During 2006–2007 the SJSU School of Music piloted “The San José Music Project,” designed to address some of the problems facing music education in California public schools. Using music education majors from San José State University, we infused resources into local music programs and provided future teachers with experience, academic credit, and scholarships. Th e SJSU Music Project is a joint venture between the California Music Project, (founded in November of 2004 with start-up funds from the California Arts Council), and SJSU, and is an eff ort to tackle issues at each level of music education.

As most of us know, California’s current music education problems are multi-faceted, grounded in the passage of Proposition 13 in the late 1970s, and fueled by state budgetary problems and new assessment priorities brought about by No Child Left Behind legislation. With fewer students coming through our public school music programs, we produced fewer music teachers; schools now fi nd it diffi cult to staff music programs, and current teachers are often stretched to cover more than they should. Prolonged advocacy eff orts over the last several years have resulted in statistical resources documenting some of these changes, including National Association for Music Education website (menc.org), National Association of Music Merchants (namm.org), Support Music, sponsored by NAMM and MENC (supportmusic.com), and the Music for All Foundation (musicforall.org), where we can stay abreast of recent developments. Student involvement within California public school music programs has declined, and according to 2004 fi gures from Th e Sound of Silence, though student populations have increased since 1999, the percentage of public school students involved in music education courses declined by 50%, and the number of music teachers declined by 26%.

The San José Music Project strives to address these declines. Acknowledging that existing programs may be struggling, the Project attempts to provide expanded resources to current students and teachers. Recognizing that our current pool of teachers is not adequate, the Project endeavors to identify and nurture future music teachers, providing monetary resources, professional experience, and academic credit. Understanding that the field of music education needs future leaders, the Project employs a graduate assistant who helps to oversee the program and off ers support to fellowship students, allowing bright young music educators the opportunity to develop leadership skills. Finally, by fostering community around the University, the Program creates a synergy that produces greater results for the invested resources than might occur using more fragmented eff orts.

Thus, through one inclusive program, the SJMP attempts to address the California music education losses at all levels. Th e SJMP is funded and administered through a unique collaboration among the California Music Project, the SJSU School of Music and Dance, the SJSU Associated Students, and the SJSU Cesar Chavez Action Center. During the pilot year, ten “fellowships” were awarded to potential music educators from SJSU who worked eight to ten hours weekly for fi fteen weeks each semester in local public schools. Each student earned $4500 toward educational expenses, and received academic credit while getting hands-on experience in real-life educational settings. A graduate assistant helped administer the program, earning a stipend and graduate academic credit, while developing leadership skills. The entire program is overseen by the Department of Music Education, creating and strengthening ties between the University and the community. This year, over $50,000 was distributed to ten fellowship students and one graduate assistant. They assisted music teachers in 17 local public schools, elementary through high school. During the 2007-2008 school year, we plan to expand to fourteen fellowship students and one graduate student; a total of fifteen students.

It is our intent to address the attrition rate of music educators, the feeling of isolation and overwork that many music teachers feel, the lack of a sense of “professional respect” within the fi eld itself, and a genuine need for teaching resources within current music classrooms. We hope to create a growing community around the University that will improve and expand over time. By offering “fellowships” to promising music education students, we hope to suggest to them that theirs is a professional fi eld which they should enter with pride and consider a lifetime career. By sending them to assist current music teachers, we hope to breathe life and energy into existing programs. By placing a graduate assistant in a support position, we hope to train leaders for our future. The fellowships are never to be used for afterschool programs or to supplant qualifi ed music teachers. In order to combat this trend, fellowship students can only be placed with existing credentialed music teachers so that school administrators will not see this as an alternative to hiring music teachers. Students assist with teaching and administrative duties, teaching classes, leading sectionals, teaching private and group lessons, and in concerts and after-school activities. Both music teachers and fellowship students were extremely positive about the SJMP during the pilot year.

One of the things that made the SJMP possible was a unique collaboration of an educational institution and a non-profi t organization with a diversifi ed board of directors. I have served on many boards over the last few years, and have been delighted to do so. However, the general make-up of these boards is usually other music educators. I frequently serve with many of the same fi ne individuals, most of us with similar backgrounds. CMP brings together people from business, the music industry, development, government, and music education. Th is wide range of experience helps us bring new ideas and resources together for one of the most unique opportunities for change I have seen during my career. In the past I have been frustrated because music education boards do not have the monetary access to eff ect real change and discouraged when I have seen monetary resources wasted because music educators were not part of decision-making processes. CMP is an eff ort to bring together the experiential, intellectual, and monetary resources that have often worked apart from each other. Th is unique collaboration promises new and diff erent approaches to change. You have only to look at the makeup of the CMP board to see the wide range of backgrounds of those involved.

We are extraordinarily optimistic after this pilot year, and look forward to making improvements as we go into the next year of the San José Music Project. Th e eventual aim of the Project is to spread to other CSU campuses, addressing the music education problems throughout the state and creating communities of support. It is my hope that in ten years we will see a significant difference in the attrition rate of current teachers, a growth in the population of future teachers, an expansion of music education to greater serve our public school students, a sense of community between university and area schools, and a greater sense of pride and purpose within our field—all sprouting from one simple idea; that by identifying the areas of need and investing our resources to address the fundamental sources of our crisis, we will produce long-term, systemic change.

For more information regarding the California Music Project and our program here at San José State University, go to the CMP website at www.californiamusicproject. com/ or the CAC website at www.cac.ca.gov, and for specifi c SJMP information, go to my faculty website and follow the links at www. sjsu.edu/faculty_and_staff/faculty_detail. jsp?id=1980. To receive an application for a fellowship student, feel free to contact me directly. We are excited to begin our second year of the San José Music Project, and we hope to be a resource to those of you teaching in surrounding communities. I wish each and every one of you a wonderful school year!