NAfME BLOG
Title IV-A Success Stories
he benefits of the Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) Title IV-A are beginning to be felt in school districts across the country. Funds awarded through this flexible block grant have helped schools expand music education programs as part of a well-rounded education. All students deserve access to a well-rounded curriculum to support their success in school and in life.
These success stories were made possible through Title IV-A funding in your state.
Instruments/Musical Supplies/Teaching Positions | Professional Development
Events/Student Experiences | Equity in Access/Rural Education
Instruments/Musical Supplies/Teaching Positions
The funds below were allocated during the 2018-2019 school year.
CA: $100,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Madera USD to buy instruments for a mariachi program, as well as instruments for each elementary school.
FL: $200,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Orange County to replace instrument inventory for band and orchestra programs at some older middle and high schools.
KS: $4,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Renwick USD to purchase music education curriculum for each of the four elementary schools in the district.
MS: $8,300 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Western Line SD to purchase 24 iPads, cases, and headphones for the music technology units that were being taught in the music classroom at Riverside High School, Jr. High, and Elementary Schools.
MT: $4,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Whitefish SD to expand their Music Technology Program, including iPads and apps for digital music creation. These programs allow students to create, sample, record, edit and produce music.
NC: $53,820 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Davidson County and allocated to teachers in the district by area and allowed complete voice and choice in how to best utilize the funds as long as they followed federal and state guidelines.
NV: $3,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Lyon County SD to repair school-owned instruments in order to get them to students in need.
OH: $250,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Dayton City Schools to purchase band and Orff instruments, as well as hire a music supervisor for K-6.
OR: $15,720 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Parkrose SD to purchase and repair instruments for elementary schools and middle/high school band programs, to purchase repertoire (all levels and ensembles), to purchase curriculum materials to deepen teacher capacity and provided K-12 music PD opportunities; This funding also provided peer observation release time to support PLC work, access to online musical tools, and provided time to support K-12 scope & sequence development.
PA: $14,500 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Donegal SD to furnish necessary equipment to strengthen the Media Arts program within the district.
$18,553 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Elizabethtown Area SD to add staff time which will afford the district to offer Up Beat!, a community preschool music program, that will bridge home and school education by exposing, engaging and exploring music and core educational concepts with the participants through play, children’s literature and music-making activities.
TN: $1,500 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in McNairy County to purchase instruments and books for 5th-grade music classes ($1500).
TX: $137,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Fort Bend ISD for an arts integration initiative in partnership with the Alley Theatre, as well a purchasing school instruments for an after-school El Sistema-type program at four elementary schools.
WA: $3,500 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Ocean Beach SD to purchase a new piano.
The funds below were allocated during the 2017-2018 school year.
AL: $130,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Lee County School System in Alabama to buy musical instruments, supplies and sheet music. This allowed the county to expand their music programs and have helped to grow interest in the arts in students at a younger age and fostered more connection to school community.
CA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in New Haven Unified School District to purchase the following music education equipment: Instruments, stands, sheet music, risers, smart boards, speakers, headphones, voice recorders, mixers, stage boxes, mics, boom stand and sound systems. The school district also utilized funds for instrument repair.
CT: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Torrington Public Schools for the purchase of 3 new tubas for an elementary band program. The district was also able to provide free days of private lessons. The purchase of tubas has allowed Elementary Band students the opportunity to start low brass. This has already seen benefits not only in students playing low brass but also better instrumentation Gr4-5 which allows the ensembles to perform music at an age-appropriate level.
FL: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Hardee County School District to purchase new instruments and equipment for the band. As a result, the students have a much more enriching educational experience on their newly upgraded instruments.
IA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Iowa to appoint a fine arts teacher, which has allowed students more access to the arts and has ensured that an educator has more contact time with students. Consequently, students have received an increase of instructional minutes in the fine arts due to an increased FTE for a fine arts educator.
