UPDATED 8/14/26

PMEA is monitoring a Trump Administration proposal that would add brass-wind musical instruments, parts, and accessories to duties imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Section 232 is a federal trade authority used when imports are determined to threaten to impair U.S. national security. The proposal would apply a 25% tariff to affected imported brass-wind instruments and related products.

The public-comment period is now open. PMEA encourages educators, school districts, music retailers, repair providers, families, students, and other stakeholders to share information about how increased instrument and repair-part costs could affect access to school music education.

Comments must be submitted by August 27, 2026, through the Federal rulemaking portal. When submitting a comment, reference Docket No. BIS–2026–0331 and XRIN 0694–XC166.

NAfME has prepared a blog post with more information on their website.

This remains a proposal and is not yet final. PMEA will continue to monitor developments and share further guidance with members.

The NAMM Foundation Recognizes The Best Communities for Music Education

The Best Communities for Music Education acknowledges over 1,000 schools and districts across the United States for their commitment and support of music education.  The NAMM Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2026 Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Awards, a signature program recognizing and celebrating school districts and individual schools for their support and commitment to music education and their efforts to ensure access to music for all students as part of a well-rounded education.

Learn more at www.nammfoundation.org

Here are the Pennsylvania Best Communities and School designees. Congratulations!

BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION

BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS

The 2025–2026 Pennsylvania state budget delivers a milestone year for public education, with historic investments and new reforms coinciding with the recent resolution of the federal government shutdown. These changes provide crucial clarity and support for school districts across the Commonwealth as they move forward with budget implementation.​

Pennsylvania Education Funding in 2025–2026

The budget allocates over $900 million in additional education spending:

• $565 million is distributed through a revised adequacy formula, channeling resources to the districts with the greatest need.​

• Basic Education Funding increases by $105 million, bringing total funding in this category to $8.26 billion.​

• Special Education receives a $40 million boost, supporting equity and inclusion initiatives statewide.​

• School infrastructure is targeted with $125 million for modernization and safety improvements.​

• $100 million is dedicated to mental health and safety programs for students.​

Comprehensive Charter School Reforms

A highlight of this year’s budget is the sweeping reform of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter school funding system.​

• Aligning Tuition with Actual Costs: For years, school districts were required to pay cyber charter schools the same tuition rate as brick-and-mortar charters, even though online-only schools have significantly lower overhead. The 2025–2026 reforms recalibrate these payments so they better reflect the true costs of delivering online education, closing long-standing loopholes and adding new allowable deductions for expenses not incurred by cyber charters.​

  • Deductions include tuition paid to cyber charter schools for non-special education students, tax assessment and collection services, sixty percent of student activities, and sixty percent of operations and maintenance of plant services.

• Substantial Cost Savings: These changes will save traditional public school districts $175–178 million statewide in the coming year—funds that can be redirected to directly benefit students in local schools.​

• Weekly Wellness Checks: Another new requirement is that cyber charter schools must conduct weekly wellness checks, during which a teacher or administrator must visibly connect with each student. This measure was inspired by the need to ensure student safety following tragic incidents involving cyber students.​

• Impact on Cyber Charter Operations: The changes are significant; some cyber charter operators have reported the potential for staff reductions due to decreased revenue from the funding formula adjustment. However, advocates of reform point to increased fiscal responsibility and greater accountability, ensuring taxpayer dollars are focused on student needs, not inflated administrative costs.​

Federal Shutdown Context

• The budget negotiations unfolded in the shadow of the federal government shutdown, which has now ended; the resolution of federal uncertainties allowed Pennsylvania lawmakers to proceed with confidence, ensuring stability and full implementation of planned education initiatives.​

• The commitment to adequacy and equity—inspired by both federal and state mandates—remained central, with bipartisan support aligning around sustained increases and reforms in education spending.​

Summary Table: 2025–2026 Education Spending

New site features “Karl B” AI chatbot, state toolkits, and a webinar on September 29

In conjunction with National Arts in Education Week, the Music IS Education Coalition officially launches today and has released MusicIsEducation.org as a state and local-focused advocacy hub designed to help coalitions, education leaders, and community partners protect and expand music and arts education. Built with and for state advocates, the site centralizes research, data, policy briefs, and ready-to-use tools—including the new Karl B AI advocacy assistant—to accelerate campaigns in every state.

The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) is a member of the planning group for the Music IS Education Coalition. PMEA has worked for the past eight months to assist with the launch of this coalition to will strengthen state policy related to music education across the country.

State policy is where access to music and arts education is won or lost. MusicIsEducation.org provides coalitions with the practical, state-focused tools they need—plus an AI assistant that can draft letters, summarize policies, and direct advocates to the relevant data in seconds.

Save the Date: Music IS Education Webinar — September 29

To mark the launch, MusicIsEducation.org will host a webinar on September 29th at 7 PM Eastern Time, showcasing the site, the Karl B chatbot, and the toolkits, and engaging with attendees in a discussion regarding the year ahead. Registration is available at MusicIsEducation.org 

What’s Inside MUSICISEDUCATION.ORG

• State Coalition Advocacy Toolkits: Editable talking points, one-pagers, board and legislator letters, testimony templates, and media assets aligned to state needs.
• Policy Briefs: Plain-language explainers with implications for music/arts, threats/opportunities, and actionable next steps.
• Data Access & Dashboards: Direct pathways to the Arts Education Data Project (AEDP) and other trusted sources to quantify access, participation, equity gaps, and program needs.
• The “Karl B” Chatbot (AI): A purpose-built assistant to help advocates:
  • Draft policy letters, testimony, press releases, and op-eds tailored to your state.
  • Provide current research and policy information addressing emerging issues.
  • Locate state-level arts education data and convert it into persuasive talking points—fast.
• Campaign Starter Kits: Step-by-step guidance for launching district and state campaigns, including stakeholder mapping, meeting scripts, and rapid-response checklists.
• Stories & Case Examples: Field-tested approaches from coalitions and districts that have protected or expanded programs.

