The National Association for Music Education shares the concern of the California Music Educators Association regarding the recent decision by the Los Angeles Unified School District to adopt an arts integration model for the next budget year. This model will cut actual music instruction time from a full year to a half-year, while spreading the workload of the district’s 32 instrumental music teachers across 320 schools.
A study released in 2012, funded by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation’s Sounds of Learning research initiative, calculated a cost for music education averaging only $195 per student for three mandatory 45-minute sessions per week at the elementary school level. As president and CEO of NAMM Joe Lamond stated on the release of this study, “We cannot sell a child’s education short for what are pennies on the dollar. Music education is among the best investments we can make in our schools and for our children.”
NAfME stands with the California Music Educators Association in its response to the recent decision by LAUSD. As requested by CMEA, we urge parents, stakeholders, and legislators to come together to emphasize the critical importance of a standards-based, sequential music education for all students.
Thanks to all who continue to raise their voices to support music education!
Read more about the response here: http://www.calmusiced.com/
Shannon Kelly, Director of Advocacy, February 28, 2014. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)
