President’s Message
Every Student Succeeds Act . . . music in a well-rounded education
Brent Rose
n 2016, the United States Congress took a dramatic step forward by replacing the “No Child Left Behind” Act with legislation that focuses prominently on ensuring all students receive access to a well-rounded education, including music.
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The passage of the bipartisan “Every Student Succeeds Act” creates an exciting opportunity for music education to stand on the very same platform with our traditionally more academic curricular studies
In the new ESSA law, the concept
of “Core Academic Subjects” and the language used to define it in NCLB, has been replaced with a grand concept of providing a well-rounded education. This concept includes a comprehensive list of subjects, which now includes music. This change represents an important shift in congressional thinking and educational priority.
After allowing music to take a back
seat for many years, Congress has taken action to replace the much-maligned NCLB and usher in a new, well-rounded vision for education in America. By including music in that vision, lawmakers have acknowledged the very personal and demonstrative impact that music can have
on developing minds and the research that confirms those benefits.
As we music educators continue
to advocate for our classroom and the benefits that music education provides, it is important to help parents, administrators, and community members understand that music has a seat at the table. NAfME has provided some points regarding the passage of the ESSA Law that you can use in discussion about music in the well- rounded education.
• The inclusion of “music” as part of a “Well-Rounded Education” serves as an important touchstone for music advocates nationwide. Advocates rely on this federally protected status to effectively make their case that music education is essential to the American academic experience. Furthermore, listing this discipline in federal statute reinforces the types of learning experiences that we, as a nation, feel are most important for all students.
• Constraints on funding continue to limit the prevalence of strong music education programs; hence, the level at which such programs can correspondingly help students develop and achieve in the 21st century. Maintaining the “Well-Rounded” status for music and fully funding these related programs aids an overall increase in accessibility to resources fundamental to the honing of effective programs, leaving a lasting impact on students’ lives as the benefits of music go beyond academics and the classroom.
• Music educators have developed a meaningful body of legislative, systemic, and research-oriented support for music as part of a full and balanced education. The Well- Rounded Education provision ensures and maintains a student’s access to music education, especially those in at-risk environments who could benefit the very most from school
WMEA President
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Wyoming Windsong
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