2015 NAMM D.C. Fly-In: Largest Advocacy Gathering Yet!

“Overall, the Fly-In was memorable on several levels,” notes NAMM Foundation executive director, Mary Luehrsen, regarding this year’s trip to Washington D.C.

“We were thrilled with the number of new NAMM Members that participated this year; about half of our 77 total delegates were first-timers. To me, this means that more NAMM members are turning their personal and business attentions to advocating for music education and that it is part of successful business strategy. They choose to be part of the Fly-In to rev up or expand their advocacy ‘chops’ and the Washington Fly-In has inspired many NAMM members to become more active as advocates in their states and local communities.”

Indeed, this May’s jaunt was the largest yet, with music industry leaders and musicians joining to encourage congressional support for quality, comprehensive music education for all children. This effort came as Congress looks to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The 2015 Fly-In included a day of service at D.C.’s Bancroft Elementary, advocacy training at the Kennedy Center and more than 130 meetings with members of Congress.

“There was far more urgency in our meetings with elected officials this year, mainly because of the upcoming reauthorization vote on the ESEA bill (Elementary and Secondary Education Act),” observes NAMM chairman Larry Morton (president of Hal Leonard). “Since the bill is motion in both the House and the Senate, our meetings were perfectly timed in terms of members of Congress needing to hear our views and our advice.”

“Right now, Congress is working to update the national education bill. This bill would impact 50 million children, shaping U.S. education policy for years, if not decades to come. A record number of NAMM members took time away from business and family to represent our industry and ensure that music and the arts remain core subjects getting the funding they deserve,” says Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “We are grateful for their efforts and believe that their passionate voice in support of music education will help achieve our vision of a world where every child has a right to music education.”

Seventy-seven NAMM members, former New York Yankee and Latin GRAMMY-nominated musician Bernie Williams, actor Doc Shaw, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, and more fortified the eleventh annual Fly-In to reinforce the importance of music education for all children. In face-to-face meetings with members of Congress, NAMM members and artists urged their representatives to designate core academic subjects including music and the arts in ESEA. The Senate HELP Committee’s version of ESEA includes “music” as a core subject. That version now goes to the full Senate.

A new NAMM Foundation-funded, nationwide study of 1,000 teachers and 800 parents finds strong support for music education at all grade levels. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K-12 Music Education in the United States 2015 was unveiled at the National Press Club during the Fly-In. The study finds that strong majorities of teachers and parents say music education is “very” or “extremely” important and should continue to be funded, even at the expense of other programs and classes.

NAMM members presented a SupportMusic Award to Congressman John Lewis (Georgia), who shared a powerful message about music’s role during times of change: “Without music the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.” The Fly-In culminated with a celebration of music education overlooking the Capitol where NAMM members surprised Bernie Williams with a SupportMusic Award. The Fly-In kicked off with a day of service at Bancroft Elementary. Fifth graders jammed on guitars, drums, and ukuleles with NAMM members, Williams, opera singer Carla Dirlikov, award-winning folk duo Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, GRAMMY-nominated music educator Glen McCarthy, and John Fitzgerald from Remo, Inc.

2015 Fly-In Delegates Chime In

“Many NAMM members continue to participate in the Fly-In and several describe it as an executive training event as they come together with other NAMM business leaders to learn about policy issues and serve as advocacy leaders. Being with our NAMM Members as they learn about and expand their advocacy expertise – and to see them in action as they carry a message to the Hill – is truly an honor, and frankly, it is thrilling. This year was also extraordinary in that we honored Congressman John Lewis, the legendary Civil Rights leader, with the SupportMusic Award recognizing a shared commitment to assure access and opportunity for all children and for all people…

“In terms of the legislative process, this was the first time that Fly-In advocacy efforts supported a bill that is headed to the Senate floor for debate having passed with bi-partisan support from the Senate education committee. In this Senate version of the bill, music is designated as a core academic subject, along with the arts and core subjects reading and math. Our Fly-In efforts were supporting a bill that has momentum and this was a significant change from other years.

