What ESSA Waivers Could Mean for Music Education

A Tradeoff We Cannot Afford

By Amber Friel, NAfME Communications Manager, Advocacy and Public Policy

Flexibility in education funding can be valuable, giving state and local leaders more room to respond to the unique needs of their students and communities. But when broad flexibility weakens requirements designed to guarantee federal resources reach the students and programs that need them most, it can create new challenges instead of solving existing ones.

For music education advocates, that tradeoff matters. Federal funding streams like Title I, Title II, and Title IV-A can provide transformative support for music programs, educators, equipment, professional learning, and other opportunities that help ensure students receive a well-rounded education that includes the arts.

As states consider and receive new waiver authorities under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), music education advocates need to understand what is changing, how those changes could affect federal funding, and where they can make their voices heard.

What ESSA Means for Music Education

Signed into law in 2015, ESSA reauthorized the nation’s primary federal K–12 education law and established the current framework for federal education programs. At its core, ESSA gives states and local educational agencies (LEAs) more authority and federal resources to support students and expand educational opportunities.

Importantly, ESSA also recognizes music and the arts as part of the “well-rounded education” it aims to provide all students, with federal funding streams offering support that expands access nationwide. At the same time, the federal framework establishes expectations for how these funds are used and creates implementation guardrails to promote accountability.

What Are ESSA Waivers?

Over the past year, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has encouraged states to seek waivers that would exempt them from certain federal requirements under ESSA. While waivers can provide useful relief from specific barriers, broad waivers can also change how federal resources are distributed and how states and districts are held accountable.

There are two primary types of waivers that advocates should understand:

• Ed-Flex waivers: States can seek authority to grant certain ESSA waivers to districts on a case-by-case basis. The program allows states to respond to specific circumstances or barriers faced by LEAs while maintaining a process for reviewing individual waiver requests. The key distinction is that Ed-Flex operates at the district level. A state may have authority to approve a waiver, but districts generally seek flexibility based on their own circumstances rather than automatically receiving a statewide exemption. For music education advocates, that local process is crucial: District-level decisions can take into account the needs of individual schools and communities, including how federal funding supports music and other well-rounded education opportunities.

• ESSA State waivers: ESSA State waivers provide even broader flexibility. Under the Trump administration’s “Returning Education to the States” initiative, entire states can seek blanket waivers from statutory or regulatory requirements related to the administration of ESSA, allowing them to consolidate or redirect certain federal funds and reduce associated requirements. Unlike Ed-Flex, which focuses on individual districts, these waivers can apply across an entire state. That means a single approved waiver can affect districts with vastly different needs, resources, and priorities. When funding requirements change statewide, districts may have more flexibility in how they use federal dollars, but music programs may also face greater competition for those resources.

These waivers were originally designed to provide targeted relief for specific, well-documented barriers to meeting ESSA requirements, with approval on a case-by-case basis by ED. They were not intended as a tool for states to opt out of the federal guardrails designed to ensure funding reaches the students, districts, and programs that need it most.

Why This Matters for Music Education

The question is not whether flexibility is inherently good or bad. The more important questions are:

• What is being waived?
• Who will make the resulting funding decisions?
• And what happens to programs serving students at the local level?

ESSA requirements can include state monitoring, training and technical assistance for LEAs, efforts to identify and eliminate state barriers, and support for programs and activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, including music and the arts.

The distinction between Ed-Flex and ESSA State waivers is especially important. A district-level Ed-Flex waiver is designed to address a specific local circumstance. A statewide ESSA waiver can change the rules for districts across an entire state, including districts that may have very different needs.

When ESSA requirements are waived, the effects can reach music programs and classrooms, even when the waiver itself is written at the state or federal level.

Impact Example: Title IV-A Funding

Title IV-A(opens in new tab) provides a useful example(opens in new tab) of how waiver decisions could affect music education.

Title IV-A is a flexible block grant that supports a well-rounded education, safe and healthy students, and the effective use of technology in schools nationwide. For LEAs receiving $30,000 or more in Title IV-A funds, federal law establishes spending assurances that include at least 20% for well-rounded education activities and at least 20% for safe and healthy student activities. Federal law also limits spending on technology infrastructure to 15% of the allocation.

Music and arts education can benefit directly from the well-rounded education portion of Title IV-A. Districts have reported using these funds for instructional resources, technology and digital media, instruments and equipment, arts integration, and other activities that expand educational opportunities.

However, when a state receives authority to waive ESSA requirements, the door may be opened for districts to direct Title IV-A funds toward other priorities. With ESSA State waivers in particular, removing requirements or consolidating funds can undermine congressional intent and impose the state’s priorities on local districts with varying needs.

That flexibility may be appropriate for some communities, but it can also make it more difficult for music programs to compete for resources, particularly in districts where music education already faces significant funding challenges or is deprioritized in favor of subjects like reading and math.

The impact will not be the same in every state or district, which is why understanding the specific waiver request matters. Music education advocates have the opportunity—and responsibility—to stay informed about proposed waivers in their states and push back when necessary.

Keeping Local Needs Front and Center

ED has framed the waiver effort as a way to reduce administrative burden and give state and local leaders greater discretion over federal resources. Music education advocates can recognize the value of reducing unnecessary administrative burdens while still asking what that flexibility means in practice.

What requirements would actually change? Which funds are involved, and would districts have a meaningful opportunity to weigh in? Just as important, what accountability would remain once the waiver takes effect?

These questions move the conversation beyond whether a waiver sounds appealing in principle and toward its potential impact on students and programs.

What Music Education Advocates Can Do

Because waiver requests and their potential impacts vary by state, music educators and advocates should stay informed about developments in their state and understand how proposed changes could affect their schools and districts. There is no single national approach to ESSA flexibility, so state-level coordination and advocacy are especially important.

Start by monitoring your state education agency(opens in new tab) for proposed or approved ESSA State and Ed-Flex waivers. Read the actual waiver language and identify which requirements and funding streams would be affected. Look beyond broad descriptions of “flexibility” to understand how proposed changes could affect access to music and other components of a well-rounded education for districts and schools.

Keep in mind that a waiver request does not necessarily mean a waiver will be approved, and opportunities for public input may be available throughout the process. Advocates should proactively monitor announcements and participate in public comment opportunities when they are available.

When weighing in, share concrete examples of how federal funding supports educators, equipment, instructional opportunities, and student access in your community. A music educator can describe what a Title IV-A investment made possible at a particular school, while a district leader can explain how funding supports access to instruments, technology, instructional resources, or other opportunities. These examples can help policymakers understand the real-world consequences of their funding decisions.

Resources such as the ESSA Waiver Watch(opens in new tab) can help advocates track waiver activity and understand broader efforts to roll back protections for the country’s most vulnerable students. The Arts Education Alliance’s federal funding toolkit also provides specialized information on Title I, Title II, and Title IV-A funding, including allowable uses and advocacy guidance.

Make Your Voice Heard

The goal is not simply to oppose all waivers. It is to make sure flexibility offered by the waivers remains a tool for addressing genuine local needs while preserving meaningful access to a well-rounded education, including music, for students who depend on these resources.

Stay informed, read the waivers, and understand what is changing. Speak up about what those changes could mean to help strengthen music education in your schools and communities.

When funding rules change, advocates need to be at the table. Sharing your story and making the local impact clear can help ensure policymakers understand what is at stake for students and programs.

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