Despite great strides made in recent years to sustain music and other arts in U.S. public schools, millions of U.S. public school students still do not have access to these programs. . This is according to recent findings by the Arts Education Data Project (AEDP), which provides the first-ever review of the state and state of music and arts education in U.S. public schools, based on large-scale student participation data. .

AEDP, a joint effort of the State Department of Education’s Director of Arts Education and its longtime partner, Quadrant Research, examined actual student participation data reported by school districts to state education departments for the 2019 school year. Result is, Summary of the 2019 State of the Arts Education State Report, A comprehensive review of access to and participation in arts education in public schools in the United States.

The release of this report coincides with NAMM Music Education Advocacy Hill Day on Sept. 14, when members and arts education advocates join the Washington, DC industry association to support music education for Congressmen and their legislative assistants. send a message to

Also coinciding with National Arts Education Week (September 11-17), the field of arts education joins communities across the country to talk about the impact of the transformative force of the arts in education.

Equity issues in education

A new AEDP report reveals that while 92% of U.S. public school students have access to music education in school, 3,609,698* students do not have the same opportunity. Additionally, 2,095,538* students are inaccessible. Any Arts education (dance, music, drama, visual arts and definitions).

The new data also reveal a disproportionate number of public school students without access to music and arts education, concentrated in schools in key urban communities. Highest percentage of students eligible for free/discounted meals. The majority are either Black, Hispanic, or Native American. Additionally, many of these students without a music or arts education attend public charter schools.

Studies show that learning music provides educational, cognitive, social, emotional and physical benefits.For example, the pioneering work done by neurobiologist Nina Krauss¹ It provides insight into how musical experiences affect brain function over a lifetime. Evidence so far indicates that harnessing the brain’s potential for music learning supports holistic learning and is of paramount importance to disadvantaged and underserved students. increase.

To increase access and equity for all students, the Federal Education Act as defined in the Federal Education Act (ESSA) recognizes music and the arts as part of a balanced education.

In contrast to reports of a decline in the number of music and arts programs, the AEDP report confirms that music and arts education is widely accessible to students across grade levels, Participation is highest in elementary school, as many states require participation in this program. level.

Music and visual arts have the most important participants as they are the art disciplines most accessible to students. Most schools (80%) offer two or more arts disciplines.

However, despite this positive trend, there is room for improvement.

Quadrant Research CEO Robert Morrison said: “Prior to our new AEDP report, there was no large-scale national visibility into the actual state and state of music and arts education in U.S. public schools. It will provide critical data to advocates, administrators, parents and policy makers to improve student access where needed.”

More than 120 state agencies, arts councils, advocacy groups, funders and professional arts education associations are involved in this collective influence effort.

Information in the AEDP report comes from 30,633 schools in 7,015 districts in 17 states, representing 36% of the total U.S. public school enrollment in 2018/2019, or 18 million students. The states included are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

National funding for the Arts Education Data Project is provided by the CMA Foundation, Music Man Foundation, NAMM Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council. In addition, various state agencies and state-based charities provide individual state funding.

For more information on the Arts Education Data Project, including links to individual state dashboards, please visit https://artseddata.org/national_report_2019/ or http://NAMMfoundation.org.