Federal Funding to Support Arts Education

The Arts Education Alliance has created resources to help arts education advocates understand federal funding and take action. 

Overview of Federal Funds—Titles I, II, IV-A  

The Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA)—Passed in 2015, ESSA shifted the federal focus to support for a “well-rounded” education that includes music and the arts (defined as: dance, media arts, theatre, and visual arts). With the passage of ESSA, Title funds may be used to support arts programs. 

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Title I  

A grant program to help ensure that students, regardless of family income, can acquire an equitable education and achieve proficiency on challenging academic standards. 

Funding Recipients: Local Education Agencies and Schools 

Allowable Uses: Title I funds may be used to purchase classroom materials to support student achievement in an area highlighted by a district needs assessment. 

Example: “Following a community needs assessment we used Title I funds to hire additional arts teachers.” 

Title I, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act Toolkit

Title II  

Focuses on improving student academic achievement by bolstering skills and expertise of teachers, principals, and other educators and increasing the number of high-quality teachers and principals in schools. 

Funding Recipients: Local Education Agencies and Schools 

Allowable Uses: Title II funds can be used to prepare, train, and recruit teachers and other education professionals, including content-specific professional development which is so often lacking for arts educators. 

Example: Aligned to school goals, Visual Arts Educators can utilize funds to support professional learning to gain new instructional strategies in the arts for reaching and serving all students. 

Title II, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act Toolkit

Title III  

A grant program designed to improve the education of English Learner (EL) children and youth by helping them learn English and meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards. 

Funding Recipients: State Education Agencies 

Allowable Uses: Title IV funds may be used to support activities that provide students with a well-rounded education, which includes dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. 

Example: “Title IV-A funds were used to purchase curriculum modules to support struggling visual arts educators.” 

Title IV  

A flexible block grant program which supports activities in three broad areas: 

(1) providing students with a well-rounded education (e.g., college and career counseling, STEM, arts and music, civics, advanced placement); (2) supporting safe and healthy students (e.g., comprehensive school mental health, drug and violence prevention, health and physical education); and (3) supporting the effective use of technology. 

Funding Recipients: Local Education Agencies 

Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Toolkit 

Assistance for Arts Education Program (AAE)  

(1) The development and dissemination of accessible evidenced-based instructional materials; (2) implementation of evidence-based professional development programs for arts educators; and (3) outreach activities to expands partnerships between education institutions and community/national arts centers.

Funding Recipients: Local Education Agencies and Nonprofit Organizations

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)  

IDEA is a law that makes available free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B. 

Funding Recipients: State Education Agencies, Institutions of Higher Education, and Nonprofit Organizations 

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V)  

The Perkins Act is a law authorizing federal funds to improve career-technical education programs, integrate academic and career technical instruction, serve special populations, and meet gender equity needs. 

Funding Recipients: State Education Agencies 

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NAEA Position Statements
Arts Education Alliance
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