The NAMM Foundation today announced the results of its tenth annual “Best Communities for Music Education” survey, which acknowledges schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment and support of music education in schools. As the economy challenges state and local school budgets to adequately support education, the 124 school districts named by the NAMM Foundation demonstrate the unwavering commitment to provide music education for their students. The NAMM Foundation’s mission is 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 21 states with a record amount of communities from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas. A total of 29 communities are new to the roster. The complete list of “Best Communities” is appended below.

“The potential of music to help children reach their full development is understood by the school districts represented in this year’s survey results,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director, NAMM Foundation. “We celebrate these communities that are committed to providing access to music education programs and bettering the lives of their students.”

The 2009 survey, which opened on Thursday January 15, and ended Friday, March 13, was available to all districts nationwide. This year, teachers and school district administrators, representing communities across the country, participated in the Web-based survey. The districts were measured across curricular and programmatic criteria as well as public support of their music programs. The survey was developed and administered by The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service, an affiliate of the University of Kansas.

Participants in the survey answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and other relevant factors in their communities’ music education programs. The responses were verified with district officials, and advisory organizations reviewed the data.

Throughout the survey’s ten years, many districts have reported that making the “Best Communities” list has had a positive effect on their ability to preserve music for their students amid budget cuts in arts programs.

In conducting the annual survey, the NAMM Foundation is joined by advisory organizations in the fields of music and education including, 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 The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service of Lawrence, KS, an affiliate of the University of Kansas.

The complete “Best Communities for Music Education” roster is listed alphabetically below:

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.

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, announced today that it will again join the Coalition for Music Education in Canada in its fifth annual Music Monday event May 4, 2009, to demonstrate the galvanizing power of making music and kick off its annual Wanna Play Music Week.

NAMM joined the event for the first time last year, which inspired more than 700,000 students across North America to participate in a simultaneous concert and celebrate music education in schools. In addition, many community and professional organizations participated in the event to show their support for music education. Also, Australia recently held a Music Monday event of its own in the fall.

This year, NAMM is encouraging more U.S. schools and organizations to sing and play together and heighten the public’s awareness about how music education empowers children with important tools such as creativity, achievement and social engagement. Many schools across the country have cut music programs because of lack of funding and cannot offer students the proven benefits associated with hands-on musical training. 

As a not-for-profit association, NAMM has supported research to examine the effects of music on children and adolescents. The studies have shown that playing music positively affects the development of cognitive skills in children and teens. The activity also builds confidence, instills self-discipline, increases productivity and helps kids and teens connect socially with their peers.

Studies specifically show that playing music:

• Develops skills needed by an innovative 21st century workforce: critical thinking, imagination, creative problem solving, effective communication and teamwork
• Keeps students engaged in school and less likely to drop out
• Improves the atmosphere for learning and is correlated with better grades and test scores in other academic areas
• Helps communities share ideas and values among cultures and generations
• Provides a sense of both individuality and belonging for teens
• Helps adolescents release or control emotions and cope with life’s more difficult situations

The 2009 Music Monday song will be “Sing Sing” by Serena Ryder, whose album If Your Memory Serves you Well recently went Gold. The song will be sung and played by all schools and participants across North America at 10 a.m. Pacific time, 11 a.m. Mountain time, 12 p.m. Central time, 1 p.m. Eastern time and 2 p.m. Atlantic time, and 2:30 in Newfoundland, uniting them symbolically through one piece of music. Many arrangements will be added to the Music Monday Web site by the end of the year, in addition to an arrangement and support kit specifically created for elementary teachers to work with very young children.

To register your school or organization as a participant in “Music Monday,” and to receive your Music Monday materials and a copy of the song “Sing Sing,” please e-mail musicmonday@namm.org.

To further support music in schools, the NAMM Foundation and MENC, the National Association for Music Education, lead the SupportMusic Coalition, of which the Coalition for Music Education in Canada is a part. The SupportMusic Coalition comprises more than 200 organizations that represent more than seven million concerned citizens worldwide looking for ways to provide a complete education that includes music and arts instruction for all children.

For more information and links to national, state and local organizations working together to keep music education strong, go to www.supportmusic.com. Organizations interested in participating in the SupportMusic Coalition, write to info@namm.org.