Survey Generates "Snapshot of Music Education in America"

Source: Arts Wire CURRENT at Arts Wire

CARLSBAD, CA -- Successful music programs are found in communities that balance measurable resources, such as budgets and buildings, with less tangible assets, such as the will to make quality music education a reality, a nationwide survey of school music education programs has found.

"For the first time, we have a snapshot of music education in America," Michael Faulhaber, President of The American Music Conference, (AMC) commented about the study. "It couldn't come at a better time. With resources at a premium, and with the mounting scientific evidence that shows how vital music education is, its important for us to learn who's doing it right and why."

The AMC joined MENC, the National Association for Music Education; MTNA, the Music Teachers National Association; and NSBA, the National School Boards Association in creating the survey and distributing it nationwide over the World Wide Web. The sponsoring group worked with Perseus Development Corp. of Braintree, Mass. to implement the web survey and to analyze the wealth of data the survey generated.

The survey demonstrated that successful school music programs are found in both urban communities and rural ones, and in both wealthy areas and not-so-wealthy ones, according to AMC. The common thread is that they enjoy the support of parents, teachers, school decision-makers and community leaders who value music education highly.

"In this survey, and in future surveys, we hope to acknowledge those places in America that are doing the job of helping their children develop and grow through music," notes Dr. John J. Mahlmann, MENC executive director. In the process, we just might find that more communities want to take part in the power of music education to improve the present -- and to shape the future."

The Coppell Independent School District of Coppell, Texas and the Farmington Public School District of Farmington, Michigan are tied as the best in the survey's list of the top 100 places in America for music education. Other schools rated in the top twenty five were Berea City School District, OH; Carmel-Clay, IN; Plano ISD, TX; District #877 - Buffalo, MN; White Plains, NY; Fulton County, GA; Academy #20, CO; State College Area, PA; Miami-Dade Public Schools, FL; Cobb County Public Schools District #12, GA; School District of Lancaster, PA; Syosset, NY; Maize #266, KS; Hudson City Schools, OH; Glenview #34, IL; Niobrara County School District #1,& #9, WY; Centennial, PA; Cooperstown CSD, NY; Eastern Camden County Regional, NJ; Monro Public, MI; Lubbock, TX; Chatham, NJ; and Orono, ME.

More than 5,800 public school and independent teachers, school and district administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders, representing communities in all 50 states, participated in the Web-based survey between late February and late March. The participants answered detailed questions about funding, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, participation in music classes, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, participation in private music lessons and other factors in their communities' quality of music education.

"The survey demonstrates that excellent music instruction is more than a process -- it's a partnership," states Dr. Gary L. Ingle, Executive Director of MTNA. "Successful music programs result from the cooperative efforts of public school teachers, independent music teachers in the communities, parents, administrators, everyone who's in a position to influence students. Having physical resources isn't a cure-all. A quality musical environment is something a community must want for its young people and work together to achieve."

The AMC also released the findings of a recent nationwide survey conducted by the Gallup Organization, (on behalf of AMC) which found increasing participation in and support for active music making across the country. More than nine in ten Americans said they believe music education should be a part of every students day. More than three-quarters of the people questioned feel that states should mandate it.

Music participation and support for school music education are both significantly stronger than in an identical poll conducted in 1997, AMC reports. Another significant finding is the sharp increase in the number of people who believe music education helps students succeed in other academic areas.

"The results of this national survey leave no doubt that Americans feel strongly about music," says NAMM President and CEO Larry Linkin. "It's especially dramatic to see the growing clamor for music education in our schools."

Sources/resources:

AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE -- http://www.amc-music.com
For more information about the nationwide music education survey and the organizations that sponsored it, telephone the American Music Conference at 760-431-9124 or visit http://www.giles.com/musicedsurvey on the World Wide Web.

Arts Wire CURRENT is a project of Arts Wire, a national computer-based network serving the arts community. Arts Wire CURRENT features news updates on social, economic, philosophical, and political issues affecting the arts and culture. Your contributions are invited. Contact Judy Malloy, editor.

To encourage the exchange of arts information and perspectives, Arts Wire CURRENT contents are not copyrighted unless specifically stated. We ask that you cite Arts Wire CURRENT as well as Arts Wire's url (http://www.artswire.org) when reprinting material. In addition, Arts Wire is very interested in documenting the use of material from Arts Wire CURRENT in other newsletters, publications and on online networks. Please send a copy to: Joe Matuzak, Arts Wire Director.