Edmond
School District’s Music Education Program Receives National Recognition
This
is the 14th time we’ve been awarded this honor!
Edmonds School
District has
been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation for 2020
from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music
education.
Now
in its 21st year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is
awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to
provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best
Communities designation, Edmonds School
District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation
requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support
for the music programs, Responses were verified with school officials and
reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
This
award recognizes that Edmonds is
leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation guides implementation in the states and
replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was often criticized for an
overemphasis on testing-while leaving behind subjects such as music. ESSA
recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education
for all children.
Research
into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social
skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education,
research found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how
the brain processes speech and reading scores that their less-involved peers
and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to
graduate high school, but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening
skills are stronger in musically-trained children that in those without music
training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to:
perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in
memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show
stronger neural processing of sound; young adults and even older adults who
have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural
processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict
resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive
criticism.
A
2015 study supported by The NAMM Foundation, “Striking A Chord,”
also outlines the overwhelming desire by teachers and parents for music
education opportunities for all children as part of the school curriculum.
About The NAMM
Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit
supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its
approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active
participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific
research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more
information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