For resources, toolkits, and to try the Karl B chatbot, visit www.MusicIsEducation.org.

About Music IS Education

Music IS Education brings together state and national music education organizations to support effective advocacy at the state and local levels. Sharing trusted resources and new technologies in support of advocacy, the coalition showcases best practices, success stories, links to arts education data, policies, and research, as well as opportunities to connect with fellow advocates across the country. Advocacy is everyone’s responsibility so join the conversation, learn what opportunities are on the horizon, and get prepared for the coming year of advocacy in support of high-quality music and arts education for all students in your district, your state, and across the nation.

The Music IS Education Coalition comprises numerous education and industry partners. A complete list of organizations may be found here. 

July 17, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, a broad coalition of nearly 600 nonpartisan organizations representing educators, families, and learners in every state and the District of Columbia issued a united call to the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to immediately disburse over $6.8 billion in legally obligated federal education funds that remain unjustifiably withheld from states. The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) is among the organizations in the coaliton.

The letter, signed by national groups representing parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, summer and afterschool programs, literacy groups, music and the arts groups, and adult education organizations, along with hundreds of state and local organizations, underscores the severe disruption caused by the Department’s failure to release critical funding under multiple federal education programs, including:

• Title II-A: Supporting Effective Instruction
• Title IV-A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
• Title IV-B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Title III-A: English Language Acquisition
• Title I-C: Migrant Education
• Adult Basic and Literacy Education

“These programs serve more than 95,000 K-12 schools and 55 million students, as well as 1.2 million adult learners. The delays are forcing schools to lay off staff, cancel professional development, eliminate afterschool and summer programs, and scramble to prepare for the upcoming school year without the resources they were promised,” the coalition warned.

Despite legal requirements to disburse the funds by July 1, the Department and OMB have offered no clear rationale or timeline. Districts, adult education providers, and community-based organizations report significant harm to operations and planning efforts.

“With just weeks before schools reopen, this funding delay is sabotaging student learning, educator preparedness, and essential services—particularly for English learners, rural students, and families with the greatest need,” the letter states.

The coalition expressed deep gratitude to the Members of Congress who have already raised concerns to OMB and the Department, calling for transparency and the immediate release of funds. Their voices have been vital in elevating this crisis and standing up for the educational needs of their constituents.

“As advocates for students and families, we urge the Department and OMB to act without further delay. Every day these dollars are withheld is another day of unnecessary harm to our nation’s learners,” the statement concludes.

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Pennsylvania Leaders Advocate for Music Education with Federal Elected Officials during Appropriations Season

On June 11, 2025, more than 300 music education leaders and advocates convened in Washington, DC, to share the importance of music education with their federal legislators. Brett Keith (Altoona Area School District), Rebecca Sensor (DuBois Area School District), Abi Young (PMEA), Mark Despotakis (PMEA), Bryan Powell (Music Will), and Pennsylvania collegiate music education students: Abigail Drezewski, Vanessa Harper, Rachel Kroner, Amelia Lau, Keegan McLean, Hannah Oldham, Taylor Pastore, Nate Presutti and Cooper Sluka were among the many voices from across the country advocating for music education during the annual National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Hill Day.

“Teachers, by nature, are leaders—in their classroom, in their community, and most recently on Capitol Hill,” said NAfME President Deb Confredo. “The annual NAfME Hill Day provides a wonderful opportunity to engage with legislators and share the benefits of music teaching and learning. Many thanks to the congressional offices and music educators and advocates who made this year’s Hill Day a resounding success!”

“We at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association are grateful for the opportunity to meet one on one with our legislators and their staffers, to engage in productive conversations in support of music education and our students not just in our own state but across the county,” said Brett Keith, PMEA President. “These conversations, in reality, shape the future of our profession and how we all have the ability to truly support the creative and educational needs of our communities.”

When meeting with members of Congress, attendees shared their personal experiences of music education’s positive impact on their students and communities. These anecdotes helped facilitate conversation focused on how legislators can support federal programs and legislation ensuring all students have access to a well-rounded education that includes music.

NAfME advocates for federal programs that support a well-rounded education such as Titles I, II, and IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Additionally, advocates spoke with members of Congress to support legislation that can positively impact music education such as the Arts Education for All Act and Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators (RAISE) Act.

PMEA and NAfME extend a note of gratitude to the educators and supporters who work toward ensuring music education for all students.

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The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) is a statewide nonprofit organization of over 3,700 members, dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. The present membership evolved from a small group of band directors dating from 1933. Today, the organization includes those engaged in music instruction at all levels, from preschool through college and university, as well as those in the music industry, merchandising and publishing. The organization promotes and supports quality music education, learning and performance as well as promoting and supporting music education in schools and communities. PMEA is affiliated with The National Association for Music Education, NAfME.

The NAMM Foundation Recognizes The Best Communities for Music Education

The Best Communities for Music Education acknowledges over 1,000 schools and districts across the United States for their commitment and support of music education.  The NAMM Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2025 Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Awards, a signature program recognizing and celebrating school districts and individual schools for their support and commitment to music education and their efforts to ensure access to music for all students as part of a well-rounded education.

Learn more at www.nammfoundation.org

Here are the Pennsylvania Best Communities and SupportMusic Merit Award designees. Congratulations!

BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION

SUPPORTMUSIC MERIT AWARD