CMEA Launches its Legally Authorized to Jam Campaign

Legally Authorized to Jam was made to inform you and your community that music education is required, by law in California public schools for Grades 1-6 and required to be offered to students in Grades 7-12. Education Code Sections 51210(e) and 51220(g), respectively, provide these legal requirements for all California schools districts to provide music and arts education.
The Legally Authorized to Jam campaign provides California music educators and citizens  infographics (example to the right) to show at school board meetings, holding local governing boards accountable with the law. 
How do you know if your school and district comply with the law? School Districts may apply for a waiver of requirements pertaining to the education code, but only if a public hearing is held prior to application for such a waiver.  Longtime music education advocate and CMEA Member Carl Schafer indicates that no such waivers for music education have been filed in recent years. 

What are music education leaders doing next to enforce arts education compliance?

Leaders of CMEA, CAEA (California Art Education Association), CDEA (California Dance Educators Association), CETA (California Educational Theatre Association) will be participating in a panel discussion at an Informational Hearing on Education Code Compliance as it pertains to arts education in California on November 6, 2015.  This hearing will be sponsored by the Joint Committee on the Arts, chaired by State Senator Ben Allen.  CMEA will post more information about the hearing on its Facebook Page soon. 

Things you can do: ​

  • Use the Tools. Go to standup4music.org website to view the infographic and slideshow presentation. 
  • Talk to an Expert. Email Carl Schafer, CMEA Member and advocate on the Education Code Compliance.  Contact Carl 
  • Stay tuned! Our next phase will be to make a video, but we’ll need your help. Check the Legally Authorized page on the StandUp4Music website for future directions.