Indiana NAMM Members Advocate for Fine Arts Requirement

music teacher, workforce, graduation, trumpet player

October 9, 2024

In September, the Indiana State Board of Education (ISBOE) announced a proposal to make music and arts optional electives as part of their new diploma structure. In response 38 Indiana NAMM member companies joined NAMM with an endorsed letter requesting a two-credit hour fine arts requirement. This would ensure all Indiana students have the benefits of arts education, including music.

NAMM members quickly galvanized around NAMM-provided research to help the ISBOE address concerns about low college attendance and graduation rates, as well as career-readiness in Indiana high schools.

Music Education Supports Workforce Development

In addition, NAMM requested that the ISBOE consider the positive impact of music and the arts on absenteeism and workforce development and provided the following statistics:

Impact of Music and Arts Education on Absenteeism and Graduation 

  • Students involved in four years of arts instruction have an up to 50-percent lower chronic absenteeism rate than students that do not.  
  • Arts education improves academic outcomes, reduces suspensions and predicts higher levels of college attendance and graduation.
  • Students in the arts have lower dropout rates, higher GPAs and better scores in math and language on standardized tests, even when controlling for socioeconomic status as a factor. 

Statistics for Careers in Music and the Arts 

  • Nationally, 673,656 businesses are involved in the creation or distribution of the arts, employing 3.48 million people. 
  • Current annual salaries range from $50k–$120k for manager-level and tech roles, and $70k–$230k-plus for leadership and executive-level positions. 
  • Music students graduating with teaching credentials experience a 100-percent placement rate for available jobs. 

NAMM and other arts organizations maintain—backed by research—that making the fine arts credits a requirement will lead to an increase in attendance and graduation rates, as well as develop critical workforce development skills in students.

Get Involved

We encourage Indiana parents, educators and music and arts advocates to share impact stories with the ISBOE and with Superintendent Dr. Katie Jenner before December 31, 2024, which is when ISBOE will adopt its final rule on the diploma updates. If you live in one of the 18 Indiana districts recognized as Best Communities for Music Education by The NAMM Foundation, be sure to share your Hoosier pride with the ISBOE in your impact letter!

NAMM will be watching this issue and will provide updates. If you’d like to share your impact story with us, please send it to publicaffairs@namm.org.