Student Outcomes and School Culture Resources for Iowa High School Administrators

Music education is more than an extracurricular activity. It is an academic discipline that develops students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and creatively while preparing them for college, careers, and life. Decades of educational research demonstrate that students who participate in high-quality music programs develop skills that transfer well beyond the rehearsal room.

While music should be valued for its artistic and cultural importance, research also demonstrates measurable educational benefits that support the mission of Iowa schools.

Research consistently shows that sustained participation in music education is associated with strong academic outcomes.

Students enrolled in music programs often demonstrate:

• Higher levels of academic achievement
• Stronger reading and language development
• Improved mathematical and spatial reasoning
• Greater attention to detail and sustained concentration
• Enhanced memory and information processing
• Increased graduation and college enrollment rates

It is important to note that music education is not a shortcut to higher test scores. Rather, the habits developed through disciplined musical study, including focus, persistence, critical thinking, and problem-solving, contribute to overall student success.

Learning music requires students to engage multiple areas of the brain simultaneously.

Regular music study strengthens:

• Working memory
• Attention control
• Planning and organization
• Pattern recognition
• Cognitive flexibility
• Decision making under pressure

Whether performing individually or as part of an ensemble, students continually analyze, adjust, evaluate, and refine their performance. These skills transfer directly to classroom learning and future employment.

Students involved in music programs are often more connected to school.

Schools with strong music programs frequently report:

• Higher student engagement
• Better attendance
• Increased school connectedness
• Lower dropout rates
• Greater participation in other school activities

For many students, music provides the reason they remain actively involved in school throughout high school.

Music education naturally develops the competencies identified in modern social-emotional learning frameworks.

Students learn to:

• Collaborate effectively
• Communicate clearly
• Demonstrate empathy
• Receive and apply constructive feedback
• Develop resilience
• Manage performance anxiety
• Build confidence through preparation and achievement

Performing ensembles teach students how individual responsibility contributes to collective success.

Music programs create authentic leadership opportunities unavailable in many other academic settings.

Students regularly develop:

• Responsibility
• Dependability
• Initiative
• Time management
• Self-discipline
• Ethical decision-making
• Service to others

Leadership roles such as drum major, section leader, dance captain, student conductor, librarian, equipment manager, and ensemble officer provide meaningful experiences that prepare students for future leadership in college and the workforce.

Music education aligns closely with many of the employability skills identified by business and industry.

Students develop competencies including:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Adaptability
• Project management
• Goal setting
• Professionalism
• Persistence

These transferable skills benefit students regardless of whether they pursue careers in music, engineering, healthcare, education, business, agriculture, manufacturing, or public service.

Innovation begins with creativity.

Music education asks students to:

• Interpret complex ideas
• Solve artistic problems
• Make informed decisions
• Create original work
• Evaluate outcomes
• Revise based on feedback

These experiences foster the creative thinking increasingly valued across every professional field.

Participation in music can positively contribute to student well-being by providing:

• A sense of belonging
• Positive peer relationships
• Healthy emotional expression
• Opportunities for accomplishment
• Stress management through purposeful engagement

Music educators also play an important role in creating supportive learning environments where students develop confidence, resilience, and personal identity.

Strong music programs contribute to the overall health of a school community.

Effective music education supports:

• Student achievement
• School climate
• Community engagement
• Leadership development
• College and career readiness
• Whole-child education

Music is recognized under federal education law as part of a well-rounded education, and high-quality music programs provide educational opportunities that extend far beyond performance.

Educational research has found that:

• Sustained music study supports the development of executive functioning, attention, memory, and self-regulation.
• Students involved in music education often demonstrate higher academic achievement and stronger school engagement than their non-participating peers.
• Music participation develops collaboration, communication, creativity, and persistence. These skills are consistently identified by employers as essential for workforce success.
• Participation in school music programs contributes positively to student belonging, motivation, and overall school climate.
• Music education develops artistic literacy while strengthening the habits of mind necessary for lifelong learning.

• Arts Education Partnership. Music Matters: How Music Education Helps Students Learn, Achieve, and Succeed.
• National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Position Statements and Advocacy Resources.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Music Education Resources and Student Development.
• National Core Arts Standards.
• Harvard Graduate School of Education research on arts learning.
• OECD reports on creativity and future-ready skills.
• National Endowment for the Arts research publications.

