Support for instructional enhancements can also come from Title I, Part A with emphasis on providing assistance to at- risk students in schools of poverty. Updated Title I plans should include music and the arts as a part of a well-rounded education, and can include reform models that utilize music/ arts integration as a way to improve students’ performance and engagement. Title II, Part A includes programs that were historically used for professional development through the recruitment, training, and retention of schoolteachers and leaders. Now that music is listed as part of a well-rounded education, distributed Title II funding to districts can now be allocated for intentional use for music educator professional development.
Music educators are encouraged to consider getting involved with efforts to apply for these grants. Educational organiza- tions, such as individual schools, school districts, or ISDs, should conduct comprehensive reviews that assess what is needed to provide all students access to a well-rounded edu- cation. For music instruction, a good standard to present to decision makers would be the National Association for Mu- sic Education’s 2015 Opportunity to Learn (OTL) standards, which were designed to “identify the resources that need to be in place so that teachers, schools, and school districts can give students a meaningful chance to achieve at the levels spelled out in the Core Music Standards (Council of Music Program Leaders, 2014). Current resources should be com- pared to the OTL standards, and then the organization can draft a course of action that will allow them to reduce their shortcomings. Those needs would become part of the orga- nizations’ Title IV funding application. You can possibly in- fluence the quality of music instruction by: (a) finding out if your local entities are applying for grants, (b) offering to be a part of the grant writing team, (c) encouraging fellow music teachers to fill out the checklist of offerings at their own schools, (d) compiling information, and (e) presenting findings to your decision makers for the grant application.
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) extended the NCLB teacher certification guidelines until at least 2017, at which point, the term “highly qualified” will no longer be in effect. In preparation for a possible change in teaching certification standards, the MDE conducted surveys and fo- cus groups with various stakeholders, including superinten- dents, teachers, students, parents and the general public to gain input on revised teacher education standards for Michi- gan. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Education re- leased new regulations regarding the assessment of Teacher Preparation Programs (TPPs). The result of these two sets of rules could mean that while teacher certification in MI could be changing for teachers, the success of new teachers must be measured as a part of TPP evaluation. This could affect veteran teachers through a possible broadening of teaching responsibilities and new teacher assessment systems for all teachers.
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Teacher certification and in-service teachers
It is critical that all professional organizations and teachers remain aware of any changes to requirements for teachers’ content knowledge. A weakening or elimination of content requirements or a significant loosening of the rules govern- ing off-certification teaching assignments would eventually result in very poor music instruction, and the state-wide destruction of our music education programs. Teachers are encouraged to explain to their stakeholders how crucial it is to have teachers who have a high-level of understanding of music and music instruction in order for students to have a successful music program. These groups should also keep a close watch on new teacher evaluation. As states attempt to design teacher evaluation systems that they can use with new in-service teachers in order to report on TPP effectiveness, it is logical to predict that the same systems will be applied to veteran teachers for ease and consistency of teacher evalua- tion. Teachers should be aware of systems such as Pearson’s pre-service teacher portfolio system (edTPA), value-added measures, and aggregate scores of teacher observations. Those procedures, or related techniques, could be incorpo- rated into your district’s teacher evaluation procedures, if they have not already been implemented.
Under Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1105, each state must submit a description to the U.S. Department of Edu- cation detailing state standards, assessments, accountability systems, and plans to ensure education equity for all stu- dents. In 2011, Michigan adopted the Standards for Visual Arts, Music, Dance and Theater and the Michigan Assess- ment Consortium has published model assessments for these standards, but new legislation could prompt MDE to consid- er a revision to its arts education curriculum. Additionally, over eighty percent of respondents to the state’s survey on testing priorities declared that adding an innovative testing element to the state’s assessment system to analyze students’ problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills was either was “very important” or “important” (Michigan Department of Education, 2016).
Future Vigilance
Michigan music educators should keep careful watch over policy implementation in relation to standards, assessment, and accountability. Professional organizations such as the National Association for Music Education, and the Michi- gan Music Education Association, are excellent sources for policy documents and draft letters to government officials so that you, colleagues, and constituents can make your voices heard in regards to new curriculum, standards, or account- ability (testing requirements). Decisions about how those standards will be implemented, funded, and measured will ultimately impact music classrooms. Music educators must keep abreast of local developments, and appropriately advo-
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