When a child picks up an instrument — whether it’s a guitar, trombone, flute, or cello — they’re receiving a unique brand of education that cannot be taught from a textbook.

However, there more than 3.8 million pre-K through grade 12 students in the United States who have zero access to music education. Whether this stems from a lack of funding or a lack of interest, students across America are missing out on the type of valuable lessons that can be taught only through music education.

A new nonprofit called The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition aims to dramatically lessen this number by covering the expensive costs of musical instruments, recording equipment, and professional development courses for teachers in Philadelphia, New York City, and Nashville.

Read the full article by Jeremy Glass about arts education from Mashable