NAMM FOUNDATION NAMES
THE 'BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION'
Designation recognizes community support for music
education program.
The NAMM Foundation today announced the results of the
ninth annual “Best Communities for Music Education” survey, which includes 110
school districts across the U.S. The designated programs exemplify community
commitment to include music education as part of a quality education for all
children. The NAMM Foundation and its music education advocacy efforts work to
ensure that all children have access to quality music education programs that
encourage lifelong participation in music making.
This year’s roster of musical schools represents 29
states with New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia
representing the most districts.
Hundreds of teachers, school and district
administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders,
representing communities in all 50 states, participated in the Web-based
survey. The districts were measured across a variety of program support,
curricular and programmatic criteria. Furthermore, the results were measured
proportionally, so that communities of different sizes were compared equally.
Participants in the survey answered detailed questions
about funding, enrollment, student/teacher ratios, music class participation,
instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, private music
lesson participation, and other relevant factors in their communities’ music
education programs. The responses were verified with district officials, and
the sponsoring organizations reviewed the data.
“We commend these school districts for their commitment
to assuring that music is part of a complete education for children,” said Mary
Luehrsen, executive director, NAMM Foundation. “It takes the commitment of an
entire community to assure that music is part of the core curriculum. Children
engaged in music will be the innovation leaders of tomorrow, and there is no
better way to build life-long participation in music than with a solid base of
music education.”
Luehrsen also noted that throughout the survey’s eight
years several districts have reported that making the “Best Communities” list
has had a tangible effect on their ability to preserve music for their
students. This year, recipients cited increased enrollment in music programs
and more support from parents and community members as they realize the
physical, mental and emotional value music education brings to students.
Research reveals strong correlations between quality
music education in school and academic achievement. Students actively involved
with music programs develop skills needed by the 21st century workforce,
including critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication
and team work.
In conducting the annual survey, the NAMM Foundation is
joined by advisory organizations in the fields of music and education:
Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org),
League of American Orchestras (www.americanorchestras.org),
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (www.mhopus.org),
The Metropolitan Opera Guild (www.operaed.org),
Music for All (www.musicforall.org), Music Teachers
National Association (www.mtna.org), National Guild of Community
Schools of the Arts (www.nationalguild.org),
National PTA (www.pta.org), Yamaha Corporation of America
(www.yamaha.com) and VH1 Save The Music
Foundation (www.vh1savethemusic.com). The survey was
conducted by Enterprise Feedback Management company, Vovici,
(www.vovici.com).
About
The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across
the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public
service programs from the international music products industry. For more
information, visit www.nammfoundation.org.
The complete “Best Communities for Music Education in
America” roster is listed alphabetically below.
|
School District |
City |
State |
|
Abington School District |
Abington |
Pennsylvania |
|
Academy District 20 |
Colorado Springs |
Colorado |
|
Albion Central School District |
Albion |
New York |
|
Allendale Public Schools |
Allendale |
New Jersey |
|
Ann Arbor Public Schools |
Ann Arbor |
Michigan |
|
Arlington Independent School District |
Arlington |
Texas |
|
Baltimore County Public Schools |
Towson |
Maryland |
|
Bay Shore UFSD |
Bay Shore |
New York |
|
Bay Village City School District |
Bay Village |
Ohio |
|
Beachwood City Schools |
Beachwood |
Ohio |
|
Belmont Public Schools |
Belmont |
Massachusetts |
|
Benjamin Franklin Classical charter Public School |
Franklin |
Massachusetts |
|
Berea City School District |
Berea |
Ohio |
|
Big Horn County School District #2 |
Lovell |
Wyoming |
|
Black River Public School |
Holland |
Michigan |
|
Bolivar R-1 Schools |
Bolivar |
Missouri |
|
Brevard Public Schools |
Viera |
Florida |
|
Bristol Virginia City Schools |
Bristol |
Virginia |
|
Carmel Clay Schools |
Carmel |
Indiana |
|
Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD |
Carrollton |
Texas |
|
Central York School District |
York |
Pennsylvania |
|
Cheshire Public Schools |
Cheshire |
Connecticut |
|
