Pecos-Bartsow-Toyah ISD has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education for the fourth year in a row! Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
PBTISD is one of 975 school districts nationwide to receive this recognition. Additionally, PBTISD and Ector County ISD are the only two districts in Region 18 to receive this honor.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, PBTISD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
“Music education at PBTISD has a rich tradition of success that we are very proud of,” said Superintendent Brent Jaco. “Our teachers and band directors work hard each day to bring our students into the world of music. To receive this recognition means their hours of work are now nationally recognized outside regular UIL activities. We are very proud of them and our students.”
Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs. During the pandemic, music and arts programs were vital to keeping students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that school districts are widely using these grants to address instructional gaps in music and arts education access.
“Public Music Education is vital to developing a well-rounded student’s mind,” said Richard Cole, Director of Bands and Fine Arts. “It helps them see the world around them differently, find and solve problems, build self-confidence, and learn how to work as a team toward the greater good. I am thrilled to call the 2024 NAMM Best Communities for Music Education district my home.”
Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training.
Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported partly by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members worldwide. The foundation advances active participation in music-making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.