Music Education Data

The Music Education Data chart contains statewide totals for public school student enrollments and teacher assignments in selected music courses. The data is from the Basic Education Data System (BEDS) annually reported by teachers and administrators across New York State. Music Education personnel in the State Education Department have received the yearly reports and compiled this chart to show trends in music enrollments and teaching assignments across the years. The current chart covers a time period of over thirty years from the 1975-76 school year until the 2007-08 school year.

Please note in the fall of 2001 some BEDS assignment codes were updated or eliminated based on the recommendations of a group of music educators from the New York State School Music Association. For example, courses with Junior High titles were changed to Middle/Jr. High School to be more reflective of Department priorities and educational trends. Elimination of some course titles, such as Individual Instruction, resulted in clearer reporting by music teachers and a fuller utilization of the Instrumental Lesson Group or Vocal Lesson Group categories.

Viewers may note some current trends:

In some areas, more students are receiving music instruction.
- Increases can be seen in Comprehensive Foundations, Guitar, Electronic Music, Senior High Concert Band, Middle/Jr. High Orchestra, Senior High String Orchestra, Lesson Groups, Electronic Piano and Studio-Art/MIOL.
In many areas fewer students are receiving music instruction in 2007-08 than in 2006-07.
- Decreases can be seen in Elementary Music, Music Theory, Elementary Band, Middle/Jr. High Concert Band, Elementary Orchestra, Senior High Orchestra, Elementary Chorus, Middle/Jr. High Chorus, Senior High Chorus and Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Sr.).
- Continuing decreases appear in General Music Grades 7 & 8.
The total number of music students decreased in 2007-08 from the previous year.
The total number of professionals teaching music continues to increase. The total number of music teachers (see bottom of chart) has reached a record level for the time period.
The total numbers of music students and teachers in 2007-08 as compared to 1975-76 are significant since the total public student enrollment is smaller over the same time period.
The overall number of music administrators is relatively stable although at a significantly lower level than in 1975-76.

MUSIC EDUCATION DATA
(Selective)
New York State Education Department
Source: Office of Information and Reporting Services

	75-76		85-86		95-96		06-07		07-08
	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers
Elementary Music (K-6)	872,953	2,706	759,153	2,530	916,288	3,024	912,646	3,272	891,471	3,262
General Music (Gr. 7)	91,788	1,321	67,258	1,205	57,139	1,079	46,698	986	43,383	941
General Music (Gr. 8)	73,838	1,137	47,745	944	32,934	721	31,174	699	28,753	646
Music In Our Lives					14,827	315	11,410	297	12,762	302
Independent Study - Music			510	39	617	69	531	72	421	67
Music Theory I	6,050	418	4,749	356	5,653	400	8,831	465	8,446	462
Music Theory II			985	113	1,236	140	1,454	129	1,241	131
Music Theory III					201	15	344	27	449	36
Comprehensive Foundations	1,270	83	982	54	1,135	54	3,006	69	3,468	71
AP Musc Theory					238	29	1,162	106	1,067	102
Guitar	10,640	301	4,016	167	2,168	71	4,145	126	4,815	127
Electronic Music	1,224	50	716	37	639	32	1,968	72	2,077	76
Music for Special Learners	3,860	89	2,746	152	5,091	248	3,662	233	3,547	213
Elementary Band	47,040	769	61,977	902	93,024	1,043	98,132	1,141	96,236	1,152
Middle/Jr. High Concert Band	59,130	843	57,773	862	73,753	911	83,207	1,062	82,654	1,077
Senior High Concert Band	45,643	777	44,239	767	47,543	757	57,956	842	58,525	881
Senior High Marching Band	20,977	261	19,307	225	14,579	166	15,126	180	14,068	167
Senior High Jazz Band	6,212	299	7,380	334	6,460	293	8,056	339	7,808	336
Elementary Orchestra	13,942	281	16,293	306	23,003	355	37,787	467	36,594	474
Middle/Jr. High Orchestra	8,920	228	10,767	255	15,329	284	28,059	399	28,877	408
Senior High String Orchestra					7,009	188	11,892	270	12,549	272

	75-76		85-86		95-96		06-07		07-08
	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers	No. Students	No. Teachers
Senior High Orchestra	9,547	231	3,743	152	7,801	132	9,154	145	8,444	135
Instrumental Lesson Groups	163,439	2,038	157,762	1,911	187,432	1,955	241,461	2,735	243,932	2,758
Individual Instruction	41,772	625	40,147	592	44,202	563	[Note: see above]		[Note: see above]
Elementary Chrous	51,106	582	76,119	779	119,881	1,073	112,645	1,077	111,428	1,087
Middle/Jr. High Chorus	85,266	951	75,321	850	88,232	967	95,140	957	91,193	968
Senior High Chorus	39,818	689	37,561	691	45,049	715	52,501	767	50,412	771
Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Sr.)	708	35	1,599	78	1,599	72	1,805	86	1,675	79
Vocal Lesson Groups	10,946	229	13,381	279	18,462	287	38,971	561	40,245	595
Conventional Piano Class	1,190	57	1,473	56	253	16	1,062	40	899	106
Electronic Piano Class	1,453	46	3,523	80	4,186	83	3,739	99	4,247	106
Studio Art/MIOL					5,306	78	6,583	94	6,792	95

Music Teachers
State Excluding NYC		5,840		5,297		5,733		6,490		6,521
New York City		1,002		1,090		962		1,109		1,087
Statewide		6,842		6,387		6,695		7,599		7,608

Music Students
State Excluding NYC	1,572,369		1,369,985		1,661,267		1,761,903		1,738,458
New York City	209,686		237,330		245,830		218,786		210,179
Statewide	1,782,055		1,607,315		1,907,097		1,980,690		1,948,637

Supervisory Personnel
State Excluding NYC		226		240		221		217		215
New York City		88		35		17		13		15
Statewide		354		275		238		230		230

Total Student Enrollment	3,406,015		2,584,270		2,756,467*		2,741,258*		2,683,422*

Prepared by: Edward S. Marschilok, Ph.D.

Supervisor of Education Programs

*Public Only Excluding BOCES