Hermiston School District was named a 2016 Best Community for Music Education (BCME) by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, marking the third year in a row HSD has received the distinction.
Hermiston is one of 476 districts across the nation, and one of four in Oregon, to earn the honor. The designation identifies districts for their outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who work together to ensure access to music learning for all students as part of the school curriculum. Evaluated factors for the BCME designation include funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, and access to music instruction.
This award recognizes that Hermiston is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the new federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation, signed into law in December 2015, replaces No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing — while leaving behind subject such as music. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of well-rounded education for all children.
As Hermiston finalizes its 2016-2017 budget, the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education Award and the implementation of the federal ESSA law bring attention to the importance of keeping music education part of the school’s core education for all students. It also highlights music’s vital role in students’ overall success in school.
Research has shown a connection between participation in music education programs and student success, notably an improvement in brain function and a person’s ability to process language, which makes earning the BCME honor especially significant.
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world.
