NAfME News
2021 CMA Foundation Advocacy Grants
For a fourth year, The Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation is working with NAfME to administer State Music Education Association Advocacy Grants. These grants are intended to support the work of our state MEAs with the goal of augmenting existing advocacy initiatives and creating new advocacy opportunities. The 2021 grant application is available here; the deadline for applications is June 30, 2021.
State and Federal News
How Federal Stimulus Spending Plays Out for State Higher Ed
5/28/21 – “Without federal stimulus money, states would have cut tax appropriations for higher education by 2.3 percent. But how states are spending the billions in stimulus varies.”
Report: COVID-19 Pandemic Worsened Access Issues for Minority and Low-Income Youth
5/27/21 – “The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened equity and access issues for Black and Latino youth and those from low-income backgrounds, according to a new report from The Education Trust, ZERO TO THREE and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The report also calls for state policymakers to leverage American Rescue Plan funding to close equity gaps in early intervention services.”
Gov. Whitmer Calls for Big Boost in State Education Spending
5/27/21 – “Whitmer’s proposes $1.7 billion in one-time funding and over $900 million for ongoing investment. A key part of the governor’s plan is to spend $262 million to close the funding gap between lower and higher income communities.”
Research and Analysis
ECS Resource: State Education Policy Tracking
Education Commission of the States tracks state education policy on a wide variety of education topics.
Policy Roundup provided by NAfME’s Lynn Tuttle.