Music education is an essential component of a well-rounded education. Every student, regardless of geographic location, family income, background, disability, or future career goals, should have meaningful opportunities to participate in high-quality school music programs.

Providing access does not mean every student will choose to participate. Rather, it means every student has the opportunity to explore, develop, and benefit from music education if they choose.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) recognizes music as part of a well-rounded education and provides states and school districts with multiple opportunities to support arts education through federal programs.

Students cannot benefit from music programs that are unavailable to them.

Strong school systems work to reduce barriers that may limit participation, including:

• Scheduling conflicts
• Financial costs
• Transportation challenges
• Geographic limitations
• Instrument availability
• Facility access
• Physical accessibility
• Awareness of available opportunities

Expanding access helps ensure that students are able to discover interests and talents they may never have otherwise explored.

Music education serves students with a wide variety of interests, learning styles, abilities, and postsecondary goals.

Successful programs welcome participation from students who:

• Plan to attend college
• Enter the workforce directly
• Pursue military service
• Participate in career and technical education
• Excel academically
• Learn differently
• Seek leadership opportunities
• Simply enjoy making music

School music programs provide multiple pathways for meaningful participation and personal growth.

Iowa’s diverse educational landscape includes urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Many smaller districts face unique challenges, including:

• Limited staffing
• Small enrollment
• Budget constraints
• Shared personnel
• Travel distances
• Scheduling limitations

Despite these challenges, Iowa schools continue to provide outstanding music experiences through innovative scheduling, regional collaboration, community partnerships, and participation in statewide IHSMA festivals.

School leaders play an important role in helping reduce participation barriers.

Strategies may include:

• Instrument lending programs
• Uniform assistance
• Scholarship opportunities
• Fundraising support
• Shared equipment
• Community partnerships
• Booster organization assistance

Removing unnecessary financial barriers allows participation to be determined by student interest and commitment rather than economic circumstance.

Effective music classrooms are designed to help every student experience success.

Music educators routinely adapt instruction by:

• Differentiating rehearsal strategies
• Providing multiple ways to demonstrate learning
• Adjusting instructional pacing
• Collaborating with special education staff
• Using accessible instructional materials and technologies
• Supporting students with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and learning needs

The goal is to maintain high expectations while providing appropriate supports for student success.

The Iowa High School Music Association exists to provide meaningful educational experiences for students throughout Iowa.

Statewide festivals create opportunities for students from schools of every size to:

• Receive educational feedback from qualified adjudicators
• Perform in supportive learning environments
• Work toward individual and ensemble goals
• Celebrate musical achievement
• Represent their schools and communities

These opportunities help ensure that students across Iowa have access to consistent, high-quality educational experiences regardless of district size.

School administrators are essential partners in ensuring students have access to quality music education.

Administrative leadership supports access by:

• Maintaining certified music educator positions
• Protecting instructional time
• Providing appropriate facilities and equipment
• Supporting reasonable participation fees
• Encouraging participation across student populations
• Investing in professional learning
• Recognizing music as an essential component of student development

When school leaders value music education, students benefit.

Expanding access strengthens both individual students and the broader school community.

Quality music programs help schools:

• Increase student engagement
• Build stronger school culture
• Develop leadership
• Foster belonging
• Encourage lifelong participation in the arts
• Strengthen community partnerships

Access to music education is an investment in students, schools, and communities.

Research and federal education policy recognize that music is part of a well-rounded education and encourage schools to provide broad access to arts learning for all students. Studies also suggest that reducing barriers to participation can improve student engagement, school connectedness, and opportunities for personal growth. ESSA includes numerous funding pathways that states and districts may use to expand access to music and arts education.

• Arts Education Partnership. The Arts and a Well-Rounded Education.
• American Institutes for Research. Review of Evidence: Arts Education Research Through the Lens of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
• Education Commission of the States. ESSA’s Well-Rounded Education.
• National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Advocacy and Equity Resources.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Music Education Resources.
• National Core Arts Standards.

Student well-being is fundamental to learning, engagement, and long-term success. Schools increasingly recognize that students thrive when they experience meaningful relationships, a sense of belonging, opportunities for achievement, and positive connections with trusted adults.

