In a matter of three weeks, the Montevideo Music Boosters have raised $160,000 in pledges from local individuals, organizations and businesses to bolster the music programs in Independent School District No. 129. The pledges actually break down to $32,000 over each of the next five years, with the ultimate goal being $250,000.
The fundraising is in response to cuts approved in March by the school board which may fairly be characterized as the most significant cuts in recent history. In fairness to school board members, they did not make the cuts lightly. Budget constraints have forced the board to make many other cuts to other academic and extracurricular programs over the past few years.
There is no question that extracurricular activities enhance the educational experience of young people. Music in particular has been proven to benefit student learning. Findings have demonstrated that music education improves students’ academic performance, test scores and social interaction.
At the elementary level, the cuts eliminated fourth- and fifth grade-chorus, reduced the amount of class time for music instruction for kindergarten through fifth-grade, and there will no longer be a designated room for music instruction at Ramsey school. At the middle school and high school level, the seventh-grade general music elective was eliminated and the 6-12 instrumental music program was reduced from two full-time band directors to one full-time and one part-time position.
And while jazz band and marching band are not being cut, the music boosters are skeptical whether a part-time instructor will have the time to take on these extracurriculars with the same amount of time and energy as a full-time instructor. Another concern is that the lack of lesson time will affect the quality of students’ knowledge of the instrument and, thus, their performance.
As we have argued in past editorials, adequately funding education ultimately rests with the state government. Until the Legislature and governor agree that public education is the cornerstone of our republican form of government and that not all school districts are created equal, this funding issue will only get worse.
Without getting into an extended discussion of the relative merits of extracurricular activities and who should fund them, we are impressed with the zeal of this group of volunteers as they work to preserve the quality of Montevideo’s K-12 music curriculum. They are truly putting into action their beliefs that music education is a benefit to student learning.
