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NAMM Foundation Names the Best Communities for Music Education Designation...

The NAMM Foundation today announced the results of the ninth annual "Best Communities for Music Education" survey, which includes 110 school districts across the U.S. The designated programs exemplify community commitment to include music education as part of a quality education for all children. The NAMM Foundation and its music education advocacy efforts work to ensure that all children have access to quality music education programs that encourage lifelong participation in music making.

This year's roster of musical schools represents 29 states with New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia representing the most districts. To view the complete roster of "Best Communities," visit www.nammfoundation.org.

Hundreds of teachers, school and district administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders, representing communities in all 50 states, participated in the Web-based survey. The districts were measured across a variety of program support, curricular and programmatic criteria. Furthermore, the results were measured proportionally, so that communities of different sizes were compared equally.

Participants in the survey answered detailed questions about funding, enrollment, student/teacher ratios, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, private music lesson participation, and other relevant factors in their communities' music education programs. The responses were verified with district officials, and the sponsoring organizations reviewed the data.

"We commend these school districts for their commitment to assuring that music is part of a complete education for children," said Mary Luehrsen, executive director, NAMM Foundation. "It takes the commitment of an entire community to assure that music is part of the core curriculum. Children engaged in music will be the innovation leaders of tomorrow, and there is no better way to build life-long participation in music than with a solid base of music education."

Luehrsen also noted that throughout the survey's eight years several districts have reported that making the "Best Communities" list has had a tangible effect on their ability to preserve music for their students. This year, recipients cited increased enrollment in music programs and more support from parents and community members as they realize the physical, mental and emotional value music education brings to students.

Research reveals strong correlations between quality music education in school and academic achievement. Students actively involved with music programs develop skills needed by the 21st century workforce, including critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication and team work.

In conducting the annual survey, the NAMM Foundation is joined by advisory organizations in the fields of music and education: Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org), League of American Orchestras (www.americanorchestras.org), The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (www.mhopus.org), The Metropolitan Opera Guild (www.operaed.org), Music for All (www.musicforall.org), Music Teachers National Association (www.mtna.org), National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts (www.nationalguild.org), National PTA (www.pta.org), Yamaha Corporation of America (www.yamaha.com) and VH1 Save The Music Foundation (www.vh1savethemusic.com). The survey was conducted by Enterprise Feedback Management company, Vovici, (www.vovici.com).

About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry.

The complete "Best Communities for Music Education in America" roster is listed alphabetically below.

Abington School District - Abington, Pennsylvania

Academy District 20 - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Albion Central School District - Albion, New York

Allendale Public Schools - Allendale, New Jersey

Ann Arbor Public Schools - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Arlington Independent School District - Arlington, Texas

Baltimore County Public Schools - Towson, Maryland

Bay Shore UFSD - Bay Shore, New York

Bay Village City School District - Bay Village, Ohio

Beachwood City Schools - Beachwood, Ohio

Belmont Public Schools - Belmont, Massachusetts

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Franklin, Massachusetts

Berea City School District - Berea, Ohio

Big Horn County School District #2 - Lovell, Wyoming

Black River Public School - Holland, Michigan

Bolivar R-1 Schools - Bolivar, Missouri

Brevard Public Schools - Viera, Florida

Bristol Virginia City Schools - Bristol, Virginia

Carmel Clay Schools - Carmel, Indiana

Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD - Carrollton, Texas

Central York School District - York, Pennsylvania

Cheshire Public Schools - Cheshire, Connecticut

Chesterfield County Public Schools - Chesterfield, Virginia

Clarence Central Schools, NY - Clarence, New York

Clark County School District - Las Vegas, Nevada

Cleveland School District - Cleveland, Mississippi

Clovis Municipal Schools - Clovis, New Mexico

Commack Public Schools - East Northport, New York

Community Unit School District 300 - Carpentersville, Illinois

Coppell Independent School District - Coppell, Texas

Cuyahoga Heights School District - Cleveland, Ohio

David Douglas School District - Portland, Oregon

DeKalb Schools - Decatur, Georgia

Denton Independent School District - Denton, Texas

Dubuque Community Schools - Dubuque, Iowa

Ephrata Area School District - Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Fairfax County Public Schools - Falls Church, Virginia

