Music Teachers In Schools

One study showed that the emphasis of high-stakes state tests negatively impacted music programs in the form of decreased instructional contact time and the requirement for music teachers to teach outside of their subject area. Amid the many recommendations made to music teachers on how to promote, advocate, and protect their programs, information about how far-reaching the actions music teachers currently take is scarce. Themes related to school administrators ' support of music programs included funding, facilities, scheduling, growth and innovation, professional autonomy, and valuing music programs and music teachers. The efforts made by over 90% of general music teachers in the sample included using performances or other music events to

These include pursuing additional training/certification in music or music education, working with other music teachers in the district to advocate for music education, pursuing additional sources of funding for the music program, and involving media to get the word out about music education. A slight majority of general music teachers indicated state and national music standards positively impacted their programs and/or teaching positions. Specifically, working in coordination with other music teachers may support music teachers who feel isolated, disconnected, or lacking power in school-level decisions.

School dropout prevention: What arts-based community and out-of-school-time programs can contribute Linda Charmaraman, Georgia Hall Abstract Out-of-school-time programs, especially arts-based programs, can be critical players in a community 's efforts to prevent school dropout. Starting from a list of

DEREK MESSACAR PHILIP OREOPOULOS Staying in School A Proposal for Raising High-School Graduation Rates By making school attendance compulsory until age 18 and adding targeted support programs, states can better help students avoid regret. For decades, laws compelling school attendance have been implemented with the goals of raising educational attainment, reducing the number of dropouts, and addressing the problems myopic youth and disinterested parents have in choosing whether the student stays in school. Although a strictly enforced minimum school-leaving age should, in theory, cause every student to either remain in school until the requisite age or face a penalty, compulsory- schooling laws tend not to be strictly enforced, often for reasons of cost. The option to receive assistance in finding work after school also entices many students to graduate on time, because the financial benefits of remaining in school are made more salient. Accommodating tens of thousands of students across the country who otherwise would have dropped out with entail direct costs from some combination of hiring more teach- 60 ISSUES IN SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, building new schools, or increasing class sizes. Some new schools and classrooms may have to be built to accommodate the would-be high-school dropouts who remain in school, but most of the antistructure already exists to support these students. Increasing the number of students in public schools could lead to larger