RCPS named a best community for music education for 22nd year

The NAMM Foundation has again recognized Roanoke County Public Schools for its outstanding commitment to music education with a Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) designation for the 22nd year (2002-2004, 2006, 2008-2019, 2021-2026). 

Now in its 27th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Roanoke County Public Schools answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music programs, Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“We believe a well-rounded education that includes the arts helps students become Opportunity Ready—prepared not just academically, but socially, creatively, and emotionally to thrive beyond high school,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ken Nicely. “Music education builds critical thinking, collaboration, and confidence—skills that align directly with our C-Change Framework and the deeper learning experiences we want for all students.”

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, research found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores that their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well.

Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children that in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound; young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.