February 7, 2006

Focus on Budget: Identifying Potential & “Hidden” Music Budget Cuts

A "cut" in a music program is any decision made that will negatively impact the ability of any student to participate in making music.

Some music program budget cuts are easy to spot because the word "music" is in the line item of the budget or other documents published by the district. It is more difficult – yet certainly not impossible – to identify “hidden cuts” or budget line items that do not include the word “music.” This article will show you how to identify, and respond to, both potential and hidden cuts.

Whenever you respond, however, please follow this rule at all times:

RULE #1: NO CUTS OR COMPROMISES SHOULD BE SUGGESTED BY ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDES THE MUSIC COALITION, MUSIC EDUCATORS, AND THE MUSIC SUPERVISOR!

The Administration Must Balance the Budget

I have never met an educator who became a school administrator because he/she wanted to eliminate the music program. It is a part of the administrative responsibility to balance the district budget.

As you’ve learned from reading my previous article on Central vs. Site Management, administrators have varying degrees of decision-making powers and responsibilities related to the budget. Decisions that affect the quality of the music program are made at both the district level (school board, central administration, superintendent) and at each local school site (principal).

In the process of recommending budget reductions or cuts, several events may occur:

1. The district school board will adopt a set of budget assumptions as recommended by the administration. These assumptions will be used as a guide during the decision-making process.

2. Central and site administrators will present to the board a consensus philosophy and a list of priorities about which programs are essential and which programs may be cut.

3. Community surveys may be taken to give the administration a sense of what cuts may be most politically acceptable. These surveys may or may not be scientific and are often completely ignored during the decision-making process; they may only serve to give an illusion of community involvement.

4. Music teachers may be contacted individually, or as a group (such as band teachers), and asked which reductions will do the least damage to the program. Any suggestion made will most certainly be accepted and cuts will be blamed on the teachers. If teachers from one area or music curriculum level suggest cuts in another area, this divides the music staff and converts music educators into music competitors. Keep in mind the old adage "united we stand, divided we fall" and repeat after me: "Any cuts will have a negative impact on student participation in music."

How To Identify Potential Cuts

As you investigate the potential for cuts in your district, review all documents related to the budgetary decision-making process. This information is public and should be made available to members of your music coalition.

Any budget line item that includes the word “music” is a fair target when the district develops its list of cuts being proposed or "considered." The proposed cuts publicized by the (central) administration to the school board normally identify only those specific music cuts that are a part of the central budget. Usually this includes cuts to elementary (general/vocal and instrumental) music programs.

Uncovering the Hidden Cuts

Hidden cuts include potential reductions to the music program that do not specifically identify music. Cuts at the secondary level most often fall into this category.

In analyzing the potential for hidden cuts in your district, be on the look out for the following key words or phrases:

Materials and Supplies
Clerical
Department Chairs
Coordinators
Supervisors
Average
Curricular
Co-curricular
Extra-curricular
Enrollment decline
Equal cuts
Across the board
Increase class size
Reduce staffing
Educational Reform
Graduation Requirements
Test Score
District-wide
Summer school
Capital Outlay
Transportation
Surveys
After school
Pull-outs
School-to-work
Alternative Schools
Magnet Schools
Reduce length of day
Reduce periods
Reduce elective options
Participation fees
Pay-to-play

If these words or phrases appear in administrative proposals for budget cuts, odds are good that music cuts are being considered. You should immediately examine each proposal (before it is adopted by the board), paying particular attention to each line item in the district budget to see if it may contain items related to music.

You may or may not be informed of the specific details of hidden cuts. In my experience, the normal practice is to keep them private. It is also typical to inform the music teachers but order them to not make proposed cuts public or face losing their jobs.

The latter course of action is, of course, illegal, but it does put the "fear" in teachers. Music teachers often fail to advocate against proposed cuts for this specific reason. To me, it seems completely illogical. If the district is eliminating teaching positions in music and teachers don't fight it, they lose either way. And, since low seniority teachers are cut first, senior teachers may sometimes resist advocacy to preserve their own jobs while sacrificing opportunities for children to participate in music.

Conveying the Negative Impact of Music Program Cuts

Your school board is probably not even aware of the potential impact of the hidden cuts on the music program. But remember: a "cut" is any decision made that will negatively impact the ability of any student to participate in making music.

Here are a few suggestions to assist you in avoiding cuts to your music programs:

- You will be wise to maintain open and continuous communication with your central and site administrators. This is a great role for the music coalition. When you keep the lines open, you lay a solid foundation for effective communication and problem solving in times of change or crisis.

- Keep in mind that decisions that affect the ability to deliver a quality music program are made not only at the district (board and central administration) level, but also at each local school site.

- Beware of proposals to make equal cuts "across the board" because music programs normally have more line items than other curricular areas. This means that across the board cuts are particularly damaging to music programs.

- The proper role for the music advocate is defender of the music program. Well-researched and clearly presented impact statements are the key to a successful defense. Impact statements are basically response arguments and statements such as these: “If the administration adopts the proposed recommendation for cuts in the music program, it will have the following short and long-term impacts on the faculty…, curriculum…, student participation…, and the budget….”

- And finally, always remember: No member of the music staff or community should suggest cuts or compromise! Doing so transfers the responsibility for making cuts from the administration to the music teacher, music supervisor or the music coalition.

Effective Advocacy = Accurate Information + Clear Communication + Long-Range Strategies

As committed music advocates and thoughtful strategists, we must clearly understand and demonstrate the impact of reductions and cuts. If we are effective, we’ll preserve and protect school music programs for our children.

Until Next Time,

John Benham