The Every Student Succeeds Act firmly establishes that every child deserves access to a well-rounded education, and declares that federal education dollars may be used by states and local school systems to provide increased access to music and arts education. The highest poverty schools currently have the least access to music education, denying many students all of the advantages that a complete music education can provide. Orchestras work every day - through their programs, partnerships, and policy engagement - to increase access to music education in our nation's schools and communities.
 

Talking Points 

• The arts and music are included as part of a "Well-Rounded Education" in federal law. This designation - alongside reading, math, science, and other subjects - is confirmation that the arts are essential to a complete education and belong in the main instructional day. Federal education funding (such as Title I, teacher training, and school improvement) is directed to support all aspects of a well-rounded education, including all disciplines of the arts.
• Students are increasingly in need of environments that support active engagement in learning.  Access to arts learning can motivate students to attend school and significantly reduce chronic absenteeism rates. Seniors in the state of Virginia who are “career arts” students (students who take arts classes each year in high school) show between 32.3% and 50.8% lower chronic absenteeism rates than their peers based on a 2024 study.
• Students in our nation’s highest-poverty schools, schools eligible for Title I funding, have the least access to arts education. A report released by the Arts Education Data Project in 2022 found that more than 2 million students in U.S. public schools have no access to any arts education. The majority of these students attend schools in very rural and major urban communities; have a high percentage of students from low-income families; and represent a student population that is majority Black, Hispanic, or Native American. Research shows that arts education can have dramatic effects on critical 21st century skills, such as creativity, teamwork and perseverance. While arts education supports success across student groups, disadvantaged and at-risk youth often see even greater success through these programs. Title I was funded at $18.4 billion in FY24. Advocates are seeking $18.68 billion for FY26.
• Federal resources should support the many schools that are struggling to recruit and retain arts educators, which impacts the quality and availability of arts education. According to IES, 35% of all public schools that had teaching vacancies during the 2022-23 school year found it very difficult or were not able to fill vacancies in music or art. Greater challenges were experienced by schools serving a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches and rural schools. Title II was funded at $2.19 billion in FY24. Advocates are seeking $3 billion in FY26.
   

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) has re-introduced the Arts Education for All Act (H.R. 2485) with bipartisan co-sponsorship from Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). View the full bill text and summary for more details.

View an arts education issue brief urging FY2026 federal support.