Amplifying Our Voices: Advocacy Strategies for Title I Teachers

Music education classes are known sources of student engagement, community connection and academic success within schools. However, these classes often face unique challenges, including student access, funding for materials and supplies, and sufficient staffing and scheduling.

This interactive session will explore practical advocacy strategies for educators to champion the importance of music education. Whether you’re seeking to build support among administration, parents, or the wider community, this session will provide actionable tools to elevate your advocacy efforts.

Amanda Karhuse is the Assistant Executive Director for Advocacy and Public Policy at NAfME where she works with policymakers and key stakeholders to promote music as an integral and core component of a well-rounded education. In this role, she coordinates all federal and state policy and advocacy efforts for NAfME, which includes lobbying, coalition-building activities, and strengthening the capacity of music education advocates.

Prior to her tenure at NAfME, Amanda was the director of policy & advocacy for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) where she advocated for issues of national significance to school leaders and led a research initiative on principal turnover and retention. She also represented NASSP as the president of the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training and as chair of Advocates for Literacy.

Jazzmone Sutton is the Senior Manager for State Advocacy and Equity at the National Association for Music Education. Sutton joined the NAfME team in July 2021. Before joining NAfME as a staffer, Sutton was a passionate elementary music educator and advocate based in North Carolina.

As State Advocacy Engagement Manager, Sutton hopes to strengthen the connection between our state affiliates, their members, and educational stakeholders via proactive advocacy work. She leans heavily on her experience as an educator to provide practical and obtain able advocacy strategies for NAfME members.