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Research-Based Justification for the Highline School District
Elementary and Secondary School Music Programs
(as part of the daily curriculum during regular school hours)

by Sandra Locklear

Research Contributors:
Pay Gray, Beth Bekkevold, Dan Davis and Patrick Stultz, Highline School District Music Educators

I. Current General Overview of Music Education in the U.S.

A. Function of music: As a significant and research-supported discipline, music has two main functions in school curriculum: As a subject with its own value for the child, expressing human feelings in unique and powerful ways, and as enrichment, reinforcement, and expansion of learning in other areas. A direct correlation has been found to exist between arts-based programs and enhanced student achievement. Music has been found to improve the intellectual functioning of all children and is now known to be essential for optimal cognitive development (Rauscher, 1996). The benefits conveyed by music education can be grouped in four categories: (MENC, 2001): 1) Success in society
2) Success in school
3) Success in developing intelligence
4) Success in life

B. Music-related scientific research: During the last twenty years, research in the neurological and cognitive sciences has indicated ways to improve teaching and learning. In this time frame, the research field in music education has come of age. Some of this research has looked at the relationship between music study and 1) academic ability 2) psychological and social abilities 3) motor tasks 4) evidence of public support for school music programs (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker, 1995, p.6).

C. Research results: The effects of music and music instruction in the classroom are broad and far-reaching. The psychological and psychosocial effect of music participation on individual development, the benefits of music and music participation, and the role music plays in the development of individual skills and abilities cannot be underestimated (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker, 1995 p. 40). For a more in-depth look at current research results, see sections II, III, and IV in this report.

D. Federal arts inclusion mandate: The Goals 2000: Educate America Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton in March of 1994, mandated that (for the first time) resources come from the federal government and go to the states for their school districts to implement plans to "improve student learning." Specifically, the act provided money and guidelines for the states that voluntarily participated to develop "consistent standard of achievement" in various subjects – including the arts – by the year 2000 (Nissen, 1995). With the passage of Goals 2000, the national goals were written into law, naming the arts as a core academic subject – as important to the education of all students as English, math or history (American Federation of Musicians, 1994).

In concert with Goals 2000, the National Standards for Arts Education were published and read: "Every child in every school will receive a well-rounded education that includes a comprehensive, sequential, high-quality program of music taught by a certified music teacher" (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker p. 47).

Around this time, the Council on Basic Education conducted a study and found that not only did the U.S. trail Germany, Japan, and England in time devoted and percentage of time devoted to arts instruction, but that the U.S. trailed these countries in math and science scores (Harvey, 2000). The conclusion seems obvious.

E. Educator Concerns: Music class immersion can positively address many of the concerns educators share. These concerns include such issues as creativity and higher-order thinking skills, diverse learning styles and teaching strategies, self-esteem, students at-risk, literacy, and cross-cultural understanding. In sequential comprehensive music programs, reflecting Bloom's taxonomy of high-order thinking skills, students are engaged in experiencing, understanding, performing, analyzing, creating, and evaluating (Center for Arts in Basic Curriculum).

F. The music and reading / literacy connection: Language and music are both symbolic. The top three reasons why music educators are excellent reading teachers are their constant work with aural discrimination, sequential learning and mid-line development (Marshall, 1999). Many reading concepts, skills, and activities do overlap and duplicate music concepts, skills and activities. Music concepts inherent to melody such as same-different, high-low, loud-soft, step-skip, fast-slow, and left-right compare with the reading emphasis on analysis, classification skills, opposites, matching, form and patterns. Music concepts of long-short, music notation symbols, and alphabet letters equate with word recognition. Music elements associated with melody such as phrases, lines, note reading, and text reading are similar to those found in a formal classroom-reading program.

In short, skill, concepts and activities involving melody intermingle with the entire range of reading development. The learning of literacy (reading, writing, thinking, talking, listening, and creating) is enhanced and strengthened by music immersion (Fitzmaurice, 1972).

II. Overview of Significant Music-Related Research and Results

A. Recent John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Report: A recent report, "Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning," offers clear evidence of how the arts can improve academic performance, energize teachers, and transform learning environments. Developed by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in conjunction with several other prominent foundations (see bibliography), the report details research projects that included students, educators, artists and others in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Results include: (MacArthur Foundation, 2000)

1) Students with high levels of arts participation outperform "arts-poor" students on virtually every measure
2) The arts have a measurable impact on students in high poverty and urban settings
3) The arts direct disadvantaged youth toward positive behaviors and goals
4) Learning through the arts has significant effects on learning in other domains
5) Arts experiences enhance critical thinking abilities and outcomes
6) The arts enable educators to reach students in effective ways.

