The US House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Republican Tom Cole of Oklahoma, advanced a budget proposal that could eliminate funding for the Department of Education’s Assistance for Arts Education program—the only arts grant program in the department. Established in 2015, the program supports arts education for disadvantaged students and children with disabilities, awarding millions in grants to organizations serving families below the poverty line. The committee’s report argues that funding should focus on core subjects like reading, writing, and math, while the program received $36.5 million in the final budget last year despite similar threats.
This matters because cutting the program would reduce support for teacher professional development, accessible arts education, and community partnerships, according to Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts. The program’s fate now rests on Senate budget proposals and subsequent negotiations to draft a single budget bill. The proposed cut reflects ongoing political tensions over arts funding and the prioritization of STEM and literacy over arts education, potentially impacting millions of students and arts organizations nationwide.