March 2025 Marks the 40th Anniversary of Music In Our Schools Month®

March 2025 Marks the 40th Anniversary of Music In Our Schools Month®

This Year’s MIOSM® Theme Is “United Through Music”

HERNDON, VA (February 27, 2025)—National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is excited to celebrate March 2025 as the 40th annual Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®). This March, music educators and music students are celebrating music education in their school communities demonstrating how the theme “United Through Music” resonates with them.

“This is a special year for Music In Our Schools Month® as we celebrate its ruby anniversary! That’s 40 years using this month to boldly remind the world that music in American schools is awesome and important,” stated NAfME President Deborah A. Confredo. “The 2025 MIOSM® theme, United Through Music, is simple and eloquent. It reminds us that, although each person—baby, child, youth, and adult—is a beautiful musical human, when we come together our song soars higher, louder, and stronger.

“Music unites and reminds us that we have things in common even when it might be hard to see those commonalities.”

“Music unites and reminds us that we have things in common even when it might be hard to see those commonalities,” Confredo continued. “Music speaks to the very heart of what it means to be a caring human. It reaches our souls, it transforms us, it moves us. And when we unite through music, we experience laughter, joy, spontaneous expression, aha moments, and excitement . . . we become more human.

“This March, as we celebrate Music In Our Schools Month, remember our clear and poignant theme: United Through Music,” Confredo encouraged. “No matter how you choose to recognize MIOSM 2025, in ways grand or subtle, uniting through music is a good and noble goal. Happy MIOSM 2025!”

NAfME is encouraging music education supporters to amplify the difference music education has made in their lives and reach out to federal elected officials to support fully funding Titles I, II, and IV-A, which each support music educators and music education programs. Follow #MIOSM and #UnitedThroughMusic on social media. The NAfME advocacy and public policy staff will be hosting an online MIOSM event on March 12, and registration information will be available soon at nafme.org/MIOSM.

Throughout the month of March, NAfME-affiliated state music education associations are also participating in advocacy activities, including holding meetings with state and local elected officials, sharing why music education must continue to be funded and supported. Advocates are urging elected officials to pass resolutions and proclamations proclaiming March as Music In Our Schools Month. NAfME Collegiate members and chapters will be sharing their work during a social media campaign March 24–28 to celebrate and support music education on their campuses.

Since 1985, MIOSM has been observed as an annual month-long celebration when schools and communities celebrate music in their local schools and the educators who dedicate themselves to bring music into the lives of students every day. Read more about the history of the observance. NAfME Councils have provided lesson plans music educators can use throughout the whole school year. This year NAfME has provided classroom materials for MIOSM that teachers can share with their schools as they celebrate how “United Through Music” connects music students and communities. All of these items are available at nafme.org/MIOSM.

NAfME encourages teachers and music education advocates to share on social media how their schools are celebrating music education, using the hashtags #UnitedThroughMusic and #MIOSM and tagging “@NAfME”.

Music In Our Schools Month® and MIOSM® are trademarks of NAfME and may not be used for fundraising or materials produced for profit.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Catherina Hurlburt at NAfME
catherinah@nafme.org or (703) 860-4000

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The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is a collaborative community that supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to music education. The only association that addresses all aspects of music education, NAfME, together with its affiliated state music education associations, advocates at the national, state, and local levels and provides resources and opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Founded in 1907 and representing more than 57,000 members teaching millions of students, NAfME advances the music education profession and promotes lifelong experiences in music.

Follow NAfME on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme) and Instagram (instagram.com/nafme). For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah@nafme.org or 703-860-4000.