Best 100 communities for music education - Association News

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2002

The results of the third annual nationwide survey of best communities for music education has been announced. MTNA co-sponsored the survey, along with the American Music Conference (AMC), the National School Boards Association (NSBA), VH 1 Save the Music and Yamaha Corporation of America.

"MTNA is proud to continue its co-sponsorship of this important survey," says MTNA Executive Director Dr. Gary L. Ingle. "Our members are a vital part of the music education environment in their communities. That is why we have been a part of this effort since its inception."

Communities in twenty-nine states are included in the list, led by New York with nineteen and Pennsylvania with eleven. The list includes fifty-six communities making their first appearance, six returning from the 2000 survey, eighteen repeating from 2001 and twenty three-time districts.

Thousands of public school and independent teachers, school and district administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders, representing communities in all fifty states, participated in the Web-based survey during February, March and April.

The survey results show successful music programs are found in communities that balance measurable resources, such as budgets and buildings, with fewer tangible assets--such as the will to make quality music education a reality. The top schools for music education are found in urban communities and rural ones, in wealthy areas and not-so-wealthy ones, but the common thread is that they benefit from the support of parents, teachers, school decision-makers and community leaders who value music education highly.

"The survey demonstrates that excellent music instruction is more than a process--it's a partnership," says Ingle. "Successful music programs result from the cooperative efforts of public school teachers, independent music teachers in the communities, parents, administrators--everyone who's in a position to influence students. Having physical resources isn't a cure-all. A quality musical environment is something a community must want for its young people and work together to achieve."

For more information about the nationwide music education survey and the organizations that sponsored it, call the American Music Conference at (800) 767-6266 or visit www.amc-music.org.

The complete results, along with background information on music education and the survey, can be seen in their entirety at www.amc-music.org.

Abington Heights School District         PA
Aldine Independent School District       TX
Alpine School District                   UT
Avon Community School Corporation        IN
Avon Lake City Schools                   OH
Bakersfield City School District         CA
Bay Shore Union Free School District     NY
Beachwood City School District           OH
Belmont School District                  MA
Berea City Schools                       OH
Borger Independent School District       TX
Boyertown Area School District           PA
Brentwood Union Free School District     NY
Buffalo Independent
  School District 877                    MN
Chesapeake City Schools                  VA
Chesterfield Township Schools            NJ
Clarkstown Central School District       NY
Clayton County Public Schools            GA
Commack Public Schools                   NY
Community Consolidated
  District No. 54                        IL
Conestoga Valley School District         PA
Cranston School Department               RI
Davenport School District No. 207        WA
Dearborn Public Schools                  MI
Edgeley Public Schools                   ND
Ephrata School District                  WA
Fairfax County Public Schools            VA
Fargo Public Schools                     ND
Fayetteville-Manlius
  Central School District                NY
Fleetwood Area School District           PA
Folsom/Cordova School District           CA
Fort Benton School District No. 1        MT
Fulton County Board of Education         GA
Galva-Holstein Community School          IA
Gettysburg Area School District          PA
Geyser Public Schools                    MT
Glenview Public Schools                  IL
Goshen Community Schools                 IN
Grand Forks Public
  School District No. 1                  ND
Greater Johnstown School District        NY
Greenwich Public Schools                 CT
Hamilton Southeastern Schools            IN
Harborfields Central School District     NY
Henrico County Public Schools            VA
Humble Independent School District       TX
Huntington Union Free School District    NY
Jericho Union Free School District       NY
Katy Independent School District         TX
Kings Park Central School District       NY
La Crosse School District                WI
Lakota Public Schools                    ND
Lewisville Independent School District   TX
Littleton Public Schools                 CO
Lombard Elementary District 44           IL
Madison Public Schools                   NJ
Mendham Township School District         NJ
Middle Country Central Schools           NY
MOC-Floyd Valley Community School
  District                               IA
Monroe Public Schools                    MI
Monroe-Woodbury
  Central School District                NY
Morris Elementary
  School District No. 54                 IL
Munday Independent School District       TX
Nevada Community School District         IA
New London Community
  School District                        IA
Northport-East Northport Union Free
  School District                        NY
Oak Park Elementary School
  District 97                            IL
Osage County R-II Schools                MO
Ossining Union Free School District      NY
Paris Special School District            TN
Pennsbury School District                PA
Pittsford Central Schools                NY
Piano Independent School District        TX
Red Oak Community Schools                IA
Richland School District One             SC
Ridgefield Public Schools                NJ
Roanoke County Public Schools            VA
Roundup Public Schools,
  Districts 55-55H                       MT
Rudyard Area Schools                     MI
Rutland City Public Schools              VT
Sachem Central School District           NY
Schaumburg Community Consolidated
  School District 54                     IL
School District of Onalaska              WI
Scottsdale Unified School District       AZ
Smoky Valley School District             KS
State College Area School District       PA
Syosset Central School District          NY
Torrington Public Schools                CT
Trinity Area School District             PA
Unionville-Chaddsford School District    PA
Van Alstyne Independent
  School District                        TX
Watauga County Schools                   NC
West Hartford School District            CT
West Irondequoit Central
  School District                        NY
West Milford Twp. Public Schools         NJ
West Shore School District               PA
West Windsor Plainsboro
  Regional Schools                       NJ
Westborough Public Schools               MA
White Plains City School District        NY
Willard Schools                          MO
Williamsport Area School District        PA