Before you know it, your child could no longer have a music program at their school. With school budgets constantly being cut, the arts are in trouble. This will leave many kids with no creative outlet to stimulate their minds. Many do not realize how important the music department is for developing many skills used in life. Music education is an essential part of learning and should be provided in all schools. One of the benefits of implementing music in schools is it improves academic achievement. A study by Christopher Johnson, a music education professor at the University of Kansas, shows that “students in elementary schools with superior music education programs scored around 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math scores on standardized tests, compared to schools with low-quality music programs, regardless of socioeconomic disparities among the schools or school districts”. The reasoning behind this could be that practicing the arts increases …show more content…
When this happens the arts are the first to go, since schools are so focused on core classes. Mandated state tests put pressure on the school to focus on math, reading and science. Unfortunately, this leaves little time for students to focus on the creative sides of their brain. Even though music has been shown to enhance performance in school, this should not be the only reason to advocate for your school’s music program. Music helps at levels beyond education and needs to be provided to help students achieve success at all levels. It is time to be proactive and advocate for your child’s music program. The loss of music in schools with have a negative impact on performance at an academic and social level. Some children will no longer have the ability to experience the passion that music provides. It is possible to balance a student’s academic needs with the arts, without sacrificing learning and