Advocacy for CMEA Advocacy Session
And They Thought They Would Save Money Walt Kaweski

ADVOCACY FOR CMEA

On January 10, 2003, Governor Davis unveiled his budget proposal calling for a $5.4 billion cut in k-12 education and community college funding.  Under this proposal, $500 million would be cut from K-12 education, less than initially expected.  Total per pupil spending for elementary and secondary students will drop from $9,072 to $8.899, a loss of $173 per student.  With this reduction, K-12 schools will be funded at the minimum level required by Proposition 98, a 1988 voter-approved initiative that set a minimum level of state funding for K-12 public education.  The financial losses for school districts have yet to be calculated when the legislature approves the final budget; however, this proposal certainly has the potential to once again negatively impact public school education throughout the state.

CMEA has already been advised of several program cuts:  Santa Monica will lose the position of Fine Arts Coordinator and all elementary instrumental positions (6 FTE’s); Manhattan Beach will lose the position of Fine Arts Coordinator and elementary general music (Currently parents are seeking outside funding.); and elementary music is “on the table” as a possible cut in Fresno and Oceanside.  (We can add any others you have heard about to this list.)

Some music programs have parent/community advocate groups in place.  Other programs do not.  Now is the time to organize; HOWEVER, speaking to the values and benefits of music education and citing supportive research alone will not suffice in saving music for kids.  The school board,  district administrators, parents, and the community must have numbers and facts.

1. Organize.  The district coordinator can begin by having each music teacher identify 1 parent at each of his/her schools that would be an asset in developing an advocacy plan (speaks well; writes well; level-headed; business leader in the community; musician; prominent; etc.)  Gather these individuals and the district coordinator and the music teachers.  The coordinator should begin the meeting and then turn over to parents who select a parent “leader.”  The coordinator and music teachers are there to advise, not run the meeting.  If you do not have a district coordinator, one music teacher should “step up to the plate” to begin this process.
2. Identify the problem.  In this case, the problem is probably the amount of the budget shortfall.  What percentage of this budget is represented by the music program that will be curtailed or eliminated.  What other programs/services are on the list.  What percentage is represented by those budgets.   In reality how much money will be saved by cutting music?  (i.e. identify music teachers with seniority who will bump new hires and the difference in salaries; identify music teachers credentialed to teach other subjects who in fact may remain employed but not teaching music; what is the cost of storing and preserving district-owned instruments that will no longer be used…and what will it cost to repair/replace instruments when the program is reinstated; how will the music facilities be used; how many new teachers may need to be hired because the music teacher had 50-60 students in his/her classes.)
3. Identify the number of children who will be affected.  This means you must do a head count that includes the number of children currently receiving music instruction at each school where this program that will be cut is now implemented.  Hopefully it is at least one-third to one-half (or better) of the students at each school to make an impact. 
4. Identify the message.  Develop a chart that provides the information from #2 in both numbers and percentages.  State boldly:  “2000 children (63%) in Santa Monica’s elementary schools will lose music instruction.”  Get this headline in the news and out in the community and, to be most effective, present these findings at a school board meeting (hand each member of the board a copy).  [You can also cite some research supporting music education; keep it simple AND remember that research doesn’t PROVE anything…it just suggests a “high correlation” between music study and whatever is being compared.]
5. Recruit parents.  Get the parents of these children who will lose music instruction to the school board meeting.  Make sure they are wearing something that identifies them as music parents (i.e. black ribbons; stick-on badges with the international sign for “no” and the words “music cuts” or something similar; t-shirts identifying them as parents of music students; etc.)
6. Send the message.  Select well-spoken and level-headed parents to deliver the message.  Music teachers SHOULD NOT deliver the message to the board…you are perceived as trying to save your job.
7. Notify your local newspaper and other media of your intended presence at the board meeting.
8. Identify consequences of the cuts.  “2000 students who are denied music instruction will be 2000 less students who enter the middle and high school music programs. 
1. If these 2000 students do not continue in music, what classes will they take instead?  Music classes traditionally average higher enrollment than other classes in the secondary schools. Sixty students who would have enrolled in middle school band or choir with one teacher now require 2 teachers.  (Cite class size examples from your district.)
2. Participation in music ensembles will drop significantly at the secondary level resulting in smaller enrollments and fewer music classes and even the demise of the high school music program.
9. Remind education decision makers of UC/CSU requirements.  Both the UC and CSU entrance requirements include one year participation in a visual or performing art AND a foreign language.  How will college prep students satisfy this requirement with fewer music classes?  More teachers will need to be hired to provide courses that satisfy this requirement.
10. KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE KIDS AND WHAT THEY WILL LOSE!
11. KEEP SENDING THE MESSAGE.  Reality is that you may lose the battle this time but you have not lost the war.  School boards, administrators, etc change. You must continue to advocate for music.  Begin your proposal to the school board for reinstatement of the program immediately.  Try a different approach to teaching elementary music such as the “elementary block.”