Fargo Public Schools - Fargo, North Dakota

Flemington-Raritan Regional School District - Flemington, New Jersey

Folsom Cordova Unified School District - Folsom, California

Fulton County Schools - Atlanta, Georgia

Garnet Valley School District - Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

Great Neck Union Free School District - Great Neck, New York

Greenwich Public Schools     - Greenwich, Connecticut

Guilderland Central School District - Guilderland, New York

Half Hollow Hills Central School District - Dix Hills, New York

Henrico County Public Schools - Richmond, Virginia

Hidalgo Independent School District - Hidalgo, Texas

Hillsborough County Public Schools - Tampa, Florida

Hilton Central Schools - Hilton, New York

Hortonville Area School District - Hortonville, Wisconsin

Hudson School District - Hudson, Wisconsin

Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District - Bedford, Texas

Island Trees School District - Levittown, New York

Jericho Union Free School District - Jericho, New York

Joliet Public Schools District 7 - Joliet, Montana

Jordan Utah School District - Sandy, Utah

Klein Independent School District - Klein, Texas

Lakeshore Public Schools - Stevensville, Michigan

Lawrence Township School District - Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Lebanon City Schools - Lebanon, Ohio

Le Roy Central School - Le Roy, New York

Letcher County Schools - Whitesburg, Kentucky

Lewisville Independent School District - Flower Mound, Texas

Littleton Public Schools - Littleton, Colorado

Liverpool Central School District - Liverpool, New York

Longwood Central School District - Yaphank, New York

Loudoun County Public Schools - Ashburn, Virginia

Lynn Public Schools - Lynn, Massachusetts

Malta School District - Malta, Montana

Metuchen School District - Metuchen, New Jersey

Montgomery County Public Schools - Christiansburg, Virginia

Monticello Central School District - Monticello, New York

MSD Lawrence Township - Indianapolis, Indiana

Nanuet Union Free School District - Nanuet, New York

Niagara Wheatfield Central - Niagara Falls, New York

North Allegheny School District - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

North Babylon Union Free Schools - North Babylon, New York

North Rockland Central School District - North Garnerville, New York

Nutley School District - Nutley, New Jersey

Olmsted Falls City Schools - Olmsted Falls, Ohio

Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School - St. Johnsville, New York

Ossining Union Free School District - Ossining, New York

Paramus Public School District - Paramus, New Jersey

Pasadena Independent School District - Pasadena, Texas

Pequannock Township School District - Pompton Plains, New Jersey

Perrysburg Exempted Village School District - Perrysburg, Ohio

Plano Independent School District - Plano, Texas

Polk County Schools - Lakeland, Florida

Port Jefferson School District - Port Jefferson, New York

Pulaski Community Schools - Pulaski, Wisconsin

Putnam Valley Central School District - Putnam Valley, New York

Quaker Valley School District - Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Randolph Township Schools - Randolph, New Jersey

Roanoke County Public School - Roanoke, Virginia

Rush-Henrietta CSD - Henrietta, New York

Santa Monica-Malibu USD - Santa Monica, California

South Amboy School District - South Amboy, New Jersey

South Huntington Union Free School District - Huntington Station, New York

Springville Griffith Institute and Central School - Springville, New York

St. John School District - St. John, Washington

State College Area School District - State College, Pennsylvania

Sycamore Community Unit School District #427 - Sycamore, Illinois

Syosset Central School District - Syosset, New York

Torrington Public Schools - Torrington, Connecticut

Township of Union School Districts - Union, New Jersey

Valier Public Schools District #18 - Valier, Montana

Washoe County School District - Reno, Nevada

Webster Central School District - Webster, New York

West Des Moines Community School District - West Des Moines, Iowa

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