Education Through Music (ETM) is a New York-based charity which partners with under-resourced schools in New York City to provide music as a core subject for all students. Its evaluation report gives useful insights into its vision, mission and values as well as its process and outcomes.
ETM’s programme is rooted in these core beliefs:
1. Strong school leadership is key to a successful partnership
2. A great teacher with the right professional development and mentorship is likely to remain in the profession and make a long-lasting impact on the community they serve
3. Professional development for non-music teachers helps promote cross-curricular integration and fosters school environments that value music
4. The music curriculum must be comprehensive, sequential and tied to grade-specific benchmarks
5. Music programmes can help boost parental engagement, which in turn strengthens school communities
By partnering with under-resourced schools to deliver music as a core subject for ALL students, ETM makes music education a reality for tens of thousands of children who would otherwise have limited or no access to music education.
The 2017-18 Evaluation Report explains how ETM works to provide equal access to school music programming. Some highlights include:
83% of students at ETM partner schools love singing or playing instruments
85% of ETM partner public schools’ student population come from low-income households
59% of middle-school students in music ensembles have wanted to skip school but went anyway, because of ensemble
85% of ensemble students say they have made at least one new friend through ensemble
82% of ensemble students say they get along with the kids in ensemble
82% of students say their family is/would be proud of them for learning an instrument
70% of parents whose children attend ETM partner schools agree that learning music helps their child’s social development
72% of students say their music teacher or ensemble director is someone they can go to if they need help with something
79% of students say their music teacher or ensemble director cares about them as a person
88% of families agree it is important their child’s school has a music programme
79% of families say it would be difficult for them to pay for private music lessons without a school music programme
80% of music teachers agree that because of their affiliation with ETM they have become part of a community of music teachers
You can read the 2017-18 Evaluation Report via an infographic on the website and also download the PDF here.
Music Education Works 