Solon Schools Among Best Music Programs In Nation

SOLON, OH - The Solon School District is among the nation's best for comprehensive, high-quality music education, according to a new list published by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.

NAMM celebrates districts every year for their commitment to music education. The districts are chosen based off a survey, a variety of factors, and research done with the The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. Specifically, the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) program and the SupportMusic Merit Award evaluate schools and districts based on funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards and access to music instruction.

A spokesperson for the district said this was the second year in a row that Solon Schools have landed on NAMM's BCME list. "It’s such a great reflection of the depth of our music program. We always have emphasis on music and arts education, it's a district-wide emphasis. We want all of our kids to have access to music education and performance opportunities," the spokesperson told Patch.

The district's superintendent also weighed in on the award in a statement. "“This award highlights the deep commitment and passion within the Solon Schools for students district-wide to benefit from music education,” said Solon Superintendent Joseph Regano. “As a district, we foster programming that enables all students to learn and perform music. We are proud of the partnership with our families and community in working and supporting our students and staff that in large part makes this recognition possible.”

Music education starts early in Solon Schools, with elementary school students taking a music education class every week. The opportunities and variety of musical offerings expands through to Solon High School. There are currently more than 300 students set to join the Solon band next year and another 125 students in the orchestra.

The BCME program has been around for 18 years. The goal of the program is to encourage music education across the nation.

“Studying music has intrinsic benefits and, on its own, is core to learning. Also, the links between student success and music education have now been demonstrated by brain researchers in multiple studies,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of The NAMM Foundation, in a press release. “The schools and districts our foundation recognizes are building on that connection between music and academics. These schools and districts are models for other educators who see music as a key ingredient in a well-rounded curriculum that makes music available to all children, regardless of zip code.”

You can find a complete list of BCME districts by clicking here.

Photo from Solon Schools