Actually, Make That 101 Communities - First-Ever Tie Emerges as Leading Music and Education Groups Unveil Results of Annual Nationwide Survey
CARLSBAD, Calif., For the sixth year in a row, a survey conducted by a partnership
of leading music and educational organizations has identified the "Best
100 Communities for Music Education in America."
Because of an unprecedented tie, this year's "Best 100" actually comprises
101 communities. The 2005 roster includes school districts from 34 different
states whose commitment to quality music education -- measured across a variety
of economic, curricular and programmatic criteria -- has enabled them to stand
out despite the many pressures on music programs across the country. The list
is appended below, and the complete results, along with background information
on music education and the survey, can be seen in their entirety at http://www.amc-music.org
.
The unveiling of the survey results coincides with "Music In Our Schools
Month," an observance that highlights this vital topic every March. In
a 2003 nationwide Gallup Poll, 93 percent of Americans said that schools should
offer musical instrument instruction as part of the regular curriculum. The
mental and physical benefits of active music making have been well documented
over the last decade. However, tight budgets in many of the 50 states have squeezed
school music budgets, and music programs remain imperiled even in communities
on the "Best 100" list.
This year's survey was conducted jointly by the country's top organizations
devoted to music and learning. The American
Music Conference ( http://www.amc-music.org ) joined MENC: The
National Association for Music Education (http://www.menc.org), The Mr.
Holland's Opus Foundation ( http://www.mhopus.org ), The
Music for All Foundation ( http://www.music-for-all.org ), The
Music Teachers National Association ( http://www.mtna.org ), The
National School Boards Association ( http://www.nsba.org ), Yamaha
Corporation of America ( http://www.yamaha.com ) and VH1
Save The Music Foundation ( http://www.vh1savethemusic.com ) in creating
the survey and interpreting the results. Perseus
Development Corp. of Braintree, MA ( http://www.perseus.com ) donated its
time and expertise to implement the web survey and to analyze the data it generated.
Because the criteria in the survey are measured proportionally, large communities
and small ones are able to participate on an equal footing - and the results
bear out the conclusion that communities of varying sizes and levels of affluence
have an equal chance of making the "Best 100" list. Where people value
music and resolve that their children won't be denied its benefits, parents
and educators find a way to succeed.
"We all know about the pressures that are endangering music programs around
the country," says AMC Associate Executive Director Laura Johnson. "As
we work to ensure that every child has a quality musical education, it's important
to shine the spotlight on those communities that have risen to the challenge
so well. Theirs is an example worth following."
A 2001 study published by The College Entrance Examination Board found that
students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on the verbal and 44
points higher on the math sections of the SAT than students with no arts participation.
U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students
indicates that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in
instrumental music over the middle and high school years show "significantly
higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12." And a Canadian study
published in the August, 2004 issue of Psychological Science showed that young
students who underwent nine weeks of piano or voice training showed increases
in IQ that were greater than the increases in kids without musical activity.
Similar studies continue to emerge.
Thousands of 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 during January, February
and March. Participants in the survey 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 responses were verified with district officials, and the sponsoring organizations
reviewed the data.
For more information about the nationwide music education survey and the organizations
that sponsored it, call the American Music Conference at (760) 431-9124 or visit
http://www.amc-music.org on the Web.
Note: The complete 2005 Best Communities list is appended below.
School District Name City State
Abington Heights School District Clarks Summit PA
Aldine Independent School District Houston TX
Arlington Independent School District Arlington TX
Arlington Public Schools Arlington VA
Auburn School District No.408 Auburn WA
Avon Lake City School District Avon Lake OH
Bay Village City School District Bay Village OH
Berlin Boro Board of Education Berlin NJ
Binghamton City School District Binghamton NY
Bozeman Public Schools Bozeman MT
Bucyrus City School District Bucyrus OH
Burlington City School District Burlington NJ
Camp Hill School District Camp Hill PA
Cedar Grove-Belgium Public Schools Cedar Grove WI
Central Kitsap School District Silverdale WA
Central York School District York PA
Cheshire Public Schools Cheshire CT
City School District of New Rochelle New Rochelle NY
Clarence Central School Clarence NY
Clark County School District Las Vegas NV
Clovis Municipal Schools Clovis NM
Cobb County School District Marietta GA
Community Unit School District 200 Wheaton IL
Conestoga Valley School District Lancaster PA
Converse County School District #2 Glernock WY
Corning-Painted Post Area School District Painted Post NY
Cranford Public Schools Cranford NJ
Cupertino Union School District Cupertino CA
Dearborn Public Schools Dearborn MI
East Brunswick Twp School District East Brunswick NJ
Eastern Lancaster County School District New Holland PA
Ephrata Area School District Ephrata PA
Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA
Forestville School District Forestville CA
Fort Bend Independent School District Sugar Land TX
Fox Chapel Area School District Pittsburgh PA
Frenship Independent School District Wolfforth TX
Fulton County Schools Atlanta GA
Garden City Union Free School District Garden City NY
Garland Independent School District Garland TX
Grand Forks Public School District #1 Grand Forks ND
Great Neck Union Free School District Great Neck NY
Greenwich School District Greenwich CT
Gwinnett County Public Schools Lawrenceville GA
Henrico County Public Schools Richmond VA
Hillsborough County School District Tampa FL
Homewood City Schools Homewood AL
Horry County School District Conway SC
Hortonville Area School District Hortonville WI
Howard County Public Schools System Ellicott City MD
Hudson School District Hudson WI
Kingsport City Schools Kingsport TN
Lafayette School District Lafayette CA
Lampeter-Strasburg School District Lampeter PA
Lewisville ISD Lewisville TX
Lincoln Public Schools Lincoln NE
Loudoun County Public Schools Leesburg VA
Maine Consolidated School District #10 Parks AZ
Marshall Public Schools Marshall MN
Meade 46-1 School Dist. Sturgis SD
Melrose Public Schools Melrose MA
Millard School District Omaha NE
Mount Pleasant City School District Mount Pleasant MI
New Hanover County Schools Wilmington NC
New Hope-Solebury School District New Hope PA
New Providence School District New Providence NJ
Newton Local School District Pleasant Hill OH
North Merrick Union Free School District North Merrick NY
North Rockland Central School District Garnerville NY
Northport-East Northport UFSD Northport NY
Nutley Town Schools Nutley NJ
Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School St. Johnsville NY
Orange County School District Orlando FL
Paramus Public Schools Paramus NJ
Pearl Public School District Pearl MS
Pennsbury School District Fallsington PA
Piscataway Township Schools Piscataway NJ
Pulaski County Schools Somerset KY
Quaker Valley School District Sewickley PA
Red Rock Central Schools Lamberton MN
Rocky Point Union Free School District Rocky Point NY
Saint Lucie County School District Fort Pierce FL
School District of Oconee County Walhalla SC
Southwestern CSD at Jamestown Jamestown NY
Springfield R-xii Public Schools Springfield MO
State College Area School District State College PA
Summit Hill District 161 Frankfort IL
Tippecanoe School Corporation Lafayette IN
Torrington Public Schools Torrington CT
Trinity Area School District Washington PA
Ukiah Unified School District Ukiah CA
Van Buren Local School District Van Buren OH
Warrensburg R-VI Warrensburg MO
Waterford School District Waterford MI
West Genesee Central School District Camillus NY
West Irondequoit Central School District Rochester NY
West Milford Township Public Schools West Milford NJ
Wicomico County Board of Education Salisbury MD
Williamsport Area School District Williamsport PA
Winfield School District 34 Winfield IL
Worcester County Public Schools Newark MD
Source: American Music Conference