NH: Title IV-A funds were utilized by Hanover High School to allow them to purchase new cellos and a new viola for the strings orchestra. The current cellos and viola being used are over eighty years old and are no longer able to be refurbished without impacting sound quality in a negative way. About half of the student body participates in the band or orchestra at the high school level, and these funds benefitted students by providing quality instruments as part of the orchestra program.
NY: Title IV-A funds were utilized by Solvay Union Free School District to support a well-rounded education- specifically musical instruments to improve access to our instrumental music program for students and families that cannot afford to purchase or rent instruments at the 4th-12th grade levels.
NC: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Davidson County to provide another quality instrument (tuba) for children to use in class. Now, students are having to use old instruments that are no longer high quality and do not work well. Because they will have a tuba to work with at school, one of the older ones can be taken home by students to be used as practice horns. Funding was also utilized in Davidson County to purchase music for choral students, instruments for general music students, professional development and staffing.
OH: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Dayton Public Schools for purchases of new instruments, instructional materials such as textbooks and digital resources, and professional learning. This funding provided equity in instruction in the arts and allowed the district to improve instruction and increase access to fine and performing arts programs.
PA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Marple Newtown School District to allow elementary music teachers to purchase music to support the district choir and to enhance their curriculum affording students the opportunity to experience an integrated approach to learning. The pieces were based on African heritage. These pieces were also chosen to increase music fluency. The pieces will be showcased during our District performance in May- Night of the Arts.
Title IV-A funds were utilized in Interboro School District for a new digital piano for the choir room to aid with students both in choir class and piano class, and ukuleles for the elementary/middle school buildings. These purchases give students enhanced access to music education in the school district.
SC: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Spartanburg School District to purchase musical instruments. As a result, the district now has students who now have instruments to practice during the school day and at home, and they also have enough instruments to allow more students to be able to participate in band.
TN: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Rutherford County Schools to purchase arts supplies and curricular materials for music and theatre. This included Art equipment and supplies for direct student use in artmaking, sheet music and class set of theatre materials (plays, anthologies, etc.) for enhanced student learning. As a result, students can participate in types of artmaking they might not have had access to previously. Students have access to a wider variety of curricular materials than in previous years, including pieces of music and theatre resources that are priced out of the range of many individual school budgets.
VA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Roanoke City Public Schools to provide additional instruments for students who are unable to afford to rent or buy. Plans are in place to provide additional support and master classes in the same schools. Many students were sharing instruments, and students were unable to practice. This funding has allowed students to have their own instrument to practice.
Professional Development
The funds below were allocated during the 2018-2019 school year.
AZ: $70,000 in Title IV-A funds were allocated to Scottsdale Unified School District for professional development for arts teachers, Quaver music for General Music teachers and a partnership with arts center for Kennedy Center artist in residence, regular artist in residence for academic and music classes, and students working with artist. Fund also paid for a music teacher to attend a local music conference for PD.
FL: $100,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Pinellas County to support a staff member to continue work for a PDAE grant. Funding enabled the district to continue to support arts and music teachers in high poverty schools and to expand arts integration in schools.
MO: $3,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in McDonald County for arts and music teachers to attend professional development meetings.
WA: $32,800 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Edmonds SD for teacher attendance at professional conferences and online Professional Development resources.
The funds below were allocated during the 2017-2018 school year.
AZ: $58,000 in Title IV-A funds were utilized in Tucson Unified School District for professional development for teachers in arts integration connecting to Language Arts and Mathematics instruction. This funding has creatively engaged students in skills to improve their reading, writing, and speaking abilities, and has increased the awareness and importance of arts in education by deepening an understanding of tested content standards as well as helped children to problem solve and develop critical thinking in unique ways.
FL: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Escambia School District for professional development for teachers in arts integration connecting to Language Arts and Mathematics instruction. This funding has creatively engaged students in skills to improve their reading, writing, and speaking abilities, and has increased the awareness and importance of arts in education by deepening an understanding of tested content standards as well as helped children to problem solve and develop critical thinking in unique ways.