There is no guarantee that any of this will work.  It has however worked for other districts.

There is no successful “formula” to save music education for kids.  You must know your district and your community. 

School districts in more affluent communities have been successful implementing “foundations” to assist in the funding of music education.  While this is not recommended long term because it takes the funding out of the school budget, it may be a short term solution.

If you are teaching in a Title I school, be aware that Title I funds (the No Child Left Behind Act includes music as a core subject) may be used for music and make sure your administrators are aware.

If you lose your elementary program, find creative ways to continue by reassigning middle and high school teachers or institute an after school program.  Not the best way to go but an option.

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ADVOCACY SESSION

CMEA 2003 Conference

Pasadena Convention Center
Dr. Deborah Mitchell
Western Division President of MENC
Chair, California Coalition for Music Education
CMEA, Advocacy Representative
mitchell@csulb.edu
SENDING OUT THE MESSAGE!

Preliminary Information:

1.  Know who is served by your school district!  Student demographics, socio-economic levels, academic achievement/API scores, parent education levels, Title I schools, students graduating UC/CSU eligible.

2. Know the district’s financial resources and how they are used.

3.  Know the local revenue-raising capacity of the community/district.

4.  Identify the success/failure rate of parcel taxes or bond elections.

5.  Have accurate figures on the number/percentage of students served by every level of the music program at every school in your district

Understanding the budget process:

1. Understand budget terminology. 
2. Understand how administrators and the school board manipulate the budget process.
3. Cuts in the music program may create the illusion of saving money but do they?
4. Review all line items in the budget and propose plausible alternatives to cutting music.
5. Lobby administrators/board members who are sympathetic.
6. Identify the real issues underlying the proposed budget cuts.

Organizing the facts and preparing the rebuttal/proposal:

1.  Identify the number/percentages of students who will be denied music instruction.

2.  Identify the results of proposed cuts on the future of the music program. (Cutting elementary music results in a 60% loss of students at the middle and high school levels.)

3.  Identify in writing the cost of properly storing instruments, equipment, and music while the program is in “hiatus.”

4.  Identify in writing the costs of repairing, replacing instruments, equipment, and music when the program is re-instated.

5.  Identify how the music program saves taxpayer dollars and how the music program accomplishes this more effectively than any other program?  (Hint: If it doesn’t save money, you need to reorganize.)

6.  The best bargaining position occurs when music teachers have the same or greater number of students as teachers of other subjects.  (Hint:  If music teachers have less, use this information to your advantage and demonstrate how changes in the delivery of the music program would serve more students and be cost effective.)

Get the message out:

1. Most important!  Keep the message focused on the kids!

2.  Call the local newspaper, cable channel, TV stations, etc.  Prepare a headline! (“15,000 elementary students in Newtown will loose music.”)

3.  Recruit parents to attend board meetings.  (Make sure each of them wears a badge or black ribbon that identifies them as music parents.)

4.  Select well-spoken and level-headed parents to deliver the message.

5.  Remind education decision makers of UC/CSU entrance requirements.

When all else fails:

1.  Keep sending the message.  Reality is that you may loose the battle this time but not necessarily the war.  School boards and administrators change…become an active participant in elections and hiring of new district employees.

2.  Research support from grants/foundations.  Can your community support the development of an arts/music foundation? 

3.  Move to after school programs.  (This is not highly recommended.  Once you have music outside the school day it may remain there; however, it may be a short-term solution.)

4.  Title I funds from The No Child Left Behind Act may be used for music.  Most administrators are not aware of this.

5.  Find creative ways to continue to provide music instruction by reassigning other music teachers in the district.

6.  Re-evaluate how you deliver music instruction.  Develop new options.  Think outside the box.  Change the emphasis from performance-based instrumental music to__________.

