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The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

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The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

provides some support for teaching the arts as part of a "well-rounded" education. It includes funding for integrating arts into STEM (turning it into STEAM!). School districts can be eligible under Title I, which supports disadvantaged students, and arts teachers can be eligible for professional development funds under Title II. There are a number of web-based resources that discuss ways in which ESSA addresses the arts. (Links are provided below). ESSA Sections 4641 and 4642 address arts education. 

Their text is as follows: 

‘‘Subpart 4—Academic Enrichment ‘‘SEC. 4641. AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT. 

‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From funds reserved under section 4601(b)(2)(C), the Secretary shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for the purposes of enriching the academic experience of students by promoting—

‘‘(1) arts education for disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, as described in section 4642;

 ‘‘(2) school readiness through the development and dissemination of accessible instructional programming for preschool and elementary school children and their families, as described in section 4643; and

‘‘(3) support for high-ability learners and high- ability learning, as described in section 4644.

(b) ANNUAL AWARDS.—The Secretary shall annually make awards to fulfill each of the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a).

‘‘SEC. 4642. ASSISTANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION.  

‘‘(a) AWARDS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Awards made to eligible entities to fulfill the purpose described in section 4641(a)(1), shall be used for a program (to be known as the ‘Assistance for Arts Education program’) to promote arts education for students, including disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, through activities such as—

‘‘(A) professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals;

‘‘(B) development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local educational agencies, communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

(b) CONDITIONS.—As conditions of receiving assistance made available under this section, the Secretary shall  require each eligible entity receiving such assistance—

‘‘(1) to coordinate, to the extent practicable, each project or program carried out with such assistance with appropriate activities of public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and organizations, including museums, arts education associations, libraries, and theaters; and

 ‘‘(2) to use such assistance only to supplement, and not to supplant, any other assistance or funds made available from non-Federal sources for the ac- tivities assisted under this subpart.

(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with Federal agencies or institutions, arts educators (including professional arts education associations), and organizations representing the  arts (including State and local arts agencies involved in arts education).

‘(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that are eligible national nonprofit organizations.

 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity means—

‘‘(A) a local educational agency in which 20 percent or more of the students served by the local educational agency are from families with an income below the poverty line;

‘‘(B) a consortium of such local educational agencies;

‘‘(C) a State educational agency;
 ‘‘(D) an institution of higher education; ‘‘(E) a museum or cultural institution;

 ‘‘(F) the Bureau of Indian Education;
 ‘‘(G) an eligible national nonprofit organization; or

‘‘(H) another private agency, institution, or organization.

 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘eligible national nonprofit organization’ means an organization of national scope

that—

‘‘(A) is supported by staff, which may include volunteers, or affiliates at the State and local levels; and

‘‘(B) demonstrates effectiveness or high- quality plans for addressing arts education activities for disadvantaged students or students who are children with disabilities.

‘‘SEC. 4642. ASSISTANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION.  

‘‘(a) AWARDS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Awards made to eligible en- tities to fulfill the purpose described in section 4641(a)(1), shall be used for a program (to be known as the ‘Assistance for Arts Education pro- gram’) to promote arts education for students, in- cluding disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, through activities such as—

‘‘(A) professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals;

‘‘(B) development and dissemination of ac- cessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and

‘‘(C) community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local educational agencies, communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

 ‘‘(b) CONDITIONS.—As conditions of receiving assistance made available under this section, the Secretary shall require each eligible entity receiving such assistance—

 ‘‘(1) to coordinate, to the extent practicable, each project or program carried out with such assistance with appropriate activities of public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and organizations, including museums, arts education associations, libraries, and theaters; and

‘‘(2) to use such assistance only to supplement, and not to supplant, any other assistance or funds made available from non-Federal sources for the activities assisted under this subpart.

 ‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with Federal agencies or institutions, arts educators (including professional arts education associations), and organizations representing the  arts (including State and local arts agencies involved in arts education).

 ‘‘(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that are eligible national nonprofit organizations. ‘‘(e)

DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity’ means—

‘‘(A) a local educational agency in which 20 percent or more of the students served by the local educational agency are from families with an income below the poverty line;

‘‘(B) a consortium of such local educational agencies;

‘‘(C) a State educational agency;

‘‘(D) an institution of higher education;

 ‘‘(E) a museum or cultural institution;

‘‘(F) the Bureau of Indian Education;

 ‘‘(G) an eligible national nonprofit organization; or

‘‘(H) another private agency, institution, or organization.

 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘eligible national nonprofit organization’ means an organization of national scope that—

‘‘(A) is supported by staff, which may include volunteers, or affiliates at the State and local levels; and

‘‘(B) demonstrates effectiveness or high- quality plans for addressing arts education ac- tivities for disadvantaged students or students who are children with disabilities.

RESOURCES 

ESSA and the Arts   http://www.aep-arts.org/essa/

ESSA:  Mapping the Opportunities for the Arts   http://www.ecs.org/ec-content/uploads/ESSA_Mapping_the_opportunities_fo…

Everything ESSA   http://www.nafme.org/advocacy/essa/

ESSA/NCLB Comparison Chart   http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/policy/ESEA_NCLB_ComparisonChart_…

ESEA Reauthorization is Finalized as Every Student Succeeds Act   https://www.arteducators.org/advocacy/essa-every-student-succeeds-act

It's Time to Put Arts Education Back In the Mix   http://www.wbur.org/edify/2016/10/07/guest-commentary-its-time-to-put-a…

EdTA's Guide to ESSA Theater Education Opportunities   https://www.schooltheatre.org/advocacy/guidetoessa

ESSA: A Summary of the Law as it Pertains to Arts Eduction   http://www.oaae.net/en/resources/advocacy/legislation-review/88-resourc…

Last Updated:  3 March, 2021

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