Clinician Name(s): Roy Holder, American Bandmasters Association Panel E-mail Address: roy.holder@fcps.edu
Clinic Title: School Funding, Scheduling and Reform: Is There a Crisis for Music?
Clinic Synopsis: At a time when we have the best research in history supporting the value of music education many programs across the country are fighting for their lives in the face of scheduling, graduation requirement and funding issues. The panel will provide information concerning issues in various parts of the country, and provide insight into ideas that are working to sustain programs and behaviors that may not be in the best interest of music educators.
What is the target audience for this clinic? All teachers and administrators who impact the funding, scheduling, support and implementation of school music classes.
What will the audience take away from this clinic? Extensive information concerning effective and not effective strategies for defending the importance of music classes in the face of expanding budget cuts, scheduling issues, and testing requirements. The panel has compiled extensive information from around the country outlining successful approaches to gaining community and school system support for music programs as well as highlighting actions that may prove detrimental to successfully defending our music programs.
What is included in the handout? The handout will include an overview of successful strategies as well as contact information for people who are willing to offer ideas and help to schools needing support in their efforts to establish or sustain successful programs in a challenging time.
Is there anything else you would like attendees to know about this clinic? The panel is interested in providing vital information that may be essential in the sustaining of quality music programs as well as in implementing a network of people willing to share experiences and information that will prove invaluable to systems facing difficult situations. Additionally, it is important that we all explore the possibility that some of the things we do may not be in our best interest as we continue to attempt to establish and improve outstanding music programs.
Biographical Information: The members of the panel come from across the country and bring extensive and varied experiences in music education to the discussion. In addition to their wide range of personal experience, the panel has gleaned input from professionals from every part of the country concerning current issues and effective strategies for impacting these issues.