Music Is Not for Insects

Dear Massachusetts, Georgia, Missouri, and Washington MENC members,

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings recently announced the scheduling of meetings in various cities intended to spark discussion of possible new Title 1 Regulations for No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Secretary Spellings has stated that “the purpose of these proposed regulations is to build on the advancements states have made in accountability and assessment systems under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in the past six years, while incorporating key feedback from the field into a more clear vision of what it takes to educate each and every student. Issuing regulations that strengthen Title I implementation will help bring about higher-quality assessments and stronger accountability for results, as well as provide parents with the information they need to make informed decisions about public school choice and Supplemental Educational Services.”

*Please note: The U.S. Department of Education is currently accepting public comments on the NPRM (proposed regulations) through June 23, 2008. Comments are to be submitted to the USDE in written form in accordance with the instructions in the NPRM. Additionally, individuals who wish to present comments during one of the scheduled public meetings should register at Special.Events@ed.gov, preferably one week, if possible, prior to the meeting. Any time that remains after online registrations are processed will be made available on the day of the specified meeting. Individuals who have not registered on the web and who wish to present comments should do so at the on-site registration desk on the date in question. For your use, a copy of the NPRM is available online at http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/reg/proposal/index.html.

The public meeting schedule appears in its current format below:

*Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Hilton Boston Back Bay Hotel
40 Dalton Street
Boston, Mass. 02115
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Fenway Room

*Thursday, May 15, 2008
Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus
2101 Womack Road
Dunwoody, Ga. 30338
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Auditorium, C1100, North Campus

*Monday, May 19, 2008
Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel
9103 East 39th Street
Kansas City, MO. 64133
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Royal Ballroom

*Thursday, May 22, 2008
W Hotel
1112 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Time: 9 a.m. - noon and 2 - 5 p.m. EDT
Meeting Room: Great Room 1

Thank you for your continued support of music education. Please be advised that MENC is preparing a series of bullet points relating to the proposed regulations for anyone interested in submitting comments to the U.S. Department of Education in weeks to come. These bullet points will be available in an e-mailed message similar to this one, next week, and will also appear in The Recorder, MENC’s advocacy and public policy news feed.