Story About E.K. Blessing

Here's a local story about the E.K. Blessing line of band instruments which Progressive Music carries:

http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/85427852.html#

From theatlantic.com - Ways Obama's Budget Will Change Education Policy

Five Ways Obama's Budget Will Change Education Policy
One hallmark of the president's new budget is a major overhaul of No Child Left Behind, the education law passed under President George W. Bush. President Obama and Education Sec. Arne Duncan have both said repeatedly that they appreciate the bright light NCLB shines on student achievement and the program's stated goal of closing the gap between minority and white students. But here are five ways the new administration might change education policy, based on both today's budget and the direction of the Education Department:

1. Drop "adequate yearly progress" for schools. NCLB grades schools by test scores to determine whether they are making "adequate yearly progress." If schools fail to hit their goals, they are forced to offer additional tutoring, allow students to transfer, or face even personnel cuts. As Sam Dillon writes in the NYT, this pass-or-fail approach to evaluation "fails to differentiate among chaotic schools in chronic failure, schools that are helping low-scoring students improve and high-performing suburban schools that nonetheless appear to be neglecting some low-scoring students." A more nuanced approach would divide the schools into more categories that reflect their challenges.

2. Broaden the standardized testing system. One common critique of NCLB is that is narrowed the curriculum. By shining its harsh light on math and reading scores, it encouraged teachers to concentrate their energies in those two subjects, to the exclusion of sciences and arts. Duncan's logic is reasonable: Teachers will teach what the administration says it will test. So if you start measuring science achievement, teachers won't ignore the sciences. Moreover, the administration is likely to eliminate the 2014 deadline for every American child reaching academic proficiency. The quixotic goal probably isn't worth keeping around. The new goal will be to make every high graduate "college- and career-ready."

3. Encourage the states to set higher, stricter standards. Because NCLB allowed states to set their own test standards, many states, especially in the south, designed easy tests to achieve adequate yearly progress. So even as their students fell below the national median in national assessments, more of their schools would pass through the school system. I think we're going to see a push toward a national standardized test that won't allow individual states to design their own short-cuts to more government funding.

4. Develop new formulas for school funding. Typically most federal funds are allocated based to our 14,000 school district based on statistics like school size and income. Education analysts say the administration wants to reform the formulas to take into account school performance. In other words, much like Race to the Top -- the Education Dept.'s $5 billion sweepstakes program -- the administration would allocate more money to districts that demonstrate progress or pledge certain reforms.

5. Introduce merit pay, finally. For years the teachers union has rejected a raft of attempts to evaluate teachers based on student performance, but the tide may be shifting away from simple classroom check ups. Efforts to rewrite NCLB failed in 2007 because teachers unions refused to adopt merit pay. But Duncan's approach would dangle additional funds for school districts in exchange for pledges to evaluate teachers based on stats like chnages in test scores and improvements in graduation rates.

Unreal!!!!

Secretary of Education Speaks To SupportMusic Coalition

On August 18, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke with the SupportMusic Coalition regarding his letter about the importance of Arts Education. I was lucky enough to be a part of that call and hear Secretary Duncan talk about the importance of music and arts education in our schools. The complete text of the phone call as well as an audio recording is available at supportmusic.com I would recommend that you take some time to hear what Duncan had to say to use in your own advocacy work. See below for a copy of letter I sent to be included with letters from other members of the SupportMusic Coalition.

October 21, 2009

Dear Secretary Duncan,

On behalf of the over seventy school districts that we serve as a school music dealer and on behalf of the students, parents, teachers and community members of those districts, we would like to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the arts with the SupportMusic Coalition. Your ability to take the time from your schedule to address such an important issue shows your commitment to arts education.

In our role as a business that services school music programs, we see how music and arts classes compel students to come to school everyday. We know that in some school districts, the arts are not seen as “equal” to other academic programs. We appreciate your words reminding education leaders that the arts are a core academic subject under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

As you know when students have the opportunity to participate in quality arts education programs, they not only excel in other academic subjects but they also take with them real life skills that are often unable to be tested. We see growth in such skills as creativity, problem-solving and probably most importantly social skills. These areas of growth cannot be measured or tested by a standardized form of assessment. Of course, that does not mean they should not be taught. The arts, especially music, have the ability to teach those skills through regular participation.

Again, we thank you for making the arts a part of your focus as you take on the role of Secretary of Education. We wish you well and hope to work with you and the Department as we make a quality arts education for all students possible.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Despotakis

Halftime Is A Warm-Up Act For Marching Bands

NPR Story on a competitive marching band.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120091086

Why Music Matters

El Sistema

NEC Adopts El Sistema
Venezuela’s famed classical music education system, El Sistema, is coming to the United States through a pilot program at the New England Conservatory. The Boston Globe reports that in the first phase of the program, which began this fall, 10 students are being trained to open "musical education centers in parts of the United States where children couldn’t normally afford instruments." The plan is to train an additional 40 students to run such centers over the next 5 years.

El Sistema has trained thousands of Venezuelan children in music, many of them from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, and has recently gained additional renown since former El Sistema student Gustavo Dudamel’s appointment as director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

To learn more, visit www.necmusic.edu.

G20 brings Some Awareness to the Importance of The Arts

The Obama’s and many other world leaders are in Pittsburgh for the G20 Summit today. Michelle took the spouses to the City of Pittsburgh arts magnet school – CAPA. Here is the link to the transcript of the event.

Here’s one of the great quotes from Michelle as well -
We believe strongly that the arts aren't somehow an "extra" part of our national life, but instead we feel that the arts are at the heart of our national life. It is through our music, our literature, our art, drama and dance that we tell the story of our past and we express our hopes for the future. Our artists challenge our assumptions in ways that many cannot and do not. They expand our understandings, and push us to view our world in new and very unexpected ways.