B. Howard Gardner's "Theory of Multiple Intelligences": In Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983), Gardner challenged the commonly held practice of categorizing people by single measures of intelligence and proposed that there are 7 basic intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal. He provides a model of human intelligence for educational reform that gives music a significant place in the development of educational programs. In his January 1997 "The Musical Mind", Gardner states that musical intelligence probably carries more emotional, spiritual, and cultural weight than the other intelligences, and more importantly, music helps some people organize the way they think and work by helping them develop in other areas such as math, language, and spatial reasoning (Harvey, 2000).

Since then, a significant amount of research has accumulated supporting the impact of music education on all seven intelligences, focusing upon the role of music enhancing higher brain function and development (Harvey, 2000).

C. Research –Based Questions & Answers About the Role of Music in the School (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker, 1995)

1. Does music instruction aid reading skills? Yes.
2. Does music instruction aid language skills? Yes.
3. Does music instruction aid foreign language skills? Yes.
4. Does music instruction aid math skills? Yes.
5. Does music instruction aid overall academic achievement scores? Yes.
6. Does the study of music enhance creativity? Yes.
7. Does learning to play an instrument result in better eye-hand coordination? Yes.
8. Does participation in music courses positively affect a student's self-esteem? Yes.
9. Do singing activities decrease aggressive behaviors? Yes.
10. Does music affect a student's decision to remain in school? Yes. .
11. Does participation in music activities and classes help students develop stronger
self-concepts and values toward the school classroom? Yes.
12. Does music include children with disabilities? Yes.
13. Does participation in music positively increase student perceptions of self
and others? Yes.
14. Does participation in music foster greater peer and adult interaction, increase happiness, and in general increase student motivation and success? Yes.
15. Do music classes help provide the setting for personal growth and positive attitudes towards school education? Yes.
16. Does music participation provide an emotional and a social outlet for many students? Yes.
17. Does music participation stimulate and promote trust and cooperativeness among
individuals? Yes.
18. In general, do students gain certain psychosocial benefits from music participation? Yes.
19. Does the American public support music in the schools? Yes.

III. Research Implications and Conclusions

A. 6 major reasons why music should occupy a central role in the education of every child: (The Center for Arts in the Basic Curriculum)

1) The arts integrate basic neurological functions and aid student learning
2) The arts access multiple human intelligences and develop higher-order thinking skills.
3) The arts increase multi-cultural understanding
4) The arts enhance the learning environment
5) The arts generate self-esteem and positive emotional responses to learning.
6) The arts engage a variety of learning styles.

B. Theory of Multiple Intelligences: Unfortunately, most school systems only teach, test, reinforce and reward linguistic and logical intelligences. While these skills are essential in a literate, information-oriented society, many students have talents that often go unacknowledged in the other five intelligences. In addition to reading, writing, computing and listening as instructional tools, students can and do learn through images, textures, rhythm, color, playing an instrument, role playing, movement, composing, painting, designing, and singing (Marshall, 1999).

C. General Conclusion: If music is to be honored as a basic part of education, those responsible for our educational systems must become convinced of its educational, as well as its artistic worth. It is ironic and perhaps unfortunate that we may be forced to turn to science to show the value of music to education. The point must be made, however, that the data from scientific research on the far-reaching effects of music on the cognitive development of children, in no way takes away from the value of studying music for the beauty and expression it offers in and of itself. Scientific research does not diminish music as an art, but rather it increases the status of music as an educational tool. If we do not provide adequate opportunities for our children to learn and participate in music, we are depriving them of a great resource (Rauscher, 1996).

IV. Conclusions for HSD Music Programs During School Day

A. Important Conclusion for Highline School District: Through music participation, at-risk students (students from single-parent households; of low socioeconomic status; from homes where one or both parents dropped out of school; or who are victims of abuse or neglect) and students traditionally not considered to be at-risk tend to increase their self-awareness and develop pride and satisfaction in themselves and in their schools, classroom, and teachers (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker, 1995 p. 31).

