The Impact of Covid-19 on Junior High and Middle School Band Programs
Introduction
The purpose of this post will be to share data that I collected last fall from junior high/middle school band directors to examine recruitment and retention of students in band programs in the age of Covid-19. I have already shared the data from the survey completed with Elementary Band Directors. Before presenting the questions, and data, I must stress that these results are a small part of a much larger conversation and examination about the future of instrumental music education. Educators should interpret all data with caution and generalization to all school populations and contexts is not advisable in all situations.
I sought to discover three aspects related to recruitment and retention of band students in junior high and middle school band settings:
1. Examine attrition levels in the areas of recruitment and retention of junior high and middle school band students.
2. Discover how junior high and middle school directors addressed recruitment and retention in the age of Covid-19.
3. Identify successful strategies for recruitment, retention, and re-enrollment of junior high and elementary band students.
Survey Design
I administered the survey consisting of 15 questions via the Qualtrics platform. Demographic information from all participant directors collected include the state in which they teach, years of teaching, gender, ethnicity, and several school profile descriptors. Participants self-reported the grade level in which they teach band, average class size for that grade level, and the average number of students whom they retained in the band from that grade level prior to and during the 2020-21 school year. I also invited directors to participate in a follow-up survey that included several open-ended responses. I collected the data from junior high and middle school band directors over a two-month period lasting from September 23, 2020 until November 23, 2020.
Although higher participation level would have been welcome, there was a great deal of variety in teaching contexts and program sizes represented. Directors should interpret the following data points with a great deal of caution. I have shared the data from this subject group in aggregate form. I have also shared perspectives from the directors who participated in the follow up survey. I have maintained the anonymity of the participants in both groups.
Junior High/ Middle School Overview
Sixty band directors participated in this study, the majority of whom identified as Caucasian/White ethnicity (91%). Directors who identified as African American represented 5%, Hispanic/Latin X represented 2%, and there were directors who preferred not to answer (2%). In terms of gender, 18 directors identified as cisgender female, 39 identified as cisgender female, and 3 directors preferred not to answer. The average level of experience in teaching was 24.3 years. Pennsylvania (40%) and Florida (33%) were the most represented states in the study with 24 and 20 participants respectively. The remaining 16 directors were from 12 other states. During the 2020-21 school year, band directors on average in this study saw an 8% decline in student retention from the previous year. The retention rate of junior high and middle school bands in Pennsylvania declined by 18%. By comparison, all other states saw only a 7% decline in student retention. The majority of the 60 participant directors (n=59) reported teaching in only one building in their district
Table 1: Retention of Band Students in 2020-21
| 2019-2020 Band Enrollment | 2020-2021 Band Enrollment | Retention Decline | |
| National Average | 55 | 49 | -8% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 37 | -18% |
| All other states | 61 | 57 | -7% |
The following observations are from several subgroups within the participant directors. Due to the small sample size, caution must be exercised when examining data, and it may not be possible to generalize to reflect other populations. One of the sub-groups examined in the study was based upon the teaching assignments of the director. The majority of participants (60%) taught more than two grade levels in their junior high or middle school setting. While directors teaching more than two grades retained a higher number of students overall, they also saw an increased decline in retention.
Table 2: Retention of Band Students based upon teaching assignment
| Average Years of Teaching | Average Retention 2019-2020 | Average Retention 2020-21 | Retention Difference | |
| 2 Grades | 15.2 | 39 | 37 | -4.95% |
| > 2 Grades | 19.6 | 63 | 56 | -11.91% |
The director group was comprised of 18 participants who identified as Cisgender Female (30%), 39 participants who identified as Cisgender Male (65%), and three participants who preferred not to answer (5%). The attrition rates between the Female and Male director groups were not noticeable or statistically significant.
Table 3: Retention of Band Students by Director Gender Groups
| Average Years of Teaching | Average Retention 2019-2020 | Average Retention 2020-21 | Retention Difference | |
| Cisgender Female | 15.7 | 48 | 43 | -11.8% |
| Cisgender Male | 19.1 | 56 | 50 | -10.8% |
| Prefer not to Answer | 16.7 | 73 | 69 | -5.50% |
The director groups based on years of service included 28 participants with less than 15 years of experience, and 32 directors with more than 15 years of service. During the 2020-21 school year, directors with less than 15 years of teaching experience retained more students than their colleagues with more years of service. Although only a modest increase in student retention, directors with less than 15 years saw increase of 2.2%.
Table 4: Retention of Band Students by Director Experience Groups
| Average Years of Teaching | Average Retention 2019-2020 | Average Retention 2020-21 | Retention Difference | |
| Directors with < 15 years of teaching experience | 8.5 | 45 | 46 | 2.2% |
| Directors with > 15 years of teaching experience | 26.2 | 63 | 52 | -17.5% |
Within this participant group, 29 directors identified their teaching context as suburban, 24 directors identified their teaching context as rural, and seven directors identified their teaching context is urban. Rural schools saw the steepest decline in retention from the previous year, over three times the average of all participant schools. Thirty-two directors reported they taught in a Title I School. The drop in student retention at Title I schools in band decline that was almost twice that of non-Title I schools.
