Through the work of Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the U.S. Senate bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now includes support for STEAM!

Coming off the heels of the 29th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy with executive, technologist, and designer John Maeda and his lecture titled "STEAM Makes STEM Taste Better," the excitement around STEAM -- and its proven results -- continues to build.

SAY Sí (San Antonio Youth, YES) has long been known as San Antonio’s premier out-of-school time creative youth development organization. Since its inception in 1994, its growing success rates have garnered national attention and recognition. But for the first time in its 21-year history – SAY Sí’s tuition-free programs will go global. SAY Sí is the receipient of the 2013 Leadership in Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts.

In California State Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica)—the chair of the Joint Committee on the Arts—introduced Senate Bill 916 on January 27 to establish single-subject teaching credentials for dance and theatre. Also known as the Theatre and Dance Act, the bill was proposed in response to concerns raised at a hearing of the Joint Committee on the Arts held last fall about the lack of stand-alone credentials for dance and theatre. Sen.

Vans and Americans for the Arts envision a country where every child has access to—and takes part in—high quality learning experiences in the arts, both in school and in the community. As such, the two organizations partnered to create the Custom Culture Grant Program to promote awareness and support arts education in public schools. Today the partners announced that eight schools across the country that have been awarded a $2,500 grant for the 2015-2016 school year. 

The NABE Foundation, a partner of Americans for the Arts and the charitable arm of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) is awarding its eighth annual Americans for the Arts scholarship to encourage the integration of the arts into the economic education process.

During the week of December 14, 2015, the New York City Department of Education released the Annual Arts in Schools Report for the 2014-2015 school year. The report reflected the first year of data that was available since the city implemented its $23 million annual arts education funding initiative.

In a study released on December 16, 2015, Metro Schools’ collaborative Music Makes Us initiative is credited with increasing musical participation among Nashville students, as well as supplying them with the soft skills and character traits that will set them up for success in academics and life. The study shows growth in music programs at every level, particularly in the important middle school years, and 100 percent music participation at the elementary level.

The Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law last Thursday, includes the arts alongside math and language arts in its definition of a "well-rounded education." That ensures that arts education programs and teachers are eligible to receive federal funds through provisions such as Title I, which supports disadvantaged students, and Title II, which supports teachers. 

Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce the newly elected leadership of its four National Advisory Councils. These individuals were nominated by their peers to advise Americans for the Arts staff on programs and services for the fields of Arts Education, Emerging Leadership, Public Art, and the Private Sector. Each will serve three year terms beginning January 1, 2016 and will join an existing slate of advisory council members, national leaders, who use their field expertise to connect the national work of Americans for the Arts to the local level.

In a speedy few weeks, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in landslide votes: 85-12 in the U.S. Senate and 359-64 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, December 9, the Senate passed the Every Student Succeeds Act 85-12, on the heels of its passage in the House last week.

The bill — which the president is scheduled to sign Thursday, 12/9 — would "dump the current law’s intense focus on test scores and the well-intentioned but impossible goal of having all students reading and calculating at grade level." We're one step closer to saying a permanent farewell to the widely unpopular No Child Left Behind Act. 

The Little Rock Board of Directors unanimously passed on December 1 a two cent tax increase on hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, and short-term vacation rentals to help fund cultural projects. While the hotel tax increase will not require voter approval, voters will decide on February 9 how the money will be allocated for improvements to MacArthur Park, the Arkansas Arts Center, and the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. 

Indiana State Board of Education unanimously rejected a proposal from the Indiana Career Council in early November, which would have limited arts education for Indiana students.

The proposal was intended to provide high school graduation requirements for all students beginning with the class of 2022. It would have increased the amount of mathematics courses required, financial literacy and others. However, the proposed requirements would have limited school flexibility and removed the arts, allowing for wavers from arts courses for any honors students.

The National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Education have selected the Education Commission of the States (ECS) to serve as the new host organization for the Arts Education Partnership.