Growing chorus decries music cuts among suburban schools

Recent studies resoundingly show that music education is one of the keys to higher test scores and engaged and well-rounded students.

Among them, a 2007 Northwestern University study found that music training may enhance verbal communication skills as much or more as learning phonics. In 2002, the College Board found that students involved in public school music programs scored an average 107 points higher on the SAT than their peers.

The list goes on.

Yet with districts across the suburbs facing deep deficits, and no arts assessments on yearly standardized tests, these programs often are the first on the chopping block.

"These are the worst cuts we've seen in years," said Sandra Jordan, of the nonprofit National Association for Music Merchants, which runs the Music Education Coalition and advocacy site SupportMusic.com.

At the same time, the threats to arts programs are bringing out supporters in droves, she said.

"It's also people are being the most passionate, the most creative. There's some new success because of that," Jordan said.

For months, parents and students across the suburbs have been decrying cuts to school music programs. Some grass-roots efforts, like in Elgin Area School District U-46 and Indian Prairie District 204, are still in their early stages. Others, such as in Lake Zurich Unit District 95, have had success in getting programs restored.

Predicting a $44 million deficit next year, U-46 announced $29.6 million in budget cuts March 15. Of the 732 teachers who received pink slips, eliminating art, music and gym for kindergarten students will cut 22 teaching jobs and save U-46 $1.07 million.

Cutting first- through sixth- grade fine arts and gym classes down to 30 minutes will cut 28 teaching jobs and save the district $1.76 million.

At the high school level, firmly capping students' courseloads - and opportunity for extra electives - at six classes apiece will save $6.2 million, and roughly 100 teaching jobs.

Among the teachers being cut is David Hain, Streamwood High School's choir director.

Surrounded by nearly a dozen student supporters, Hain spoke to the board at the March 15 meeting about his program's successes.

Over the past five years, Hain said, Streamwood's music program has "exploded" with the number of students in choir growing from 40 to 120. The yearly musical is back. Just March 11, the choir performed "O Fortuna," an incredibly difficult portion of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana." Hain referred to the performance as the choir's "Super Bowl."

All the same, because of the process by which the district conducted layoffs, Hain, along with the entire department, will be wiped out next year, Principal Terri Lozier said.

Those inspired by Elgin High School director of bands Jonathan Bogue are singing a similar tune. Bogue, the energetic leader who doubled the marching band's numbers and brought the choir, orchestra, and jazz band together for yearly constellation concerts, also is on the cut list.

Elgin High School Joe McCain parent calls the cuts "drastic" and "draconian."

"In three years, Bogue has brought the band program to the point we're competing with powerhouses and then winning," he said. "Words can't express my family's disappointment with this decision."

District 204, which faces a $21.4 million deficit, approved layoffs for 145 teachers Monday - 13 percent of those from its Grammy award-winning music program.

According to District 204 officials, that includes the equivalent of 87 full-time music teaching positions this year - 31 at the elementary level, 35 at the middle school level and 20 at the high school level. Next year, the music program will lose the equivalent of five elementary band and orchestra teachers and 14 middle school band and orchestra teachers.

"Without a doubt, the item that has gotten the highest interest is the elimination of middle school music technique," Superintendent Kathryn Birkett said Tuesday.

In addition to daily band and orchestra rehearsals, technique classes are scheduled on a rotational basis allowing for small group instruction to improve individual instrument performance techniques in groups of four to eight students. The small number of students in the individual groups and the staff time it consumed made the technique program a target.

Stacey Stoltz, a 2007 Waubonsie High School graduate, believes cutting the technique classes will bring down the level of the district's music program.

Now a junior music education and percussion performance double major at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., Stoltz said, "I'm at the point where I am sharing what I learned from the district at my university. I've founded a couple different groups. A percussion ensemble. I wouldn't be able to do it without the level of education I had growing up."

Along with writing the superintendent and school board about the cuts, Stoltz has joined more than 3,000 people in a recently formed Facebook group, "Save Quality Music Education in District 204."

Group organizer Jen Marotta, a 1996 Waubonsie graduate, is leading the effort from Georgia, where she performs with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

"The high schools aren't just 'lucky' that they are so good," Marotta posted March 15. "They are so good because of the incredible support system in the elementary and middle schools."

Supportmusic.com helps arm parents with studies and facts to protest school district cuts to arts program.

"This is the time people have to not give up. They have to get organized and get their talking points straight," Jordan said.

Locally, the organization helped Lake Zurich Unit District 95 parents step forward and successfully save the district's band and orchestra program last year.

Last February, $4 million in recommended budget cuts were announced for the 6,570-student district, including the fourth- and fifth-grade band and orchestra program.

Like in 204, parents who had seen their children blossom in the music program were outraged.

"Fourth- and fifth-grade band and orchestra are the foundation for all of our arts programs," parent Janet Barron said.

Barron's daughters, now at Lake Zurich Middle School and Lake Zurich High School, participated in the fourth- and fifth-grade orchestra program years ago.

"I know that those programs are the foundations for all of our arts programs," she said. "Even if you're in theater, those kids play in your pit. If that foundation is weak, the whole foundation is weak."

Parents decided to turn their frustrations into action, forming a group, Save Lake Zurich Music, dedicated to raising the $200,000 necessary to keep the program running.

"Sometime there is some distaste for a fundraising for teacher jobs, but we knew that if the programs went away it would be next to impossible to get them back," Barron said. "We had to hold our nose and go through with it."

The group held a raffle, sold T-shirts, and held fundraising dinners, silent auctions and a golf outing.

It also went to district officials with hard facts.

The school board decided to keep the program, and altered its budget, only using $35,000 of Save Lake Zurich Music's funds. The rest is now sitting in a restricted fund to which only the organization has access.

The fundraising group has evolved, too, changing its name to District 95 Performance Music Advocates. The group still maintains an active Web site, holds monthly meetings, and has several committees working on grants, program advocacy, public relations and promotions.

"We have realized that we need to be proactive now rather than reactive," Barron said. "... It doesn't mean it can't happen again."