Table 5: Enrollment of First Year Band Students by School Context
| Average Years of Teaching | Average Retention 2019-2020 | Average Retention 2020-21 | Retention Difference | |
| Urban Schools | 20 | 65 | 59 | -9.2% |
| Rural Schools | 17.7 | 35 | 26 | -25.7% |
| Suburban Schools | 17.7 | 69 | 65 | -5.8% |
| Title I Schools | 16.9 | 58 | 50 | -13.8% |
| Non-Title Schools | 18.8 | 55 | 51 | -7.3% |
Follow-up Survey Responses
I invited all participant directors to contribute additional perspectives related to the retention of junior high and middle school band students at the conclusion of the initial survey. Twenty-eight directors participated in the follow-up survey group (FSG). This director group has an average of 16.8 years of teaching experience, compared to the average of 19 years in the 32 directors in the remaining group. The FSG saw a decline in retention more than twice the average of all participant directors (Table 8). All directors in the FSG offered an open-enrollment or re-recruitment aspect to their program, allowing students to enter their program after the initial enrollment date. These directors gained, on average, nine additional students in their band a year through this process.
Table 8: Comparison of Recruitment Rates between directors in the Follow-up Survey Group and remaining directors
| Average Years of Teaching | Average Retention 2019-2020 | Average Retention 2020-21 | Retention Difference | |
| Follow-up Survey Director Group (n = 28) | 16.8 | 57 | 47 | -17.8% |
| Remaining Director Group (n = 32) | 19 | 56 | 57 | -3.8% |
I asked these directors what different strategies they used for retaining students in junior high/middle school band during the 2020-21 school year. The different ideas and strategies utilized by the FSG included the following:
- Student access to band virtually from home, virtual lessons
- Outdoor performances (within Covid-19 Safety protocols) to attract and engage students and the community.
- Adjusted teaching pace and curriculum content so students were comfortable to resume instruction.
- Addressed and demonstrated safety protocols and research with both students and parents (e.g., use of Colorado study).
- Secured use of alternative facilities to spread students out (e.g., rehearsals in an auxiliary gym, outdoor rehearsal) so the ensemble experience was familiar.
- Asked for assistance from administrative help (e.g., Guidance counselors) contacting parents and students to minimize attrition.
When asked about strategies they used for re-recruitment of students during 2020-21 for junior high or middle school band, the FSG indicated use of the following:
- Engaged students already enrolled to recruit their peers through positive interactions and use of social media.
- Use of the in-school concerts or public performances included an invitation for students to speak with student leaders in the ensemble about joining band.
- Small groups of the ensemble played at outdoor pep rallies or outdoor sporting events as a means to increase visibility of the band program.
- Offering a nine-week band elective for students who did not enroll or previously dropped band in the elementary.
- Advertisements on school bulletin board and morning announcements of open re-enrollment periods for band.
Discussion
As a reminder, the data presented above does not transfer to all teaching contexts and directors should use caution when considering application to their own program. There are some interesting perspectives for junior high and middle school band directors to consider as they move forward. Based upon the data provided, the overall decline in retention among junior high and middle school programs was about 5% higher than normal. Attrition levels vary from school to school based upon internal and external factors. Retaining as many students as possible will buffer attrition rates as students move vertically through the band program in their district.
In this study, directors in the FSG enrolled first-time students or students who had previously dropped out of band outside of traditional recruitment periods that occur in the elementary school. As pointed out in the research I shared on elementary programs, Hartley and Porter’s research lends support to the idea that directors should consider open enrollment opportunities. Directors may find that a student starting in a later grade may be more likely to persist in instrumental music instruction. Students may be at a different level of intellectual, physical, and social maturity at the junior high or middle school level as compared to the elementary school. Several directors in this study offered an exploratory band at the junior high/middle school level for students throughout the year (often lasting for one marking period). Another director in this study had a program called “Band Buddy Day” that allowed enrolled members the opportunity to bring a peer with to a rehearsal or performance.
Directors in this study who were teaching more than two grade levels saw over twice the attrition of than that of colleagues teaching only two grade levels. Directors with more than 15 years of teaching experience also saw attrition levels twice that of the average in this study. These aspects, though neither statistically significant, is concerning. In an era, which has not been completely supportive for arts education, school districts often make hard financial decision that results in the loss of elective subject teaching positions or limits the scope of program offerings. In the case of teaching positions, music teachers have more responsibilities that impact their effectiveness to attend to all their duties with peak efficiency and effectiveness. This issue may also impact the ability of a director to build rapport, and positive relationships with their students. Research has demonstrated the importance of these two aspects in recruitment and retention of band students.
