Secretary of Education
  Arne Duncan Supports
  Arts Education!

Following up on the recent National Governor's Association meeting in Washington, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to all state governors urging them to avoid making "short-sighted cuts" and specifically named "eliminating instruction in the arts" as one of the cuts to avoid. This letter and the accompanying materials provide guidance to state education departments on how federal funds can be flexible and transferred to support different accounts and school districts in need of funds.  As a core academic subject, arts education programs can be supported locally via federal funds, such as Title I.

"There are right ways and wrong ways to cut spending, and the most important guiding principle I can offer is to minimize the negative impact on students and seize this opportunity to direct your spending to the highest priorities."

The Secretary's remarks, and guidance is online here.  The arts education reference is included in the Guidance on Productivity document under the "First, Do No Harm" section. This information may be of help in supporting arts education programs in state education budgets, and before local school boards.  Americans for the Arts has been updating its Arts Education Network website which has further advocacy information as well.