IUSD Named a 2016 Best Community for Music Education

For the fourth consecutive year, IUSD has been named one of the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation.  IUSD joins 476 school districts across the country in receiving this prestigious award. “This recognition is further evidence of the District’s commitment to the arts,” said Brad Van Patten, IUSD Fine Arts Coordinator.  “Through the Board of Education’s visionary leadership, fine arts have flourished in IUSD schools despite inadequate state funding.”  He went on to recognize and thank the Irvine Company and the  Irvine Public Schools Foundation for their generous support of the District’s visual and performing arts programming, which benefits thousands of students. Now in its 17th year, the Best Communities program evaluates schools and districts based on funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards and overall access to music instruction. The basis for the award is the annual NAMM Foundation survey that asks districts specifically about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and opportunities to make music in the community. Responses were later verified with school officials and reviewed by The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service, an affiliate of the University of Kansas. In a prepared statement, the NAMM Foundation said, “This designation recognizes communities for their commitment to music education and strengthens support for these programs.  Having widely embraced the evidence indicating that music education yields great things in schools and communities, people are increasingly...advocating for school music curricula and championing programs like Best Communities that recognize this commitment to music education.”