The Coalition for Music Education, and concerned parents at recent meetings, are raising the alarm about proposed cuts to the music curriculum in Toronto’s schools.
The TDSB is trying to wrestle with a deficit to the tune of $58 million CAD, and dealing with a provincial government that has recently put school board finances in the headlines. Along with other boards where alleged financial mismanagement has occurred, the Ford government has put the TDSB’s finances under investigation.
A previous deficit recovery plan submitted by the TDSB has been rejected by the Minister of Education.
In response, the TDSB Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee has recently released a report calling for changes — including significant changes to music education.
The move comes just after 200,000 Canadians in 600 locations joined together for Music Monday, a celebration of music education from coast to coast organized by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada.
Music Education: The Recommendations
The report’s recommendations revolve around a specific program offered within Toronto’s elementary school system that utilizes what are termed itinerant music instructors. There are 74 such itinerant music instructors (IMI), aka professional musicians who work with schools and teachers to instruct elementary school kids in instrumental music, including band, strings, steel pan and vocal music.
- The 74 IMI instructors, according to the report, cost about $5 million CAD per year.
- They support kids from Kindergarten to Grade 8 through 434 IMI programs in 277 schools.
- 192 schools do not have the program.
- The program is not specifically funded through the school system.
- The proposal claims that eliminating the IMI program will result in $4 million CAD savings in 2025/26.
What they propose instead:
- $1 million CAD funding for one year to train educators and purchase musical instruments.
- Selecting 50 schools for a trial program involving focused training. This involves using LOI, which refers to the Learning Opportunity Index, a system which ranks TDSB schools based on the external challenges to learning that students face. It compares data including the median family incomes within a school district, percentage of families receiving social assistance, and other factors.
- Feedback from students regarding their interests and other details will be gathered after the trial period.
- Schools will be required to report on how the allocated funds are used to help students get access to instrumental music.
- Schools will also be required to complete a Professional Learning Plan that shows “how educators will be supported in optimally using their school’s inventory of musical instruments”.
Under what’s being dubbed the Renewed Music Programming model, TDSB students will get music instruction from their regular classroom teachers, or non-specialist teacher, or specialist music teachers. The report indicates there are more than 600 elementary school teachers already qualified to teach music.
What’s the Problem?
It sounds fine on paper, but many are already pointing out problematic issues. In Ontario, all elementary teachers are deemed qualified to teach music. It’s clear that the level of instruction from professional musicians is significantly different than what might be offered by school teachers with little or no music background after a brief period of training. Even those with a background in music may not have specific training in instrumental or vocal teaching.
It’s also clear that, outside of the 50 schools that are chosen for the pilot program, most students in the TDSB will go for at least a year without qualified instrumental and vocal teachers.
The report also claims that the existing IMI system isn’t equitable, since not all schools receive the benefits. However, as TDSB Trustee Weidong Pei pointed out to a reporter from The Toronto Star, the program is available to any school that applies — and none have ever been turned down.
“These programs are not extracurricular luxuries — they are core to a well-rounded, engaging, and equitable public education,” he added.
MusiCounts is a national music education charity that provides grants to schools. Nick Godsoe director of programs and education at MusiCounts commented to The Toronto Star, “In just the past 10 years, we’ve invested more than $700,000 into 68 (TDSB) schools. But for these investments to work and to be worthwhile and to be sustainable, we need school boards to recognize the importance of having qualified music specialists in place to properly utilize this highly specialized equipment.”
Many are also pointing the finger at chronic underfunding of the school system as the underlying culprit. Along with music, areas such as pools and swim programs, outdoor and continuing education have been targeted in the report.
What’s Next?
If you’d like to help, you can sign a petition with The Coalition for Music Education (with more than 5K signatures already), and find more resources, [HERE].
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