TX: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Spring Independent School District for Curriculum Development, Staffing, Instructional Materials (E.g., text books, supplemental materials, digital resources), Facility Improvements (E.g., acoustic treatment, sound system, theatrical lighting);Professional learning, Musical instruments and Arts partnerships with local arts agencies (E.g., teaching artists, field trips). This funding has provided access to that tipping point of making a difference in our student’s futures.
Title IV-A funds were utilized in Fort Bend Independent School District for professional development to train classroom teachers in arts integration techniques. This has integrated theatre objectives into the core academic subjects to promote learning in music and the arts.
UT: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Nebo School District to pay arts specialists to work with elementary school teachers and special ed teachers to increase their skill level in teaching the arts and to help develop curriculum. Funding was also used for professional development in arts and music integration for elementary grade level teachers. This funding created increased high-quality integrated arts learning in elementary classrooms.
WA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Edmonds School District to provide professional development for Arts teachers — conference expenses, on-line PD subscriptions, workshop training, etc. As a result, teachers were able to learn new teaching strategies that were applicable to their content area, taught by experts. A strong focus was on standards-based curriculum implementation, and equity and inclusion.
WI: Funding in Neenah Joint School district was used for the purchase of musical instruments at Neenah HS– 1 tuba and 1 sousaphone. The quality of these instruments is critical to the ability of students to use them successfully in the performances of band and related instrumental groups; this funding allowed students to participate in those performances.
Events/Student Experiences
The funds below were allocated during the 2017-2018 school year.
DE: In Appoquinimink School District, Title IV-Part A funds go towards putting on a district choral festival. This is an in-school event where all the choirs in the district are bussed to one of the high schools to perform for each other. The smaller elementary school choirs combine to perform together, and the younger students get to see the growth that awaits them if they stick with their choral programs through middle and high school.
MD: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Montgomery County to transform the world view of 4th grade students by expanding their educational opportunities through off-site arts experiences and in-school arts programs, guided discussion groups where they can share their own discoveries, and with support for increased student/parent engagement. As a result, the funding created opportunities to experience the arts in multiple enrichment activities in addition to the standard arts curriculum, and students from various socio-economic backgrounds will now collaborate and create over the course of an academic year.
MN: Title IV-A funds were utilized at Friendship Academy of Fine Arts to create arts partnerships with local arts agencies. Music and arts are critical to the mission, vision and beliefs of Friendship Academy, since the arts enhance the learner intellectually and culturally. This funding has brought new opportunities for connecting to other arts organizations that expose students to various art forms and helping to develop the child socially, emotionally, academically and artistically.
NJ: Title IV-A funds were utilized by Millville Senior High School to transport students to the Teen Arts Festival, a countywide arts festival in New Jersey. This event provided students with exposure to other arts disciplines.
NY: Title IV-A funds were utilized by Rochester City School District for professional development, and to purchase instruments, art equipment and culturally relevant curriculum writing. Due to this funding students will be receiving culturally relevant instruction in the arts that includes additional elective opportunities and more hands-on learning.
PA: Title IV-A funds were utilized in Forbes Road School District to fund Band Camp and a Drama workshop. They hired a new band director over the summer. So, to introduce him and give him a head-start into the fall marching band season, it was an excellent opportunity for students and the new director.
Equity in Access/Rural Education
The funds below were allocated during the 2017-2018 school year.
GA: The Georgia Department of Education will designate $250,000 from their Title IV, Part A set aside to fund 10 competitive $25,000 grants to schools in rural parts of the state where little arts education is taking place. The money can be used towards part or full-time positions if the school did not have the position in the past, equipment and instruments, fine arts specific staff development, or Advanced Placement certification in one of the five fine arts courses currently certified by the College Board.