High-quality music education contributes to these protective factors by creating learning environments where students work toward shared goals, develop confidence, build healthy relationships, and experience personal growth. While music education is not a substitute for school counseling or mental health services, it can play an important role in supporting students’ overall well-being.

Feeling connected to school is one of the strongest indicators of student engagement and success.

Music programs help students develop a sense of belonging by providing:

• A welcoming and supportive peer community
• Positive relationships with teachers and classmates
• Shared goals and collective achievement
• Opportunities to contribute to something larger than themselves
• Long-term connections across grade levels

Research has found that music ensembles often serve as places where students develop meaningful school connections and experience a stronger sense of belonging.

Music educators frequently work with students over multiple years, allowing strong, positive relationships to develop.

These long-term relationships help students:

• Build trust with caring adults
• Receive consistent encouragement
• Develop confidence through constructive feedback
• Experience accountability within a supportive environment
• Celebrate personal and musical growth

Positive relationships with caring adults are recognized as important protective factors in adolescent development.

Music education teaches students that growth comes through preparation, practice, perseverance, and reflection.

Students regularly experience:

• Setting meaningful goals
• Overcoming challenges
• Celebrating improvement
• Performing with confidence
• Learning from mistakes
• Recognizing individual and group accomplishments

These experiences help students develop confidence grounded in effort, persistence, and continuous learning.

Performing music requires students to manage challenges in constructive ways.

Music students learn to:

• Prepare for important performances
• Manage performance anxiety
• Adapt when mistakes occur
• Remain focused under pressure
• Support teammates during difficult moments
• Reflect and improve after each performance

These experiences build resilience and reinforce that setbacks are opportunities for learning rather than reasons to quit.

Participation in music gives students meaningful opportunities to contribute to their school and community.

Students find purpose through:

• Concert performances
• Marching band
• Jazz ensembles
• Show choir
• Community performances
• Service events
• State festivals
• Leadership opportunities

Contributing to meaningful experiences helps students develop pride, responsibility, and a stronger connection to their school community.

Music education naturally reinforces many of the competencies associated with social and emotional learning.

Students practice:

• Self-awareness
• Self-management
• Responsible decision-making
• Relationship skills
• Effective communication
• Empathy
• Collaboration

These skills develop through authentic musical experiences rather than isolated lessons, preparing students for success in school, work, and life.

Strong music programs intentionally create environments where students are respected, challenged, and supported.

Effective programs encourage students to:

• Value diverse perspectives
• Work toward common goals
• Encourage one another
• Celebrate shared accomplishments
• Develop confidence in their own abilities
• Respect individual contributions

When students feel safe to learn, take risks, and grow, they are more likely to remain engaged in school.

School leaders play an essential role in fostering student well-being by supporting programs that strengthen school connectedness.

Administrators can support student well-being by:

• Maintaining comprehensive music programs
• Protecting instructional and rehearsal time
• Encouraging student participation
• Supporting qualified music educators
• Recognizing student achievement
• Promoting collaboration among music educators, counselors, and student support staff

A comprehensive approach to student well-being includes strong academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, counseling services, family partnerships, and positive school relationships.

Students are more likely to thrive when they feel connected, valued, and engaged.

Music education contributes to these outcomes by helping students:

• Develop meaningful relationships
• Experience a sense of belonging
• Build confidence through achievement
• Learn perseverance
• Practice leadership
• Contribute to their school community

Supporting music education is one way schools can strengthen the environments in which students learn, grow, and flourish.

Research suggests that participation in school music programs can strengthen students’ sense of belonging, school connectedness, and overall well-being, particularly when music educators foster supportive, autonomy-enhancing learning environments. Studies also indicate that positive teacher-student relationships, collaborative ensemble experiences, and meaningful participation contribute to student engagement and emotional development. While music education is not a mental health intervention, it can be an important contributor to a positive school climate and student well-being.

• National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Student Well-Being and Music Education Resources.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Music Education and Student Development Resources.
• Bonneville-Roussy, A., Hruska, E., & Trower, H. Teaching Music to Support Students: How Autonomy-Supportive Music Teachers Increase Students’ Well-Being.
• Gamboa-Kroesen, J. S. Exploring the Relationship Between Music Instruction and School Belonging: A Mixed-Methods Study.
• National Core Arts Standards.