It`s always good to look through my Facebook feeds to see musicians I went to high school and college with. That list also includes musicians from Jr. high. I do not remember the young musicians I grew up with in elementary school, and if some of them are still playing.
I have developed life long friendships, shared experiences, and a career in music which includes those friends and musicians. Non of this would have happen if not for the Detroit Public Schools and their music education department. If anyone is hawkish on not funding music and arts education, you are closing doors on lives of many who depend on those programs and classes. From 1999 - 2016 that happened.
Governmental action from those in charge of the State of Michigan led to substantial cuts in budget and funding for arts education. However, focus has been restored to arts education funding in 2018. The Detroit Public Schools Community District began its commitment to arts education by investing in children to educating the whole child. This phase 1 initiative of Detroit Public Schools Community District k - 8 plan returned arts education programming that was cut during the Rick Snyder years.
Tier 1 Arts - Intensive (feeder) Schools is geared towards getting serious performing arts students to attend Detroit`s premiere arts high school. Detroit School of Arts is a nationally recognized performing arts high school in Detroit, and has a partnership with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, which is only one of 20 partnerships. Other partnerships include MSU Jazz and Community Music School, Motown Museum, Wayne State University, just to name a few. If you are interested in what the Detroit Public Schools Community District is doing with music and arts education, read their plan from 2018 - 19 - Fine And Performing Arts Plan: Detroit Public Schools Community District. This is a comprehensive plan to restore performing arts and arts education as an essential component to its curriculum.
