Thousands of public school

and independent teachers, school and district administrators, school board

members, parents and community leaders, representing communities in all

50 states, participated in the web-based survey during February, March

and April.

The participants answered detailed

questions about funding, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, participation

in music classes, instruction time, facilities, support for the music

program, participation in private music lessons and other factors in their

communities' quality of music education. The responses were verified with

district officials, and the sponsoring organizations reviewed the data.

The survey results show that

successful music programs are to be found in communities that balance

measurable resources, such as budgets and buildings, with less tangible

assets such as the will to make quality music education a reality.

The top schools for music education

are to be found in urban communities and rural ones, in wealthy areas

and not-so-wealthy ones, but the common thread is that they benefit from

the support of parents, teachers, school decision-makers and community

leaders who value music education highly.