Sponsors (10)
The bill expands and funds arts and music instruction—benefiting students, teachers, and families—while creating notable new costs, potential diversion of scarce Title I resources, and uneven implementation across states and districts.
Students in Title I schoolwide and targeted-assistance schools (particularly low-income students) gain access to sequential, standards-aligned music instruction tied to academic needs.
Students (district-wide) gain access to sequential, standards-based arts instruction in dance, media arts, theater, and visual arts that supports academic needs.
Certified arts and music educators and school arts staff receive clearer roles, eligibility for supports, and professional development, improving instructional quality and teacher specialization.
States, districts, and local taxpayers may incur substantial additional costs to hire certified arts/music teachers, provide training, and fund program implementation.
Students in high-need schools could see Title I resources diverted from core academic or other Title I services if districts reallocate limited funds to meet new arts/music requirements.
Students in smaller, rural, or otherwise under-resourced districts may face uneven access to qualified arts/music instruction because of recruitment challenges and differing state certification definitions.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Adds explicit Title I requirements and allowable uses to support sequential, standards‑based arts and music education taught by certified educators and funds for related expenses.
Official title: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to expand access to school-wide arts and music programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 5, 2026 by Nydia M. Velázquez · Last progress March 5, 2026
Requires Title I schoolwide and targeted assistance programs to include sequential, standards-based arts and music education taught by state‑defined certified arts and music educators (and permitted community arts providers for arts). Authorizes programmatic use of federal funds for arts and music instruction supports — including educator pay/professional development, supplies, instruments, and instruction-related expenses — and defines “arts” to mean dance, media arts, theater, and visual arts.