While there is increasing support for arts education in the K-12 curriculum, it remains on the margins in many schools. To help put more muscle behind the mandates for arts education, today the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces the first round of grant recipients to participate in the Education Leaders Institute. Five multidisciplinary teams from states and municipalities across the country will receive NEA support to discuss arts education challenges at the first Institute March 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
The NEA Education Leaders Institute will convene the five teams, which are comprised of school leaders, legislators, policymakers, educators, professional artists, consultants and scholars. Together, these teams will discuss a shared arts education challenge, and jointly develop strategies to strengthen their state's arts education policies and programs.
'This is an ideal time to convene decisionmakers on arts learning,' said NEA Education Director Sarah Cunningham. 'There are resources and opportunities available now, and the Education Leaders Institute will bring national focus and momentum to this issue.'

http://www.arts.endow.gov/news/news07/ELI2.html