back to the Hill
Members of Congress in both chambers returned to work this past month, with a controversial economic stimulus plan, the drama of ongoing highly competitive presidential election primaries in both parties serving as a backdrop, and a tremendous amount of legislative work to be done at the forefront of the agenda.
While the key question remains whether or not members in either the House or Senate will get back to work sooner rather than later on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the first education item scheduled to be addressed this calendar year is the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
The current continuance of the higher education bill is set to expire on March 31 and members of the House have already expressed an interest in moving forward with new legislation in the near term. Senators have stated their preferential scenario would be to have a conference report with the House completed by the date of the continuance's expiration.
In other news, the Education Budget Release and Briefing is currently scheduled for February 4. Budget summaries will be available on the web the day of the release. Stay tuned to MENC Legislative ALERTS for more information on how to obtain your copy.
Recent Arts in Education News Clippings:
Arts Education Touted as Key to U.S. Innovation Agenda
Schools get creative to squeeze in arts
No Child Left Behind
Capitol Hill Briefing Addresses Accountability in the Future of NCLB, Calls on Education Advocates to Reach Out to the Business World for Support
On January 24, MENC Director of Government Relations Chris Woodside attended a Capitol Hill briefing entitled "Graduation Rate Accountability in NCLB" held to address various future goals for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
The two-hour event, hosted by The Campaign for High School Equity, featured remarks from a number of prominent voices in the education community and was highlighted by a brief keynote address from Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, a strong proponent of education, and of No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) reauthorization.
Topics which took prevalence during the briefing included a lengthy discussion of the damages, both individual and societal, caused as a result of high minority dropout rates (especially African-American and Hispanic), and what can be done about them, as well as the importance of meaningful graduation rates in federal school accountability requirements in the reauthorization of NCLB.
During the event, The Campaign for High School Equity offered four legislative recommendations designed to achieve incorporation of graduation rate stipulations in the framework of any new piece of legislation. To read more about the Campaign's policy suggestions, please click here.
North Carolina Senator Richard Burr concluded the briefing by commending all educators and proponents of better education throughout the association world for their work towards getting NCLB reauthorized, and offered his own personal take on the situation at hand.
Senator Burr agreed fully with the sentiment echoed by the other guests present at the event, speaking out strongly in favor of graduation accountability, and making a lengthy case about the importance of stressing the inherent value of "21st century skills" (such as music) to business leaders so that they will hopefully begin to more fully recognize the significant potential the arts are capable of unlocking in young people.
You Should Know...
... about the Professional Development for Arts Educators Grant Program!
MENC has been the lead advocate for the creation of this brand new grant program designed to provide funding to support the implementation of high-quality professional development model music, dance, drama, media arts, and visual arts programs for arts educators and other instructional staff of K-12 students in high-poverty schools.
The grants are intended to strengthen the capacity of teachers and schools to deliver standards-based arts education programs and to raise student academic achievement in the arts and ensure that all students meet challenging State academic content standards.
Click here to read the findings of Society for Research in Music Education (SRME) researcher Martin Bergee, who argues persuasively for the value of these new arts grants.
Additional information on the grant application process is also available online.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: February 11, 2008
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 29, 2008
... about American Stars of Teaching!
The American Stars of Teaching project is a component of the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, which was developed by teachers for teachers. Its overall goal is to engage some of the nation's best educators and practitioners in sharing strategies for raising student achievement and informing teachers of the latest successful research-based practices.
Teachers from across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored this fall as 2008 American Stars of Teaching. One teacher from every state and the District of Columbia will be recognized. Colleagues, parents, students, school administrators or members of the community are encouraged to nominate a teacher that they believe has demonstrated the skills, talents and qualities that personify an American Star of Teaching. Please follow the link in order to nominate a teacher for this honor.
The deadline for receiving applications is March 31, 2008.
... that Arts Advocacy Day 2008 is just around the corner!
Arts Advocacy Day, the once a year national arts awareness summit hosted by Americans for the Arts, will return for its 21st year on Capitol Hill between March 31-April 1, 2008. This year's festivities will include a broad cross section of America's cultural and civic organizations and hundreds of grassroots arts advocates from across the country. The summit will promote the importance of developing strong public policies in support of arts, and will advocate on behalf of increased funding for arts programs.
In addition to these exciting elements, Arts Advocacy Day is an opportunity for music and other arts supporters to learn how to better advocate for their causes, network with peers from all across the country, and visit with members of Congress to discuss key issues.
Registration for Arts Advocacy Day 2008 is now underway.
Please click here for more information.
Congressional Corner
Representative Rush D. Holt (D-NJ)
Representative Rush D. Holt, Jr. is a five-term congressman representing New Jersey's 12th district. One of only a dozen in Congress with a Ph.D, Representative Holt earned his in physics from New York University in 1981. On a lighthearted note, Holt was also a five-time winner on the popular game show, "Jeopardy". Representative Holt serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor, the House Committee on Natural Resources, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Representative Rush D. Holt, Jr. on the value of music education:
"As a scientist and former teacher, I talk often about the importance of our children receiving a quality education in science and mathematics. However, it is just as imperative that we provide our children with a high quality education in the arts as well. Music education not only opens a door for a new way of self-expression for young students, but it also trains the brain to organize information in a way that improves abilities in math and science. In fact, studies show that students with music training perform high on the SAT college entrance examination. Students who study music learn valuable skills that transfer to study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skill useful in every part of the curriculum."