NAMM Foundation Names the 'Best Communities for Music Education' - Designation Recognizes Community Support for Music Education Programs
Carlsbad, Calif. (PRWEB) May 8, 2008 -- 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. To view the complete roster of "Best Communities," visit www.nammfoundation.org.
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.
The complete "Best Communities for Music Education in America" roster is listed alphabetically below.
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 7 - Joliet, Montana
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
Le Roy 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
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