Strategies For Low-Performing Schools

Strategies For Low-Performing Schools
and At-Risk Youth; Following is a statement by VH1 President John Sykes and VH1; Save the Music Executive Director Bob Morrison to the National; Governors Association on February 25, 2001:
: -----; As you are well aware, we are entering a time of intense focus in; our country on improving our schools. As a citizen and a parent, it; is a breath of fresh air to see that providing our children with the; best possible education has brought everyone in this room together.; It is an issue that transcends political boundaries. I know it is a; priority for the group gathered here today, and I promise you it is; also one for us in the business community.; You've heard it here today. The question is no longer whether; reform is needed. The debate has now centered on how. This is; particularly true when we focus on reform efforts in low; performing schools and for our "at risk" youth.; While we do not pretend to have the solution to the larger issue of; how to improve our schools, we do believe we have an important part of; the solution: Music Education. When I say music education, I am not; referring to the exposure of our children to music (like listening to; classical CD's or taking kids to an orchestra concert). I am talking; about the sequential acquisition of skills and knowledge in music. I; am talking about making and playing music, as part of the regular; curriculum, available to all children.; That is why we started the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. VH1 Save; The Music is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring music; education in our public schools and to raising awareness about the; importance of music participation for our nation's youth. We do this; primarily through VH1's reach into 74 million U.S. television homes.; Due to competing demands for time and money in our public schools,; music and arts education programs have, in many communities, been; eliminated over the past 30 years. The devastation to these programs; has been most significant in our more urban and rural schools. One; recurring theme I have found...in visiting schools across the; country...is that high-performing schools, without exception, include; a robust music and arts education program while low-performing schools; in most instances do not.; The elimination of music programs has occurred against the; backdrop of a growing body of scientific research that has been; reinforcing what many of us in the music community have known; all along: Music Education Builds Brain Power. It is a key to; improving academic performance and a key to helping at-risk; students and low performing schools.; I won't ask you to take my word for it. Let's look at the body of; evidence:; In a study released last year, second graders from a low income; school in Los Angeles were given eight months of piano keyboard; training, as well as time playing with newly designed music; software. The result? These students, taking the Stanford 9 Math; Test, went from scoring in the 30th to the 65th percentile. These; second graders were performing sixth grade math.; (Neurological Research, March 15, 1999; Gordon Shaw, Ph.D,; University of California, Irvine); A related study by University of Wisconsin Professor, Dr. Frances; Rauscher published in 1997 in the Scientific Journal Neurological; Research showed that children involved with keyboard instruction; at early age showed significantly enhanced abstract reasoning; abilities, critical to success in science and complex math.; After learning about this research, the Wisconsin School District of; Kettle Moraine wanted to see how this concept would work in the real; world. They implemented a program that replicated the Rauscher study,; using kindergarten students and group piano instruction. At the end; of the school year, students in classes that had received piano; keyboard instruction outscored those who received no keyboard; instruction by 46 percent! The program has since expanded to K; through 6 students across the entire district.; The critical point here is the students were not taught math using; music...they were taught music. It was the process of learning; music that helped improve their math skills.; (Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2000); One of the issues for at-risk youth is drug and alcohol abuse. A; 1999 report released by the Texas Commission on Drugs and; Alcohol abuse found that students involved in band or orchestra; (when compared against other student activities) reported the; lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco,; or drugs).; (1999 Texas Commission On Drug and Alcohol Abuse); According to the College Board, students involved with music; score an average of 100 points higher on SAT tests than students; who do not. The longer a student has been involved with music; instruction, the greater the difference.; (College Board Survey of SAT Test Takers 2000); In another study, Dr. James Catterall of UCLA analyzed the school; records of 25,000 students from the NELS88 Database as they; moved through school. He found that students who studied music; had higher grades, scored better on standardized tests, and had; better attendance records. When he factored in economic status he; also found that students from poorer families who studied music; improved their overall school performance at the same rate or; faster than all others.; (Dr. James Catterall, UCLA, 1997); In spite of this evidence, recent public concerns about declining; basic skills in reading and mathematics have led some school; districts to narrow their curriculum, eliminating subjects like; music, in an effort to improve scores on standardized tests.; The result has been the creation of an educational and cultural; caste system. A system of have and have-nots. A system where; the elementary school children in the suburbs surrounding; Baltimore all have