Increased positive interactions with peers and adults, both in the school setting and non-school setting and improved social adjustment skills have been reported due to music participation. Music teachers become role-models for students, music classrooms become settings in which individual creativity, trust, and interaction can be cultivated and grown, and music participation becomes the emotional outlet needed to reduce or prevent student drop-out (Cutietta, Hamann, Walker, 1995 p. 31).

Decreased student absenteeism, increased motivation, enhanced self-esteem, a willingness to risk, an increase in student achievement are all benefits from a strong music program (Marshall, 1999). A bi-weekly, 45-minute music class would be an enriching and safe way for HSD students from poverty – indeed, all students – to express themselves and experience success while also gaining necessary literacy skills.

B. A List of 16 Reasons for Increasing General Music Class Length (Dickinson, 1993 #1-13 and Center for Arts in the Basic Curriculum #14-16)

1. Music is a language that all people speak – it cuts across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhances cultural appreciation and awareness.
2. Music is a symbol system as important as letters and numbers.
3. Music integrates basic neurological functions and mind, body, and spirit.
4. Music provides opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality (performance = independence + interdependence).
5. Music creates a seamless connection between motivation, instruction, assessment, and practical application – leading to "deep understanding."
6. Music makes it possible to experience processes from beginning to end.
7. Music develops both independence and collaboration.
8. Music provides immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection.
9. Music makes it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways.
10. Music merges the learning of process and content.
11. Music improves academic achievement – enhancing test scores, attitudes, self-esteem, social skills, critical and creative thinking.
12. Music exercises and develops higher order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and "problem-finding."
13. Music (or the arts) is an essential component of any alternative assessment program
14. Music provides the means for every student to learn (kinesthetic, visual, auditory, global or
analytic, random or sequential – G).
15. Music expands our ability to live with ambiguity and process, qualities of life that all too often are not emphasized in basic schooling yet which pervade the world outside school.
16. Music expresses the depth of human emotion and gives voice to the height of human aspiration.

V. Highline School District General Music Staff on the Aesthetics of Music

A. "Music is a lifelong ability, something a student will always carry with him or her, and memories
stay with one forever."
B. "Music is about expression and soul."
C. "Music opens up connections to other people and culture, and the community in which we live
and work."
D. "Music is about lifelong artistic expression and appreciation."

2008 UPDATE AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: The purpose of this music research article was to help convince our local school district education association to increase elementary music time and it served the purpose as our proposal passed. But since 2003 the Fine Arts (and electives in general) in our south Seattle school district have deteriorated at a rapid rate after the elimination of the Fine Arts Director position.

Here is an edited summation of current issues that music programs in our district face as I explained in a letter to our local community newspaper, The Highline Times, published on Oct. 22, 2008. Hopefully this will give the reader practical insight in the problems Fine Arts departments all across our country are now up against. (Note: this letter is a condensed version of a 5-page report.)

"Regarding your Sept. 24 front-page article "Schools Deny Arts Downplayed" I believe readers are mislead into thinking that our Fine Arts programs are healthy when they're not. With all due respect, our school district's community relations director is paid to promote a positive image. But as a music educator of many years here I see things differently.

According to state law (www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Arts) the Highline School District has to provide a comprehensive, sequential and standards based K-12 arts program in dance, music, theatre and visual arts in order for students to fulfill their 1.0 arts graduation credit. Note that surrounding south Seattle school districts (Auburn, Kent and Renton) all still offer band, choir, and orchestra in their middle and high schools.

Our part-time Fine Arts Director position was cut in 2003 due to the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) and Small Schools implementation frenzy. Most parents I talked to were as confused as me or clueless as to the shifting baseline. Ms. Hawkins was replaced by a coordinator who had 5 other departments to manage. It's no surprise that our major departmental achievements unraveled. In Sept. 2008 this coordinator was then replaced by a point person in the "Teaching and Learning" department, whatever that is.

