We were cut out of funds because Title I went away. (2007 survey)

Music is still just an afterthought, not an academic subject. (2007 survey)

From $500 to $0. (2007 survey)

Campus budget was cut in half. (2007 survey)

Our entire campus budget went from 42K to 21K. (2007 survey)

It has put children who should be in special ed. *only* into the regular classroom. (2007 survey)

One new string teacher for elementary and middle school cycle classes. (2007 survey)

Funding has remained the same at primary and elementary levels. Greater resources have been given for musical initiatives at the high school level. (2007 survey)

- Majority of resources, materials, and funding given to those areas considered to be "curriculum" areas (math, reading, etc.)
- Decrease in amount of ensemble rehearsal time by one third
- Adoption of "uninterrupted time," which is used for reading and math instruction; students cannot be excused to attend instrument lessons. This decreases lesson time while increasing size of lesson groups. (2007 survey)

High school band and grades 4-6 director is retiring. They are considering not replacing him. (2007 survey)

The music program has not been affected in the elementary. My high school program has been drastically affected. Students with below a certain PSSA average have been pulled from chorus for tutoring. (2007 survey)

Last year, the [...] School District was named one of the 100 Best In The Nation. All the time, the administration was planning to cut [the program] starting in 2007-2008. They are replacing it with a "Creative Expressions" class that has no curriculum and will be structured so it can be taught by any teacher with an extra hour to fill. This is part of a cut of all 6th grade exploratories (Life skills, Spanish, Art, etc.). (2007 survey)

[Music budget] completely cut. Booster Club donates funds for my school. (2007 survey)

State budget was cut (2007 survey)

I know our library budget has dwindled over the years. She relies on book fairs for money. (2007 survey)

Scheduling and training priorities are math and reading. Students are more frustrated at school due to curriculum change and double dosing of math or reading - especially kindergartners. (2007 survey)

One other frustration - with music staff cut back, our students no longer do major musical productions and are missing the performance element. It's strictly teaching music literacy skills and singing. Plus, we do music benchmark tests at grades 3 and 5. (2007 survey)

From $300 to "only the bare necessities" (2007 survey)

AE

Because we are Department of Defense Schools, all the money is going toward the war. Little is left for the schools (2007 survey)

AE

Music has become less important. Language Arts and Math are STRESSED: We have Math Week, Reading Week, Reading Buddies, etc. Trying to organize something for Music in our Schools Month is either my initiative or it is ignored. (2007 survey)

AE

Not sure yet. We're based on what the Army says; if student numbers go down, "specialists" sometimes are cut. (2007 survey)

AE

I've not noticed any changes. I've been teaching nine years and have moved four times (all Department of Defense moves) yet still feel like I'm free to create my program how I wish. I feel the only thing threatening my job would be a base closure/realignment. (2007 survey)

AE

We don't know for sure, but they are discussing hiring five elementary teachers (2 schools each) in the 2007 or 2008 school year. (2007 survey)

Alabama

We just recently passed a 1% increase in property taxes [...] that I hope will help. (2007 survey)

Alabama

I think some jobs at the central office were combined so they don't have as many administrative positions. (2007 survey)

Alabama

Our community: My minister of music and I have written a program for the school year called Encore. We have about 140 volunteers from the community that go into the elementary classrooms once a week for 30 minutes to give a music lesson. I wrote all of the lesson plans, and we provide a notebook and CD for each volunteer (plus a training session). (2007 survey)

Alabama

Sometimes we are given a financial contribution for music or given an item from someone in the community. For example, a bank recently gave us a portable sound system after we sang for them. (2007 survey)

Alabama

Well, you can't schedule music during protected reading, math, and science, so that makes us schedule either double classes or everyone after lunch is back-to-back with *no* breaks from 11am-3pm. (2007 survey)

Alabama

This is the first in 16 years that [...] County has had music teachers. (2007 survey)

Alabama

We should be adding a second assistant band director, who will help out the beginning, jr. high, and high school bands. (2007 survey)

