The NAMM Foundation has designated Austin ISD as one of the Best Communities for Music Education for its outstanding commitment to music education. 

The National Association for Music Merchants Foundation awards the designation to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, AISD submitted information on funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instructional 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. 

This award recognizes that AISD is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act. The legislation guides implementation in the states and replaces the No Child Left Behind Act. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational, cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music.

In a series of studies at Northwestern University, researchers found a link between students in community music programs and lifelong academic success, including higher high school graduation rates and college attendance. In another study from the university, researchers discovered that the benefits of early exposure to music education improves how the brain processes and assimilates sounds, a trait that lasts well into adulthood.

For more information about the Best Communities for Music Education, please visit www.nammfoundation.org/articles/2018districts.

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About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. 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 visitwww.nammfoundation.org.