Res 0842-2025

Whereas, Music In Our Schools Month serves as a reminder of the importance of music education, of the need to ensure all children have access to music in school, and as an opportunity for music educators to showcase their programs to their schools and broader community; and Whereas, The festivity engages music educators, students, and communities from around the country in promoting the benefits of high-quality music education programs in schools; and Whereas, Music In Our Schools Month originated when the New York State School Music Association sponsored the first Music In Our Schools Day celebration in 1973; and Whereas, The celebration has become a national, month-long commemoration of music education in schools around the United States sponsored by the National Association for Music Education since 1985; and Whereas, The National Association for Music Education is celebrating its fortieth anniversary of Music In Our Schools Month in 2025; and Whereas, In 1973, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller proclaimed the importance of Music In Our Schools Day "to bring about a more genuine recognition in New York State of the vital place of music in the educational process;" and Whereas, Students engaged in music education can develop skills in instrumental and vocal performance, music composition, and the understanding of various music genres; and Whereas, Music and the arts have been identified as critical components of a well-rounded education under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act; and Whereas, Arts education is a required subject in NYC Public Schools, as outlined by the New York State Education Department's Instructional Requirements for the Arts; and Whereas, Music is one of the five art disciplines recognized by the state of New York as a part of a high-quality arts education; and Whereas, The music standards outlined in the Instructional Requirements for the Arts are designed to develop students' skills in creating, performing, producing, presenting, responding, and connecting to music; and Whereas, According to NYC Public Schools' Arts in Schools Report for the 2023-2024 school year, 77 percent of public schools across New York City provided music instruction to students in any grade Pre-K through 12th grade; and Whereas, In an article authored by Beatriz Illari and Eun Cho and published in Frontiers in Psychology, the researchers found students who received music education scored higher in key measures of positive youth development, such as competence and confidence; and Whereas, Low-income students of color and those who attend schools with the highest poverty rates are significantly less likely to have access to music education; and Whereas, In New York City, the Education Trust-New York found only 66 percent of low-income students and 57 percent of Latinx and Black students were enrolled in a music course during the 2018-2019 school year; and Whereas, Music education fosters creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional skills, which are essential for students' success in school and later careers-fashioning the next generation of creative New Yorkers; and Whereas, According to a 2024 New York City Comptroller report on the creative economy, creative industries account for slightly over 6 percent of New York City's employment make-up and 8 percent of New York City's wage and salary earnings; and Whereas, The state of New York proclaimed March as Music In Our Schools Month in 2025; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes the month of March annually as Music In Our Schools Month in the City of New York. ELD LS 19123 3/19/2025 2