MANOR, TX, April 19, 2023 – Manor ISD has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 24th 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.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and 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.
“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of music education for the development of a well-rounded student. Research has shown that music education not only enhances cognitive abilities but also fosters social and emotional growth. Learning music also requires discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, which are all essential life skills.
It is with great pride and honor that we accept the recent Best Communities for Music Education award. This recognition affirms our district's commitment to providing high-quality music education to our students. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our music educators, administrators, and community supporters who have made music education a priority in Manor ISD schools.
This award is particularly meaningful because it recognizes not just the excellence of our music programs, but also our district's overall support for music education. It demonstrates that we have a strong and sustained commitment to providing our students with a comprehensive education that includes music. We will continue to prioritize and invest in music education, knowing that it is essential for the growth and development of our students,” said Manor ISD Fine Arts Director Kellen Segura.
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 access to music and arts education.
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. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to perceiving speech in a noisy background, paying attention, and keeping 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 giving and receiving constructive criticism.
Manor ISD is committed to educating the whole child through a quality fine arts education. It is our mission to foster life-long learners from a diverse community cultivating creativity, innovation, and expression through the arts. By providing opportunities for students to use critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and to be actively engaged in the learning process, students are able to explore their areas of interest and have opportunities for self-expression in PreK-12th grades.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 member companies and individual professionals. 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.
