NAfME BLOG
Expanding Access to Arts Education: A Call for Stronger Federal Investment
As Congress begins shaping the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, arts education advocates are making the case for stronger federal investment in our nation’s students. On April 16, 2026, the Arts Education Alliance submitted written testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, underscoring the essential role federal funding plays in expanding access to a well-rounded education that includes the arts. Representing a unified voice across disciplines, the coalition is calling on lawmakers to build on recent progress by increasing support for key programs that serve arts students and educators nationwide. The testimony below outlines these priorities, backed by data, research, and the shared commitment of our member organizations to ensure every student has access to high-quality arts learning opportunities.
Arts Education Alliance FY 2027 Written Testimony
“On behalf of the Arts Education Alliance, I urge the Subcommittee to make a strong federal investment in FY 2027 for programs that support a well-rounded education inclusive of dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. Our strategic partnership, representing national education organizations across all of these disciplines, is united in its commitment to ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality arts education, regardless of state or district. Robust federal investment is essential to sustaining and expanding these opportunities, particularly for students in underserved communities.
Federal education programs play a critical role in ensuring equitable access to arts education nationwide. We call on the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to increase funding for Title I, Title II, Title IV-A, the Assistance for Arts Education program, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Together, these programs provide the foundation for access, quality, and equity in arts education. Any reduction in funding would directly limit opportunities for student participation, with the greatest impact falling on those with the highest needs. We are grateful that Congress maintained level funding in FY 2026 despite significant proposed cuts, but increased investment is necessary to address persistent unmet needs and inequities.
Current funding levels demonstrate both the scope and the stakes of these investments. Title I ($18.4 billion) supports schools serving low-income students and can be used to expand access to arts education. Title II ($2.2 billion) strengthens the educator workforce—including arts educators—through recruitment, retention, and professional learning. Title IV-A ($1.4 billion) provides flexible funding to support a well-rounded education, including the arts. The Assistance for Arts Education program ($36.5 million) supports professional development for arts educators, accessible instructional materials, and partnerships among schools, districts, and arts organizations. IDEA ($15.5 billion) ensures that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education, including meaningful access to the arts. By avoiding cuts to these vital programs in FY 2026, Congress reaffirmed the importance of arts education in supporting student success nationwide; however, without sustained increases, their reach remains limited.
Findings from our March 2026 report, Arts Education Funding: A Two-Year National Snapshot—which analyzes survey data on how K–12 districts nationwide used federal and local funding streams to support arts education over two consecutive school years—demonstrate both positive program impacts and ongoing challenges. While the percentage of survey participants reporting the use of federal funds for arts education increased significantly from 27% in the 2023–24 school year to 55% in 2024–25, almost half of respondents still reported no knowledge of receiving federal funding support. When available for arts programs, these funds are most frequently used for instructional materials and supplies, including textbooks and digital resources, as well as instruments and equipment. More than one in five respondents also reported using federal funds to support professional learning, staffing, curriculum development, and facilities improvements. These investments are meaningful and, in many cases, transformative, but unmet needs remain high in staffing, facilities, equipment, and long-term sustainability, highlighting that current funding levels fall short of meeting the full scope of need.
At the same time, access to arts education remains deeply uneven. Data from the Arts Education Data Project show that only 15% of schools nationwide offer instruction in three arts disciplines, and just 9% offer four or more. Schools serving high proportions of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are nearly twice as likely to offer no arts education at all. These disparities highlight the indispensable role of federal investment in closing opportunity gaps and ensuring that all students have access to a comprehensive education that includes the arts.
The benefits of arts education are well-documented and far-reaching. Beyond their intrinsic value, the arts have a measurable and lasting impact on students and their communities:
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- Arts education supports key social and emotional competencies. By centering self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-management, perseverance, social awareness, and relationship skills, arts education is associated with stronger student engagement in collaborative learning and the development of creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.
- Participation in the arts is associated with better attendance and behavior. Students who enroll in arts classes throughout high school show 32–51% lower rates of chronic absenteeism than peers who do not, and are more likely to remain enrolled. In addition to better attendance, students in arts programs had fewer disciplinary issues and improved on-task behavior compared with non-participating students.
- Arts education can positively impact young people’s understanding of their identity and culture. It supports the development of language and motor skills, builds empathy, and is associated with improved learning in both the arts and other academic subjects.
- In-depth arts involvement is associated with stronger outcomes for low-income youth. Low-socioeconomic status students with sustained arts participation earn better grades and show higher rates of college enrollment and completion than peers with limited arts exposure.
The evidence is clear: Supporting arts education is a high-impact, evidence-based investment in student success. While prior funding decisions have helped stabilize arts education, they have not fully addressed nationwide inequities or the ongoing needs of students and educators. Without increased federal support, too many students—especially those in underserved communities—will continue to lack access to these opportunities.
As the Subcommittee considers FY 2027 appropriations, we respectfully urge you to move beyond level funding and make targeted increases to Title I, Title II, Title IV-A, the Assistance for Arts Education program, and IDEA. Strengthening these programs is essential to expanding access and ensuring that every student benefits from a well-rounded education that includes the arts.”
Take Action: Support Arts Education Funding
As budget negotiations advance in the coming weeks, this is a critical moment for arts education advocates to speak up. The Arts Education Alliance encourages you to take part in our ongoing FY 2027 advocacy campaign by contacting your members of Congress and voicing your support for increased federal investment in arts education. We urge you to draw on the data and insights shared in this testimony to inform your outreach. Whether you are engaging policymakers, mobilizing your community, or amplifying the message online, each effort contributes to sustained advocacy and plays a key role in ensuring that every student, in every community, has access to the transformative benefits of arts education.