Directors who sought to expand or enrich their program over an extended period may be experiencing stress or frustration due to under-utilization of skills and inadequate resources. These aspects were all stressors for the educators that participated in Scheib’s examination of stress in the life of a music educator (Scheib, 2003). As I pointed out in the elementary discussion, directors with more experience may not have received enough technology training to effectively incorporate various applications and platforms into their teaching routine. Here again, I would encourage directors to seek ideas and resources from experts that embed technology into their teaching like Scott Watson and Amy Burns.
The Covid-19 pandemic amplified the disparity that exists among school districts as it relates to technology and resources. All schools experienced a decline in retention over previous years, but schools in rural contexts and at Title I schools experienced much higher attrition rates. The specific reasons for retention attrition in these types of school settings may be unique and contextualized. As mentioned in the report on Elementary recruitment, directors should consider approaching their administration to discover if ARP/ESSER Funds are available for use. These funds might provide an opportunity improve access to resources for their band program (e.g., new instruments, an after-school lesson program). While resource allocation may not be the only hurdle these programs face, addressing this aspect may be a small step forward for their entire program.
The decline in retention is somewhat distressing, especially for upper-level directors who will feel the effect of this downturn in two to three years. It is my hope that some of the ideas and strategies shared above start conversations among the profession and inspire teachers to seek opportunities to retain students successfully in their district’s band program. The data shared above provides a small bit of perspective about the current situation of some junior high and middle school band programs.
Band programs are an essential part of every school for reasons that numbers and statistical charts cannot fully encapsulate or quantify. Directors need to work diligently within their own district to monitor student data and metrics as it relates to retention, which includes support from principals and guidance counselors. When possible, directors should seek assistance from partners in the profession and with colleagues in higher education to address program retention. Clinicians like Scott Lang’s “Be Part of the Music” is another resource to address retention. A continual examination and evaluation of why those numbers fluctuate in both positive and negative trends will serve our profession well as we move forward.
From a personal perspective, the junior high and middle school band age is wonderful. Some of my favorite memories from teaching are from my time with my own middle school groups at Mercer Middle-Senior High School. Directors alone cannot solve the retention issue, but they can take the lead to coordinate and spearhead efforts. Administrators, school boards, faculty, older students, and community members involved in the process can positively affirm and support a junior high or middle school student’s decision to persist in band. A group of young people forging who they are individually, discovering the benefits of contributing to a community, developing artistic appreciation and social maturity, and all the while giving their school and community the gift of music are the kind of group with a positive spirit and climate our society needs.
Additional references
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Boyle, J., DeCarbo, N., Jordan, D. & Gables, C. (1995). Middle/Junior high school band directors’ views regarding reasons for student dropouts in instrumental music. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from http://music.arts.usf.edu/rpme/boyledec.htm
Bayley, J. & Bazan, D. (2009). Recruiting band students: Effective strategies for a strong program. Canadian Winds, 7(2), 72-74.
Colwell, R. J. & Hewitt, M. P. (2011). The Teaching of Instrumental Music. Routledge.
Contzius, A. & Feldman, E. (2016). Instrumental music education: Teaching with the musical and practical in harmony. Routledge.
Cooper, L. G. (2015). Teaching band and orchestra. (2nd ed.). GIA Publications, Inc.
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Elpus, K. (2015). National estimates of male and female enrolment in American high school choirs, bands and orchestras. Music Education Research, 17(1), 88–102.
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Hartley, L. A. (1996). Influence of starting grade and school organization on the enrollment and retention in beginning instrumental music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 44(4), 304–318. https://doi.org/10.2307/3345443
Hartley, L. A., & Porter, A. M. (2009). The influence of beginning instructional grade on string student enrollment, retention, and music performance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 56(4), 370–384.
Kinney, D. (2010). Selected non-music predictors of urban students’ decisions to enroll and persist in middle school band programs. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(4), 334-350. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/40666500
Jagow, S. (2007). Teaching instrumental music: Developing the complete band program. Meredith Music Publications.
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Meyer, S. (2018). Rehearsing the middle school band. Meredith Music Publications.
Rush, S., Scott, J. & Wilkinson, E. (2014). Habits of a successful middle school band director. GIA Publications, Inc.
Scheib, J. W. (2003). Role stress in the professional life of the school music teacher: A collective case study. Journal of Research in Music Education, 51(2), 124-136. https://doi.org/10.2307/3345846
Stewart, J. L. (2005). Factors Related to Students’ Decisions to Continue in Band. Contributions to Music Education, 32(1), 59-74. Retrieved August 18, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/24127236
Walker, L., & Hamann, D. (1995). Minority recruitment: The relationship between high school students’ perceptions about music participation and recruitment strategies. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (124), 24-38. Retrieved August 18, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/40318703
