| Increased scrutiny on the place of music education in school systems has caused some school systems to eliminate their music program entirely. School systems are being forced to place more emphasis on increased testing and accountability with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This study examined the impact music education has on academic achievement in reading and math. The study also examined the perceptions of administrators, school board members, and educators in two school systems. The research questions for this study were: (a) Do teachers and administrators perceive that music instruction positively impacts student achievement, school climate, and the learning environment in selected Elementary and Middle Schools in West Tennessee? (b) Do the perceptions of administrators, board members, and educators differ in the importance of music education in the school system with a music program and the school system without a music program? And (c) Is there a difference in reading and math achievement of students in 4th and 8th grade in a school with a music program and in a school system without a music program? A Music Education Survey sent to two school systems in West Tennessee was used to answer the first two research questions. Then, TCAP test data from the 2008-2009 school year from the two school systems in West Tennessee were used to determine if the school system with music education performed higher on the reading and math portions of the TCAP test. The two school systems were selected due to one school system, School System A, having an outstanding music program and the other school system, School System B, not having a music education program in the elementary schools. The study revealed that both School System A and B perceive that music education impacts student achievement, school climate, and the learning environment. The perceptions of administrators, board members, and educators did not differ between School System A and B. Students in the school system with music education, School System A, did report higher TCAP reading and math scores in the 4th grade. There was a high statistical correlation between music education and reading and math TCAP scores in the 4th grade. Students in School System A in the 8th grade also reported higher TCAP reading and math scores. There was a statistical correlation between music education and reading but not math in the 8th grade. School System A had higher TCAP reading and math scores, but were not high enough to produce an overall statistical correlation. This study overall revealed that there was a correlation between music education and reading and math TCAP scores. |
