NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James Weaver
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 28, 2020) — As policymakers plan for schools reopening in the fall, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) joins 52 other organizations in a statement that supports an arts education for all students.
In the statement, “Arts Education Is Essential,” the signing organizations convey that the arts have already played a pivotal and uplifting role during the health crisis, and that arts education can help all students, including those who are in traditionally under-represented groups, as students return to school next year.
“Arts Education Is Essential” speaks to arts education’s role in supporting the social and emotional well-being of students – an area that administrators, educators and parents have highlighted as essential to student safety and success during the pandemic and as students return to school this fall, whether in-person, online or in a blended fashion. Arts education also creates a welcoming school environment and a healthy and inclusive school community, helping students, educators, parents and the community at large build and strengthen their connectedness during this time of social isolation and social distancing.
The statement also reminds the public that arts education is a part of a well-rounded education as defined by the federal education law – the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – and supported in state laws throughout the country. Forty-six states require an arts credit to receive a high school diploma, and 43 states have instructional requirements in the arts in elementary and secondary schools.
“The NFHS, its member state associations and other statewide governing organizations for performing arts believe these programs are as important as the classroom work and are, in essence, the other half of education,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director. “There are more than four million participants in performing arts and other related school activity programs in our nation’s high schools, and it is critical that these programs remain in our schools during these challenging days ahead.”
Through the work of Dr. James Weaver, NFHS director of performing arts and sports, the NFHS has been on the frontlines to ensure that precautions are in place for students, teachers and administrators in high school performing arts programs when schools open in the fall. Among those efforts are instrument hygiene guidelines (https://www.nfhs.org/articles/covid-19-instrument-cleaning-guidelines/ ) in partnership with the NAMM Foundation and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), explaining how instruments can be safely returned and cleaned for use next school year.
The music and arts education community has been active during this pandemic in providing administrators, educators, and other stakeholders guidance and support, as well as forward-thinking planning for music educators and district arts supervisors to take a lead as school districts make plans for the next school year. In any decision about how school districts will operate in the next and future school years, music and arts education will be essential in providing all students equitable educational opportunities that also continue to prepare them for an ever-changing world.
To add your voice to this statement, your organization can sign on to the statement by emailing Essential@nafme.org.
Signing organizations as of May 26, 2020:
Afterschool Alliance
American Choral Directors Association
American Composers Forum
American Orff-Schulwerk Association
American String Teachers Association
Americans for the Arts
Barbershop Harmony Society
Carnegie Hall
Casio America Inc
Chorus America
CMA Foundation
College Band Directors National Association
Conn-Selmer, Inc.
D’Addario Foundation
Eastman Music Company
Education Through Music
Educational Theatre Association
Give a Note Foundation
Hal Leonard
Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Band Directors’ Consortium
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz Education Network
KHS America
KORG, USA
League of American Orchestras
Little Kids Rock
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation
Music for All
Music Teachers National Association
NAMM Foundation
National Art Education Association
National Association for Music Education
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards
National Dance Education Organization
National Education Association
National Federation of State High School Associations
National YoungArts Foundation
Organization of American Kodály Educators
Quadrant Research
QuaverEd
Recording Academy
Save The Music Foundation
State Education Agency Directors of Arts Association
The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation
United Sound, Inc.
Varsity Performing Arts
West Music Company
WURRLYedu
Yamaha Corporation of America
Young Audiences Arts for Learning
YOUnison
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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,500 high schools and 12 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.9 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
Chris Boone, 317-972-6900
Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
osaatoday@osaa.org
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