The Conejo Valley Unified School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. The CVUSD is one of 975 school districts in the nation to earn the 2024 Best Community for Music Education distinction.
Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students. The award program recognizes and celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the CVUSD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
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 in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep 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. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
The CVUSD is dedicated to excellence in Music Education, and is proud to be the first district in Ventura County to have a Strategic Arts Education Plan. CVUSD’s Plan contains the following pillars:
-
Strategic Direction #1: Developing and Providing Excellence in Arts Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Learning
-
Outcome: Well Articulated Visual Arts & Performing Arts Curriculum with Inclusive Learner Supports.
-
-
Strategic Direction #2: Ensuring High-Quality Staffing, Supported with Time & Resources
-
Outcome: Well Resourced Arts Programs with Staffing and Infrastructure. The Value of the Arts is Demonstrated through Dedicated Time, Space, Equipment and Supplies for the Arts.
-
-
Strategic Direction #3: Expanding and Deepening Community Connections & Communications
-
Outcome: Ongoing, Expanded Community Connections and Communications
-
-
Strategic Direction #4: Providing Sustainability for Arts Education through Policies and Funding
-
Outcome: Arts Education Policies and Equitable Funding Supporting all students and programs sustainably over time.
-
Congratulations to our CVUSD team members and community partners who work tirelessly to bring exceptional music education experiences to all students!
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 global member companies and individual professionals worldwide. 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.