“As we say in the lobbying field, ‘We are monitoring closely’ the progress of ESEA re-authorization – both in the Senate and the House. We anticipate that the Senate will take up debate and a vote in the next several weeks and this would be a significant step. The House has to take up their bill so there is a ways to go. I have my own version of a best-case scenario that not surprisingly, maintains the current Senate bill language on core academic subjects if and when a bill that passes both the House and the Senate reaches re-conciliation of the two bills that is then returned to both Houses for final passage. There seems to be momentum for re-authorization because of some agreement that ESEA needs to be fixed. It has been twelve years since No Child Left Behind was passed and championed as bi-partisan federal education legislation. And after a period of waivers, targeted grant funding programs through recession and recovery, and debates over national standards and common core, there is some agreement that ‘this bill needs fixing!’ We urge anyone interesting in the progress of ESEA to check NAMM’s ‘ESEA Tracker’ that offers news and updates at: www.namm.org/public-affairs/articles/track-esea-reauthorization-bill”

– Mary Luehrsen, NAMM Foundation

“This fly in was extremely powerful because we have the long-awaited ESEA legislation in the works. Our congressional representatives and their staff were very open to meeting with NAMM and understanding why the inclusion of music as a core subject is essential to music education. It is important to note that the success of this year is due to the ten years of previous fly ins, which laid the ground work for music education advocacy and built important congressional relationships.

“As a music educator I have seen first-hand how music and the arts have been impacted by the last 14 years of NCLB, Race to the Top, and NCLB Waivers. The current strength of music in schools is largely due to community action and advocacy that has kept arts programs thriving through the assessment-focused education landscape. The new Striking a Chord research presented by NAMM at the fly in clearly demonstrates how much parents and teachers value music and the arts. My hope is that our elected representatives pass legislation that reflects the well-documented perceptions and values of their constituency.” 

-John Mlynczak, PreSonus

“This was our biggest and most impactful Fly-In so far, with NAMM members conducting more than 130 meetings with Members of Congress. This year’s group also had a unique blend of ‘veteran’ and ‘first time’ delegates, which I think bodes well for the long-term effectiveness of this program.

“NAMM is strongly supporting the ESEA language that specifically references ‘music and the arts’ in the Senate version of the bill, which will be debated and voted on during early June. We expect the Senate version to pass and then get brought to conference with the House. Our hope and expectation is that the Senate language will be included in the final version of the bill and will then be passed by the House. A successful passage of this bill would be a great day for music education and for NAMM Members!”

– Larry Morton, Hal Leonard/NAMM

“This was my first advocacy Fly-In and it was truly like no other trip I’ve ever been on. I’d always heard that reaching out to one’s elected officials can make an impact on the decisions that they make on our behalf, but I never actually experienced it (and in all honesty didn’t really believe it). This trip changed my mind. I have no doubt that our voices were heard loud and clear by the members of the House and Senate with whom we were able to meet, and that music as a core academic subject will ultimately not be left out of the language in the final version of the ESEA. 

“Mary and her team with NAMM pulled off an incredible feat by providing just the right amount of time, personnel, and resources to make us feel like we could walk right into those Congressional offices and address every issue with confidence and clarity. And that’s exactly what we did.

“Lastly, I’ve never been prouder to be a part of an industry and organization that cares so deeply, not just for it’s own bottom line, but for the betterment of every child’s education and upbringing by trying to ensure that access to music is a part of that education… Now, I just look forward to the day when we can say, ‘mission accomplished.’”

– Daniel Shatzkes, Gig Gear LLC

“The Fly-In was rewarding and successful. Our message was focused and strong, the materials we had to make our case were fantastic, and the political environment and timing for our work was excellent.

“I had not done NAMM lobbying before, but I have visited offices on the Hill for music and educational advocacy before. This one was better organized and the delegates better prepared. Hats off to NAMM staff and to Nelson/Mullins folks as well.

“I am hopeful that the Senate floor will approve the bill that got unanimous support in committee. I am also hopeful that the House will approve a version of an ESEA bill, though it might not be HR5. I am hopeful that a conference committee will produce a bill that can be signed into law that contains the language we seek, but it may not be until Fall.”

– Dr. Tayloe Harding, University of South Carolina