NAfME News
Tell Congress to Support Education in the States!
NAfME has launched a new campaign to ask that Congress appropriate at least $200 billion specifically for education for states to avoid drastic education budget cuts. Without this funding, music programs will be jeopardized. We are asking members to reach out to their members of Congress to request $200 billion in the next legislative relief package to backfill state education budgets. For more information, visit NAfME Grassroots Action Center.
State & National News
Georgia may drop controversial teacher licensing test
5/4/2020- ‘The Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which sets policy for teacher certification in the state, will decide by June 11 whether to stop requiring candidates to pass edTPA, a widely used portfolio assessment designed to determine whether aspiring educators have the skills to teach.
Hawaii Lawmakers Will Go Back To Work Monday, Looking To Cut $1 Billion From The Budget
5/7/2020- ‘The Hawaii Legislature plans to reconvene in a State Capitol that’s closed to the public starting Monday.’
WI- Majority of school districts request teaching hours waiver
5/11/2020- ‘Nearly 60% of school districts in Wisconsin have asked the state Department of Public Instruction to waive its requirement on a set number of instructional hours due to the coronavirus.’
Schools, Colleges Spared in Stripped Down Missouri Budget
5/11/2020- ‘Missouri lawmakers on Friday passed a stripped-down budget for the upcoming fiscal year amid a steep drop in revenues because of the havoc the coronavirus has wreaked on the economy.’
GOP leader: Up to 25 percent cuts to Michigan schools from coronavirus
5/11/2020- ‘The chair of the Senate committee that sets the K-12 school budget has a dire warning for Michigan schools: Prepare for a crippling decline in state funding.’
CSU plans to cancel most in-person classes and go online this fall, chancellor says
5/12/2020- ‘California State University, the nation’s largest four-year college system, plans to cancel most in-person classes in the fall and instead offer instruction primarily online, Chancellor Timothy White announced Tuesday.’
Research and Analysis
What Art Teachers Need to Know About the CARES Act
Whenever art teachers hear about federal spending, our eyes often glaze over. We, quite honestly, have much too full of plates to dig through the details of the various initiatives that circulate. We’ve got students to help, artwork to create, and skills to improve. For better or worse, we think that big federal dollars simply don’t apply to us and what we can provide for our students. Music educators can learn from this as well!