Washington, DC (December 10, 2015) — The Creative Coalition applauds the U.S. Senate’s approval of the Every Student Succeeds Act earlier this week as a major victory for all school children. The legislation will overhaul our nation’s education policy and includes a historic provision that incorporates the Arts into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), creating STEAM programs nationwide. The measure will now be sent to the White House where President Obama is expected to sign it into law.
Actor and President of The Creative Coalition Tim Daly said, “We look forward to President Obama signing the Every Student Succeeds Act into law. STEAM is a tremendous breakthrough that will encourage creativity and innovative thinking vital for our citizenry to remain competitive, and ultimately be successful.” Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition, added, “Integrating the ‘A’ into STEM ensures our next generation of leaders is equipped with the critical resources and learning tools that make for the most successful citizens.”
Last month, a House and Senate Conference Committee unanimously approved an amendment offered by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) that effectively turns STEM into STEAM by integrating the arts into STEM programs. Inclusion of the arts into traditional STEM curricula is aimed at increasing participation in these subjects and improved attainment of STEM related skills. The Bonamici amendment provides critical federal support for the arts and will improve access to the arts for potentially 50 million students, 100,000 schools and 3 million teachers.
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