A recent study has outlined the actual costs of a comprehensive k-12 music education program.
The in-depth research funded by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation's "Sounds of Learning" research initiative calculates a cost for music education averaging $187 per student annually in the sample school district.
"This study sheds light on the true costs of a comprehensive music education," said Mark L. Fermanich, a Research Associate at the University of Colorado Denver.
"It also asks school districts to carefully assess the effects of 'cutting' music education programs as they seek to reduce expenditures or re-allocate funds away from the arts to tested subjects that are measured for accountability purposes," Fermanich added.
First published in "Journal of Education Finance," the study is the first to examine financial resources for music education beyond staffing levels. Research such as this can inform budget and policy debates over support for music and the arts, while districts weigh the costs and benefits of cutting funding.
According to the study, costs averaged $195 per student at the elementary level (grades 1-5) where general music, a 45-minute music class per three-day cycle, is mandatory. Per student spending in middle school averaged $189 and $143 in high school, as music instruction is elective at the secondary level.
Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM, said, "School districts are facing tough choices as state and local education funding is strained. NAMM encourages school districts to consider the many benefits of music education in comparison to the relatively low cost within the overall budget as revealed by 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," Lamond continued.
For further information on this study, visit namm.org.
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