Curriculum lmpacts

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1. There is apparent disparity in the perception of music as curricular, co- curricular and/or extra-curricular. The severity of the situation is increased by the movement toward site-based management and the lack of a music supervisor.

   Generally, "curricular" refers to music classes/performing organizations that are held during the school day and apply music as a tool in the intellectual, emotional and social development of the student.

   "Co-curricular" refers to those outcomes of curricular music instruction that result in the performance or application of materials learned outside the school day, e.g., the performance of a Brahms Symphony by the orchestra at an evening concert. This performance may equate to the "final exam" for a music organization.

   "Extra-curricular" is a term applied to those activities of a musical organization which are/may be the result of curricular involvement in music, but that are primarily service or public relations in nature, e.g., the orchestra performing at a function for the local Rotary or Lions Club, or other community service activities.

2. The district needs to adopt these standards and definitions, or develop its own to assist in the decision-making process and the development of curricular policy.

3. The music program should be considered as a single curriculum with separate but equally important tracks, not as individual programs. In this way a music curriculum bears the resemblance to a mathematics curriculum in which algebra, trigonometry or calculus may perceived as different but a part of the same discipline.

4. There is evident inequity in student opportunities to participate in the music program. For example, some grade 5 students are allowed to participate in beginning band while others are denied; and there is no choir in grade 7.

5. At least four major issues prevent advancement in skill development leading to program mediocrity, low participation and extreme program attrition.

• The delay in beginning band instruction until grade 6.
• The failure to provide for daily band and choir in grades 7-12.
• The failure to provide for choir in grade 7.
• The inability to provide individualized attention through small group instruction.

Such decisions are often based upon the incorrect assumption that "pull out" programs (removing music students from the regular classroom) are academically disruptive. Such assumptions are incorrect.

1. Although the "pull out" system of instruction is a normal practice (nationally) at the elementary level, music students continue to demonstrate the highest SAT/ACT scores.

2. While the classroom teacher is required to make schedule adjustments in the presentation of materials, the best teachers understand the academic (and social) advantages to the student.

3. Classroom teachers understand the importance of small group instruction (class size), and have come to see the advantages of using that time when the music students are "pulled out" of class to work with smaller groups on review, remediation, or other special projects which may need more individualized attention.

4. Participation in the arts has been widely recognized as having significant positive effects on student development. The elimination of the music program can only have the opposite effect, leading to mediocrity in student achievement in all areas of the curriculum. We cannot afford to ignore the research.

Curricular stress has been accompanied by the perception of a decrease in administrative and/or non-music faculty support, leading at times to interdepartmental conflict at the expense of student opportunities in music. These may include the following:

1. Implementation of "exploratory" programs and lack of creative (student- centered) scheduling lead to restrictive and arbitrary placement of beginning, intermediate and advanced students within a single music group regardless of the wide diversity of skill levels present. Consequently, drop- out rates increase because of the frustration and/or boredom that results when circumstances require instructors to cover a scope that is too broad in any given class period. This is further complicated by the fact that larger numbers of students are placed in music performance classes, and small group "lessons" have been eliminated.

2. Arbitrary assignment of students to music classes prevents balanced instrumentation and voicing, leading to a poor musical experience for students.

3. Removing the option to provide grouping of students in music performance classes by skill level has made it more difficult for teachers to effectively deal with the needs of "At-Risk" and "Gifted-and-Talented" students.

4. Scheduling of music classes was reduced to less than once per day, slowing skill advancement and further discouraging students from continued participation.

5. The elimination of student participation opportunities, inadequate instructional time and failure to deal with the issue of diversity in skill levels has led to an overall decline in program excellence, further discouraging students who might otherwise participate.

   While it is recognized that the band recently placed first in its division at state festival, the choir has not been to state for several years. Further, this year the band only sent one small group to festival, and no soloists because of limited faculty time.

   Introduction
   History of Music in the St. Helens Public Schools
   Short and Long Term Impacts
   Student Participation Impacts
   Economic Impacts
   Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
   Appendix A
   What Makes A Strong Program
   Bibliography
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