[MASTA] Federal Arts Legislation Needs Your Voice Now!

[Diane Winder]

MASTA!
As part of our Artserve collaboration, we have received this notice which alerts us to pending Federal debate and legislation, which directly affects arts education across the US - in your classrooms, for your students. Please read the email, reflect and take a few minutes to let our legislators know where the Arts Community stands. 
Thank you for sharing and using your voices. 
Best regards, Diane L. Winder, President, MASTA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Triplett <sarah at artservemichigan.org>
Date: Thu, Jul 18, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Subject: Take Action: Federal Education Bill Vote Expected TODAY
To: Paul Lichau <plichau at msboa.org>


 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives will begin debate of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) legislation which provides federal funding for K-12 public education and contains key provisions for arts education. As with many issues at the federal level, party lines have been drawn and your support is needed to strengthen arts education in the reauthorization of the ESEA.

Congressman John Kline (R-MN) is expected to put forth the Republican version of H.R. 5, otherwise known as the Student Success Act. This version of the legislation would surrender federal ability to ensure all students are provided equal access to a well-rounded, high-quality education, and would relinquish federal accountability of student achievement to states and local governments. Many organizations within the arts community oppose this bill due to proposed changes regarding classroom time, funding and testing, and the elimination of block grant funding for model arts education programs, all of which would negatively impact arts education.

As an alternative, Congressman George Miller (D-CA) will offer an amendment on the floor as a substitute bill to H.R. 5. The substitute is imperative to fortify arts education in elementary and secondary education programs by providing balance and flexibility to hold schools accountable, adds art and design to STEM curriculum as well as skilled teachers to implement the curriculum, restores funding for critical arts education grants, and includes the arts as an eligible activity in ExpandedLearningTime in Turnaround Schools.

TAKE ACTION

Speak Up - Take just two minutes to join Americans for the Arts Action Fund and thousands around the country to send a message to Congress to support arts education today. Click here for a template email you can send as-is or create a personalized message in just a few easy steps.https://votervoice.net/ARTSUSA/Campaigns/29841/Respond

Watch Live - Watch the ESEA debate live at http://www.house.gov/content/features/story2/

As always, ArtServe Michigan will continue to monitor this and other issues of importance to the creative community. Please feel free to contact Sarah Triplett, Director of Public Policy with any questions or concerns you may have via email at sarah at artservemichigan.org or by phone at517.599.7784begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            517.599.7784      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. 		 	   		  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://astamichigan.org/pipermail/members_astamichigan.org/attachments/20130718/91fdaaf5/attachment.html>