During the campaign, Barack Obama promised to spend more on the U.S. Department of Education's Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants. These grants are used for arts curricula in elementary and middle schools through partnerships with private organizations that have arts expertise.

The grants fall under the umbrella of the Arts in Education initiative, which is overseen by the Office of Innovation and Improvement, with $13.7 million for the grants in 2009. As part of his 2010 budget, President Obama requested $38.2 million for Arts in Education, with $14.7 million designated for the grants -- a 7 percent increase over 2009. The rest of the money would go to a professional development program, the Very Special Arts (VSA) program, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

On July 24, 2009, the U.S. House passed H.R. 3293, a bill that provides funding for the Department of Education for 2010. The bill contained $40.2 million for Arts in Education, a 5.2 percent increase from 2009. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the bill on July 30, with $40 million for the initiative. The bill, however, still has to be approved by the full Senate and the two slightly different amounts have to be reconciled.

We couldn't find precise figures as to how much each chamber designated specifically for the model development and dissemination grants. Nevertheless, both the House and Senate Appropriations committees increased funding for the program that encompasses these grants. Moreover, the amount in President Obama's 2010 budget request was higher than what the program was allocated in 2009. We will wait to see the final figures, but for now, we rate this promise In the Works.