WE DID IT!

S5770 is now a “Same As” bill with A9660 

         Come to the 47th Annual Joseph R. Sugar NYSSMA Day in Albany, 3/2/20! It’s more important than ever!

Dear Albany Participants,

I am pleased and proud to tell you of the extraordinary events that have taken place in the past week!  Many of you already know about Senator Jen Metzger’s bill S5770 which changes Music and Art from regulatory to statutory status. We now have a companion bill in the Assembly, A9660, and this has Bipartisan co-prime sponsors Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre and Assemblyman Ed Ra. This establishes New York as the first state to propose bringing the arts in line with their definition in ESSA as stand-alone subjects in a student’s “well-rounded education”.  Right now these bills are numbered and will be sent to the Senate and Assembly Education Committees to be agreed upon.  After that, they can be brought to the floor to be voted into law.  We have a LONG way to go, but getting these bills to now be “Same As” numbered bills is a huge accomplishment and step forward for music education.  This will become the most important ask that we can bring to our legislative appointments in Albany

When Joe Sugar created Music in our Schools Day 47 years ago, he could not have imagined that this uniquely New York event would become a month-long International celebration and that we would be on the threshold of becoming a statutory subject like Science and Math.  This year we are very hopeful that this groundbreaking legislation will be passed, legislation that has the potential to change the way Music Education is supported by our Federal and State Governments and their Education Departments.

Many hundreds of NYSSMA members from around the state will be attending.  Now is the time for you to make the decision to come to Albany and help kick off Music in our Schools Month.  Join your colleagues and help bring NYSSMA’s message of the importance of music education in the lives of our students to the legislators that represent them, their families and all of us.  Please contact your county political chairs and make arrangements to join them.  

Below you will find all the documents pertaining to our Day in Albany posted on this page for downloading. Copies will be sent to all County Presidents and Zone Reps for distribution as well. You will have time to review them and plan on your legislative visitation strategies.   Participants must make appointments with their Assembly and Senate representatives now if it has not been done already.  Invitations to all our representatives in Albany have beens sent, so they will know ahead of time what your appointment request is about.  Please invite them to our All-State Jazz Ensemble concert, South Concourse, 11:30 – 12:30 and the luncheon that follows, or to our Gala Evening Reception and Concert, 5:00 – 7:00 pm in Conference Room 6 of the Capitol Conference Center (by the Egg).

I look forward to greeting you in Albany, and working with you to get out our message: 

“Embracing Music Education for a Lifetime”!

2020 Day in Albany Schedule

Asks2020

NYSSMA-WhoWeAre

Alan’s Albany Tips 2020

10 Tips for Visits