Chesterfield County Public Schools |
Chesterfield |
Virginia |
|
Clarence Central Schools, NY |
Clarence |
New York |
|
Clark County School District |
Las Vegas |
Nevada |
|
Cleveland School District |
Cleveland |
Mississippi |
|
Clovis Municipal Schools |
Clovis |
New Mexico |
|
Commack Public Schools |
East Northport |
New York |
|
Community Unit School District 300 |
Carpentersville |
Illinois |
|
Coppell Independent School District |
Coppell |
Texas |
|
Cuyahoga Heights School District |
Cleveland |
Ohio |
|
David Douglas School District |
Portland |
Oregon |
|
DeKalb Schools |
Decatur |
Georgia |
|
Denton Independent School District |
Denton |
Texas |
|
Dubuque Community Schools |
Dubuque |
Iowa |
|
Ephrata Area School District |
Ephrata |
Pennsylvania |
|
Fairfax County Public Schools |
Falls Church |
Virginia |
|
Fargo Public Schools |
Fargo |
North Dakota |
|
Flemington-Raritan Regional School District |
Flemington |
New Jersey |
|
Folsom Cordova Unified School District |
Folsom |
California |
|
Fulton County Schools |
Atlanta |
Georgia |
|
Garnet Valley School District |
Glen Mills |
Pennsylvania |
|
Great Neck Union Free School District |
Great Neck |
New York |
|
Greenwich Public Schools |
Greenwich |
Connecticut |
|
Guilderland Central School District |
Guilderland |
New York |
|
Half Hollow Hills Central School District |
Dix Hills |
New York |
|
Henrico County Public Schools |
Richmond |
Virginia |
|
Hidalgo Independent School District |
Hidalgo |
Texas |
|
Hillsborough County Public Schools |
Tampa |
Florida |
|
Hilton Central Schools |
Hilton |
New York |
|
Hortonville Area School District |
Hortonville |
Wisconsin |
|
Hudson School District |
Hudson |
Wisconsin |
|
Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District |
Bedford |
Texas |
|
Island Trees School District |
Levittown |
New York |
|
Jericho Union Free School District |
Jericho |
New York |
|
Joliet Public Schools District 86 |
Joliet |
Illinois |
|
Jordan Utah School District |
Sandy |
Utah |
|
Klein Independent School District |
Klein |
Texas |
|
Lakeshore Public Schools |
Stevensville |
Michigan |
|
Lawrence Township School District |
Lawrenceville |
New Jersey |
|
Lebanon City Schools |
Lebanon |
Ohio |
|
LeRoy Central School |
Le Roy |
New York |
|
Letcher County Schools |
Whitesburg |
Kentucky |
|
Lewisville Independent School District |
Flower Mound |
Texas |
|
Littleton Public Schools |
Littleton |
Colorado |
|
Liverpool Central School District |
Liverpool |
New York |
|
Longwood Central School District |
Yaphank |
New York |
|
Loudoun County Public Schools |
Ashburn |
Virginia |
|
Lynn Public Schools |
Lynn |
Massachusetts |
|
Malta School District |
Malta |
Montana |
|
Metuchen School District |
Metuchen |
New Jersey |
|
Montgomery County Public Schools |
Christiansburg |
Virginia |
|
Monticello Central School District |
Monticello |
New York |
|
MSD Lawrence Township |
Indianapolis |
Indiana |
|
Nanuet Union Free School District |
Nanuet |
New York |
|
Niagara Wheatfield Central |
Niagara Falls |
New York |
|
North Allegheny School District |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
|
North Babylon Union Free Schools |
North Babylon |
New York |
|
North Rockland Central School District |
North Garnerville |
New York |
|
Nutley School District |
Nutley |
New Jersey |
|
Olmsted Falls City Schools |
Olmsted Falls |
Ohio |
|
Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School |
St. Johnsville |
New York |
|
Ossining Union Free School District |
Ossining |
New York |
|
Paramus Public School District |
Paramus |
New Jersey |
|
Pasadena Independent School District |
Pasadena |
Texas |
|
Pequannock Township School District |
Pompton Plains |
New Jersey |
|
Perrysburg Exempted Village School District |
Perrysburg |
Ohio |
|
Plano Independent School District |
Plano |
Texas |
|
Polk County Schools |
Lakeland |
Florida |
|
Port Jefferson School District |
Port Jefferson |
New York |
|
Pulaski Community Schools |
Pulaski |
Wisconsin |
|
Putnam Valley Central School District |
Putnam Valley |
New York |
|
Quaker Valley School District |
Sewickley |
Pennsylvania |
|
Randolph Township Schools |
Randolph |
New Jersey |
|
Roanoke County public school |
Roanoke |
Virginia |
|
Rush-Henrietta CSD |
Henrietta |
New York |
|
Santa Monica-Malibu USD |
Santa Monica |
California |
|
South Amboy School District |
South Amboy |
New Jersey |
|
South Huntington Union Free School District |
Huntington Station |
New York |
|
Springville Griffith Institute and Central School |
Springville |
New York |
|
St. John School District |
St. John |
Washington |
|
State College Area School District |
State College |
Pennsylvania |
|
Sycamore Community Unit School District #427 |
Sycamore |
Illinois |
|
Syosset Central School District |
Syosset |
New York |
|
Torrington Public Schools |
Torrington |
Connecticut |
|
Township of Union School Districts |
Union |
New Jersey |
|
Valier Public Schools District #18 |
Valier |
Montana |
|
Washoe County School district |
Reno |
Nevada |
|
Webster Central School District |
Webster |
New York |
|
West Des Moines Community School District |
West Des Moines |
Iowa |