Alabama

I used to do musicals throughout the year, with every student getting a chance to "shine." Now our school doesn't do any. Kids used to perform for PTO meetings, now they don't. We used to have a lot of fun learning, now we don't. The reason? Our teachers (whom, I may add, are extremely talented in the area of fine arts themselves and were actively involved in all musical productions) unfortunately are now working so hard to live up to the latest set of expectations dumped on them in the manner of a four-alarm fire, that they just can't handle one more thing. Our school's schedule is so tight, that I can only get the students at their regular music time once a week. Performances will now be done on a smaller scale.
  I've been teaching here at the same school since I graduated college about 15 years ago, and it is a great place. Our school system has gone from one early elementary music teacher (me, working with K-2) to a music teacher in every school, and choir and band being offered from 6th grade on up. (2007 survey)

Alabama

Our middle/jr. high choir program just started three years ago, thanks to constant pressure from parents, teachers, a fantastic principal, and the willingness of a fellow music teacher and myself to travel and provide the feeder program the high school so desperately needed. However, neither general music nor music appreciation is offered in grades 6-9. The kids who don't sign up for band or choir don't get any music. (2007 survey)

Alabama

All funding at my school has dramatically decreased. Our entire school budget next year will be $5,000. (2007 survey)

AP

C.O.W. - cost of war. (2007 survey)

AP

The entire base is suffering. (2007 survey)

AP

My school [...] doesn't have to follow NCLB. It's true!! Isn't that great?! (2007 survey)

AP

They intend to open a new K-8 school next year. Also, the current K-8 school that does not have a music teacher is supposed to get one next year. (2007 survey)

Arizona

It hasn't really effected the music programs of the district. Music is really not that important in this district yet. In other areas, it is really having an impact on teachers that have emergency certification or have changed teaching positions from elementary to middle school subject area. (2007 survey)

Arizona

The district doesn't have a specific music budget. I have to request items from my principal, and he makes the decision to purchase the item or deny the request. My school is new this year, and we are going to receive Orff instruments soon, and we're trying to start a band program. Next year, I will most likely not be requesting or receiving new items. (2007 survey)

Arizona

I'm moving to Wyoming. They don't care and neither do I. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Music will be riffed [reduction in force]. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Cut in half. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Budget shortfall dating back to 2005. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Education is a bare necessity required by law. It is not a cultural necessity in this community. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Any program not funded by grants has been cut, some eliminated. (2007 survey)

Arizona

The "reading block" takes up so much time. Add to that intervention pullouts for the rest of the day. There is no social studies, science; all specials are once per week. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Lost some money for the after school recorder program I had last year. (2007 survey)

Arizona

Last year we started losing money from Reading First, which is the federal program that's receiving flack now, put into place from No Child Left Behind. (2007 survey)

Arizona

I just started teaching music three years ago, so don't know what to compare it to. Don't think it had a big effect on the music program. (2007 survey)

Arizona

My district STRONGLY supports the arts, while neighboring districts are cutting their music and art programs due to lack of money. (2007 survey)

Arizona

It has made our lives more difficult because these students are not meeting the state standards because of academic insufficiencies due to being special needs. We have spent all year trying to raise these students' scores at the price of leaving out other important things. (2007 survey)

Arkansas

[Music funding went] from $500 to $3,000 in 2005-06 and has been maintained this year. (Hard work!) (2007 survey)

Arkansas

I intentionally incorporate more cross-curriculum standards in my lessons. Budget-wise, there has not yet been any effect. (2007 survey)

Arkansas

Received a one-time $500 PTO gift this year. Won't necessarily get it again next year. (2007 survey)

Arkansas

In Arkansas, students are now required to have 40 minutes of music each week. We have state frameworks. Music cannot be cut because of this requirement. (2007 survey)

Arkansas

Does having to share a room with art and go on a cart when our schedules coincide qualify as "in jeopardy?" (2007 survey)