Resources:

www.supportmusic.com
This is a new web site (premiers March 12^th) established by NAMM and MENC with information for teachers, parents, and other music advocates. Tom Batiuk has allowed use of his character, Funky Winkerbean

www.calmusiced.com
CMEA web site that includes advocacy information from the Coalition and CMEA members.

www.menc.org
Advocacy information and links to other sites.

www.aep-arts.org
The Arts Education Partnership (formerly the Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership) is a national coalition of arts, education, business, philanthropic and government organizations that demonstrates and promotes the essential role of the arts in the learning and development of every child and in the improvement of America's schools. The Partnership includes over 140 organizations that are national in scope and impact. It also includes state and local partnerships focused on influencing education policies and practices to promote quality arts education.

www.vh1.com
VH1 Save the Music Foundation, formed in 1997, placed more than $21 million worth of music instruments in 900 public schools in 75 cities, improving the lives of 400,000 children. 

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AND THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD SAVE MONEY!

The Watsonville Story – Eugene Smith

In May 1992, the Pajaro Unified School District (the towns of Watsonville and Aptos in Santa Cruz County) needed to cut $4 million from the district budget.  The district said they would “save” $300,000 by cutting the elementary instrumental music program.  Here’s what happened:  (1) three of the last hired were the first fired; (2) one music teacher left the profession; (3) one music teacher remained in the same assignment; (4) five music teachers remained but four were assigned to different schools; and (5) three music teachers added other subjects such as math, health, and driver education to complete their teaching loads.

QUESTION:  Did the district actually save $300,000?  The three highest paid music teachers retained jobs (not teaching music) at a combined cost of approximately $180,000.  Obviously the three new teachers who were released made considerably less than that amount on the salary scale.  And what about budget allocations for instruments, music and supplies, trips etc.?

RESULTS:  Some schools kept music programs going by supporting instruction from site-based FTE allotments.  Within three years, the middle school band program collapsed.  During the spring semester 1991, Hall Middle School had over 100 students enrolled in advanced band.  By 1995, there were 30 students.  In 1991 the Watsonville High School had 95 band members including 30 freshmen.  By 1998, there were 17 music students and 1 freshman. 

REINSTATEMENT:  The instrumental music program was reinstated in January 1999.  Instruments were in deplorable condition ($50,000 for repairs while replacement costs far exceeded this amount).  Music facilities were appropriated for other uses requiring renovation ($????).  Music was lost or simply disappeared ($?????).   Scheduling classes at the 16 district elementary schools has been an arduous task. 

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN IN YOUR DISTRICT!  SAVE MUSIC FOR KIDS!

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Walt Kaweski:  Gaining Support for music for kids!

1. Become Informed.  Learn your school districts’ fiscal status. Administrators will be making decisions regarding program reductions. Learn the budget. Find out where your administration stands regarding the music program. Be prepared to talk about music education’s “bang for the educational buck.”

2. Choose and Develop Your Arguments Carefully.  Your message is: music education is integral to a child's’ education. Music belongs in the core curriculum. Be

adamant this is true. Back up your remarks with current research. See below for sources of information.

3. Develop your support base. Educate parents to the value of music education. Keep focused on the welfare of the students. Research supports the value of music education in the curriculum. Parents are your closest contacts and most powerful advocates. Ask your most influential parents to prepare presentations for the school board.

4. Educate Decision Makers. Send your principal and superintendent articles that support the value of music education. Keep music in their minds. Make sure your information is focused on students. Keep it simple and succinct. ALWAYS invite them to

concerts and music festivals (formal invitations, handwritten by students). Acknowledge them in public.  Invite them to participate in the program through a narration.

5. School Board Contact. School board members are elected by the local community. They are concerned about matters that effect students. They are very sensitive to parent opinion. Visit board members individually. Remain dignified and positive. Negativity will not help. What is good for students is your message. Don’t make it job-centered.

Send them formal, handwritten invitations from students to concerts and district music events. Introduce them when they attend.  Ask them to say a few words.

6. Program Exposure.  Seeing children perform is endearing. Imagine the performance through the eyes of your students’ grandparents. Imagine the warmth they feel in their hearts. Don’t be so caught up in the performance aspects of the concert that you miss the love shared through music. Have “informances” rather than just concerts where the students can talk about the historical and cultural context of the music they have studied as well as demonstrate theory and musicianship skills. 

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