music. But, in the city, only 13 of 130; elementary schools include music. The same is true for other areas; from Boston to Los Angeles, Milwaukee to New Orleans.; So...on the one hand, we have all of this research. On the other; hand we have this unfortunate reality.; Inspired by much of this research, and stunned by our first hand; knowledge of the limitation of music instruction in New York City; public schools, we formed our VH1 Save The Music Foundation in; 1997...In many instances, our work in a community is the first; time many of these schools have had instrumental music programs; in more than 20 years.; Besides the academic impact of music instruction, we were; pleasantly surprised to find some additional benefits:; 1. Music programs are a catalyst for creating parental involvement; in schools. The parents not only come to see their children; perform, they visit the after school rehearsals and interact with; the teachers and school officials. For many parents it is the first; time they have ever visited their child's school.; 2. Music programs have attracted other members of the community, from; senior citizens to local business leaders. Once people are in the; school, they are able to see firsthand the efforts of the school, not; just in music, but in other areas as well.; 3. Because students are involved in the study of music during the; school day, they practice music after school. It is clear that if a; child has an instrument in his or her hand, there is less chance of; picking up something more damaging, like a crack pipe, a needle, a; bottle or a gun.; 4. In many instances, music has become the motivating factor for a; child to stay in school. Sharon Johnson, from Parham Elementary; [in Cincinnati] has emphatically pointed this out to us. So have; hundreds of other principals, teachers, students and parents who; have written to us at VH1. Participation in a school music; program in many instances becomes the only reason a child comes; to school.; So what does the public think of this? A Gallup survey conducted; last spring showed that:; - 78% of Americans agree that states should mandate music; education for all students; - 85% agree that communities should provide the financial; resources for these programs; - And a whopping 93% agree that schools should offer music; instruction as part of the basic curriculum; I am sure any of you would be happy to have these approval; ratings!; So, we've heard the evidence. What we need now is action. So; here is how you can help:; As An Organization: We strongly urge that you open the aperture; on core subjects covered through your efforts with "Achieve" and; look closely at the direct academic benefits of music education.; We applaud the work many of you have done and we understand; the pressure created by the TIMMS Study to focus on the "basic; core" subject areas.; We believe the time has come to include music education in your areas; of concern, data collection, standards comparisons and best practices; reporting. This is a small request. But its impact, and the message; it will send to education officials around the country, will be; profound.; Be careful about the unintended consequences often caused by; emphasizing only reading, math, and accountability. We all agree; about the need to stress these issues. But, we need to be sure that; we do so in a way that does not send a signal to local communities; that this must be done at the expense of music or arts education.; We now have solid proof that the two go hand in hand. The; solution we all seek is not achieved by forcing schools to choose.; In Your States: Focus on what is happening with music in the; regular curriculum. The real benefits of music and arts education; that we have discussed today come from them being conducted as; an academic subject.; Examine the research. Develop your own understanding of the; critical impact these programs have on the development of our; children, our schools, and our communities. And don't take our; word for it. Talk to educators in cities and schools across your; state where these music programs are working.; Do you have policies in place and do you promote policies that; include music education as an equal educational partner (like math,; reading, history and science)? We believe you should.; Do you have standards for the arts? If so, have you established an; assessment process? Having standards and an assessment process; for music and arts education sends the unmistakable message that; the arts are a part of a basic education.; And what would any presentation to a group of distinguished; governors be without a request for more money! Some small; targeted investments in music can reap years and years of; educational rewards.; We are well aware of the challenges you face every day providing; leadership for your states. We do not expect you to wake up first; thing every day and think about how to put music and arts; education back into the classroom. But, we do hope that, based on; the information we are sharing with you today, you will recognize; its incredible academic power. We believe this so strongly that we; have committed millions of dollars of our own. We are not; lobbyists. We operate a cable television network and we are; parents. Our only vested interest is in our children.; You know in a business like VH1...there is one part of the budget; you never cut! It's called Product Development. Well, the; children in this country are the future products of our society.; They are our future customers, our leaders and our neighbors. And; as Superintendent Floyd [of Cincinnati] said earlier so eloquently,; "children don't control where they live and they can't vote." It's; up to us.; We hope the NGA and each of you in your own states will study; and adopt these recommendations. We welcome the opportunity to; be your partner in this process.; We're here to work with you. Bob and I welcome your questions; or comments.; Thank you!