Arkansas

If it were not for foundation grants from the district and Wal-Mart, I would be sunk. I have $300 in district funds to serve 383 for a year. (2007 survey)

Arkansas

Classroom teachers have less time for music. (2007 survey)

California

There is no funding at all. All funds come from parents and community donations. (2007 survey)

California

My program is funded by parents and community donations. I am not an employee of the school district, I am an independent contractor. The funding for programs like mine has been funneled into intervention programs in order to meet the testing requirements. No Child Left Behind has managed to leave many children behind, especially those who thrive in an arts program. (2007 survey)

California

When the funding for music became an issue, one of our schools was able to initiate a parent donation program in order to save the music program. This method was successful and now three other schools have adopted this parent-funded program. Music in the elementary grades is not a priority in our school district. Without the determination of the principal and the music teacher at [...] Elementary, music in [...] Elementary Schools would be non-existent. (2007 survey)

California

The school district allows no funding for music at all. The individual schools have school improvement money, but very little of that goes to music due to all of the intervention and EL programs that are being put into place. I think these programs are worthwhile, but a lot of intervention and language development happens in the music room, especially when the music lessons go hand-in-hand with grade level standards in other content areas. (2007 survey)

California

Added 1/2 time position. (2007 survey)

California

We had a full-time teacher retire this year, so the district is deciding whether to replace her with another full-time music teacher or with two part-time teachers. Also, I service my students on a semester basis rather than splitting my week between two schools, as did the other full-time teacher. The district wants to try to make us serve our students in the same manner. If I'm changed to a split week, it will KILL my after-school musical. Still up in the air right now. (2007 survey)

California

My district and PTA mini-grants have stayed the same. *Donations* to the recorder and choir programs vary from year to year. This is a "spare" account; if I have funds, great - if not, we don't do props or costumes or anything special for choir. Also, if something special comes up (like when my choir was invited to sing at a TV station in December 2005), I can get PR funds to pay for the bus. (2007 survey)

California

Our librarian is not accredited. (2007 survey)

California

It has affected scheduling slightly, but fortunately we've been able to continue offering the same music instruction. (2007 survey)

California

Don't know. We are a group that makes sure we have full school coverage to offer 1-30 minute lessons once a week. (2007 survey)

California

Choirs have been eliminated at all but one junior high in my district. One of our four high school band programs is withering at the roots, as students in the feeding elementaries are discouraged from participating in any program that "distracts from academics." It becomes increasingly difficult to have any music program at any of our growing number of elementaries that are designated "needing improvement," because NOTHING may happen at those schools before lunch other than reading and math. In fact, I think they would demand to postpone Armageddon itself if it tried to happened before lunch... (2007 survey)

California

California has approved a significant, though not enormous, amount of funding on a yearly basis which could be used for staffing. Despite the fact that our Music Coordinator has been pushing our desperate need to hire more music teachers for several years, our district has shown no movement whatsoever in that direction. The money is there, but you can cut the apathy with a knife... (2007 survey)

California

There is actually a greater emphasis on music since becoming Orff certified! (2007 survey)

California

The numbers are skewed for this year because I received a grant for a laptop and projector and Sibelius from our ed. foundation. Also received $500 for listening activities for primary and mallets for Orff [instruments]. Unusual and most likely NOT repeated for a number of years. (2007 survey)

California

Our district is a program improvement district (CA way of dealing with NCLB), and to meet the mandated minutes as they have signed off with the state, really truly means that I could not start teaching at one school until 1:45 (and we get out about 2:45). There have been rumblings of "program elimination" which would mean that PE (grades 1-4) and music (4-5-I have weaseled my way into a few "enlightened" schools and teach primary) could be eliminated. Band/strings has not even been discussed with this problem of time allocation. (2007 survey)

California

[There has been a] threat of possible decrease. (2007 survey)

California

[Our] music booster organizations at the high school level are ready to spring into action if needed. In the past, they laid everyone off, and it was when they had the high school bands playing before the school board meetings that they "decided" to reinstate music programs. (2007 survey)

California