Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

The community recognizes the need for fiscal responsibility within the school district in a time of difficult funding.

The community recognizes that a strong music program is important to the image and economy of the school district and the community.

The community recognizes the importance of maintaining a strong music program for the social, academic and intellectual development of the total student.

The community recognizes that parents of music students and music teachers make significant financial investments in the school district with the rental/purchase and maintenance of their own music instruments, the raising of funds, and the writing of grants to assist in the funding of the music program.

The community recognizes that there will be a significant decline in student participation should the district consider any further reductions in the music curriculum.

The community recognizes the potential for the collapse of the entire music program.

The community recognizes the potential for increasing student participation in band and choir, and its financial advantage to the district.

Therefore, it is with careful consideration that we request the formation of a Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding the structure of the music curriculum. We recommend that the constituency of that Task Force include balanced representation of the following constituencies.

Administrative Representation:

Central Administration
High School Administration
Middle School Administration
Elementary School Administration

Instructional Staff:

Elementary Vocal/General Music
Elementary Band
Secondary Vocal Music
Secondary Band
Elementary Classroom Teacher
Secondary Classroom Teacher

Community Representation:

• Elementary Music Parents (2 per school)
• Middle School Music Parents (2)
• High School Music Parents (2)
• Community Member-At-Large (1 per school)

[*NOTE: Provision should be made to ensure balanced representation for General music, Band, Choir and Orchestra]

Further, we recommend that the administration reject consideration of any reductions in the music curriculum and examine the following issues related to the strengthening of the music curriculum to the advantage of the student, the district, the community and the budget.

1. The establishment of the music program as a regular part of the curriculum, meeting daily during regular school hours from grades 7-12, including general music.

2. The reinstatement of grade 5 as the beginning year of the band program; and the organization/offering of beginning instrumental lessons (grades 5-6) into small groups to improve instruction and foster better social interaction between students, thereby assisting in the reduction of thQ attrition rate.

3. Adjustment of scheduling at the middle and senior high schools to facilitate daily rehearsals for both band and choir for all students desiring to participate, including the reinstatement of the grade 7 choir option, and participation by skill level.

4. Cooperative decision-making in which parents and music teachers work together with administrators and guidance counselors to facilitate a scheduling process that will accommodate student participation in all music classes, provide for student-centered decision-making, and enhance administrator-teacher-parent communication. This process should include the development of a financial plan that rewards music teachers and the community for their participation in raising funds instead of increasing fundraising expectations.

5. The establishment of maximum average loads of music performance class teachers (grades 7-12) at 200 students. Further, such student overloads should be considered in part as paying for the elementary music performance and secondary small group lesson programs, and be recognized as assisting in maintaining lower class sizes in non-music classes. Maximum class and student loads for elementary general music teachers should also be established. The district should take care to provide for equal planning and student loads with other teachers to avoid teacher "burn-out", provide optimal student opportunities for learning, and avoid grievances against the district.

6. The scheduling of music classes to minimize teacher travel time, thereby reducing classroom interruptions and increasing student contact time, including consideration of horizontal time blocking.

7. Continued examination of creative ways in which to expand music participation options for music students, including observation of positive examples of districts that have successfully maintained daily scheduling of music performance classes.

8. Perform exit interviews of each student who discontinues participation in music performance, in order to provide accurate statistical data for program improvement.

9. The reduction of factors that contribute to attrition in the music program, including scheduling, conflict with classes in which only one section is offered, and other factors that may surface during the study.

10. The possibility of adding an extra period option for students that may include limited participation, rotating schedules, or reduction of the length of periods.

11. Examine options for students to fulfill requirements for physical education credits, including extra-curricular sports and adoption of marching band as "PE Band" at the high school level.

12. Advising students of the possibility of fulfilling requirements for grade 9 and/or grade 10 physical education in the junior and senior years.

13. Adequate dedicated facility space and equipment to assist in providing for the participation of the greatest number of students and efficiency of teacher preparation. Consideration should be given to maintenance schedules and replacement of obsolete or inoperable equipment.

14. Development/adoption of a district-wide policy statement regarding the philosophical purpose and curricular content of the music program and its role in the total social, academic and intellectual development of all students.

15. Study ways in which the adoption of district-wide music curriculum may serve to provide a positive environment for other changes that may occur in the district, including restructuring of grade levels and school boundaries.

16. The reinstatement of small group lessons and/or sectional rehearsals at the middle and senior high school level to improve instruction and minimize attrition.

17. Allocation of adequate Music Supervisor FTE to facilitate coordination, cooperative decision-making and communication within the department, other departments, the district and the community at large. This position could be an administrative or teacher level position.

18. The effect of a strong music program on keeping people from withdrawing their children from the district to attend private schools, particularly at the elementary level.

19. Continued monitoring of the block schedule at the high school. Several observations should be made regarding those districts that have adopted the block schedule format.
    1. Although block scheduling has been in use in one form or another for over 60 years, there is no empirical data to indicate that the overall academic performance of the student has improved. However, grades do tend to improve.
    2. The advantage of greater elective options are eliminated or minimized by two factors:
    • increased schedule conflicts because of the reduction of daily course options and "singletons"; and,
    • the tendency to increase (add) sequential course requirements because teachers and/or students are unable to complete mastery of skills in the compacted time frame (for example, Algebra 3 is often added to the Algebra 1 & 2 sequence).

20. The addition of an orchestra program for students who would prefer that music option.

21. Study other issues that may arise during the operation of the Task Force.