From 1991-2003, here are ways your tax dollars were well-spent under the dynamic leadership of a Fine Arts Director:
1) Choir and band was offered at every single secondary school; today our district has lost all choirs except at 1 middle and 1 high school;
2) HSD music benchmarks and standards were published plus Hawkins co-authored our state's music learning objectives with OSPI (state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia) that are used today;
3) For the first time a music songbook/CD curriculum was adopted in 1995 that now needs updating;
4) Traveling multicultural music kits were assembled along with some instrumental kits; the guitar and keyboard kits need to be replaced;
5) A music resource library was established at ERAC that was dispersed in 2004 to who-knows-where due to "a lack of space";
6) A research-based proposal passed to increase weekly elementary student music time and is still in place;
7) Monthly music meetings were and still are held;
8) Violins were secured through a grant from VH1 to revitalize lost string programs but these efforts have so far been hampered by a lack of administrative oversight, site based decision making and burdensome hiring rules ("highly qualified");
9) Hawkins co-authored with OSPI the Fine Arts state graduation credit to the 1.0 credit that is still in place today;
10) The Summer Arts Academy that was kept alive was cancelled in 2004 and has since been reinstated;
11) Funding was available for the part-time position of Fine Arts Director and the rest is history.

So why now the war on electives? 1) Small Schools (which don't solve the fundamental problems of overcrowded classrooms and hiring more teachers to reduce class size) evoke "site-based decision making." HSD central administration chooses to no longer have a hand in what schools do elective-wise. Principals pressured to conform to the status quo now have the power to make or break music programs. 2) WASL stress preempts the Fine Arts. Empty choir rooms are being used for "double-dosing" kids in reading and math so they can pass the WASL exam when in many cases some good old-fashioned turning off the TV at home might help.

The truth of our school district's claim that "the district has made it a priority to meet its budget without cutting arts programs" speaks for itself. Decades-long education research supports music in American public school education. From K-12, the bottom line is that if we don't provide adequate opportunities for our children to learn and participate in band, choir and orchestra during the regular school day, we're depriving them of a great lifelong resource. The musical arts offer a legitimate life pathway for many students.

The fight to save music programs year after years diverts precious teaching energy. Our school board should adopt a policy to permanently embed secondary music programs into the regular school day, rendering them immune to educational fads or to the whims of principals. If federal monies had been directed to embed music programs instead of Small Schools, that's exactly what would have happened. Our beautiful new schools and the ones yet to be built ought to be filled with the sounds of music."

RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Rauscher, Dr. F. (1996 February). What Educators Music Learn From Science. Tacoma, Washington. Speech excerpted from Oct. 1995 issue of WMEA's VOICE magazine.

B. MENC (2001). Music Education Facts and Figures. Published paper.

C. Cutietta, Dr. R.; Hamann, Dr. D.; Walker, Dr. L. (1995). Spin-Offs: The Extra-Musical Advantages of a Musical Education. Published by United Musical Instruments U.S.A., Inc. for the Future of Music Project.

Note: All studies in this book consist of reviewing every issue from 1970-1992 of "flagship" journals in music education: The Journal of Research in Music Education, The Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, The Journal of Music Therapy, Dialogue in Instrumental Music Education, Contributions to Music Education, Psychology of Music, and UPDATE. In addition, an electronic search was conducted of a vast number of journals, dissertations, and manuscripts by searching electronically using E.R.I.C., Psyclit, and Dissertations Abstract International.

D. Nissen, G. (1995). Defend the Arts! Washington Free Press.

E. American Federation of Musicians (1994). "Planting Music Standards in the Real World." May 1994 issue of Musician Magazine.

F. Harvey, A. (2000). An Intelligence View of Music Education. Published by Music Educator's National Conference (MENC, subsidiary of the National Association for Music Education),

G. The Center for Arts in the Basic Curriculum. A Case for the Arts As A Basic in Education. Missouri: Missouri Arts Education Task Force.

H. Marshall, C. (1999). "Reading and Writing and … Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Article published by Pennsylvania's PMEA News.

I. Fitzmaurice, G. (1972). The Connection Between Music and Literacy Skills. Hillsborough, California. Published paper.

J. MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T.; GE Fund; Arts Education Partnership; President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities (2000). Report on the Influence of the Arts in Education.

K. Dickinson, D. (1993). Music and the Mind. Seattle. Published by New Horizons for Learning/MENC.

Sandra Locklear is a Canadian jazz artist, composer, certified public school music educator and arts activist based out of Seattle, Washington. She has played piano and sang for audiences in North American and Europe, traveled to West Africa to study the roots of jazz, and has taught music to kids in schools for over fifteen years. Sandra can be reached through her website at www.sandralocklear.com.

For permission to reprint, please contact the author.