Today, U.S. Secretary of Education John King will visit and speak at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, a magnet school located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. King is expected to emphasize on the importance of a well-rounded education, including several mentions of music and arts education.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) has acquired an advance transcript of the speech, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education and Politico. King’s full prepared remarks can be found here.
“Often, teachers and administrators have told me, it’s because math and English/language arts were focused on so intensely by some districts and schools under No Child Left Behind that other subjects were under-attended to or even ignored.”
After his speech, Secretary King will be visiting the classroom of NAfME member, Bill Swick, Las Vegas Academy Guitar Program Director and Music Department Chair. Stay tuned for a follow up article on Bill’s experience with Secretary King’s visit to his classroom.
Secretary King’s positive voice for music education is an incredible step forward as we work to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act and ensure all students receive a broad and rich curriculum that includes sequential and standards-based music programs, as part of a Well-Rounded Education. NAfME is delighted to see the Secretary’s outward support for school music programs and we hope to see similar visits in the future.
Ronny Lau, Legislative Policy Advisor, Center for Advocacy, Policy, and Constituency Engagement, April 14, 2016. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)
