By Nan Cooper

The Fulton County School System has been recognized for an 11th consecutive year in a nationwide survey of public and private school music programs. The annual survey identifies the top 100 places to live in America for quality music education.   

Only two school systems in the nation, one of which is Fulton County, have been recognized each of the 11 years the annual survey has been taken. Three systems in Georgia made the 2010 list.

In a ceremony hosted at Webb Bridge Middle School, students in Bryan Wamsley’s band class jammed with members of James Brown’s family. (Yes, that James Brown.) 

Superintendent Dr. Cindy Loe also accepted a plaque recognizing the system for its 11th consecutive year being named to the list.

The Top 100 list represents an annual snapshot of music education at its best and is based on a nationwide survey conducted earlier this year by the NAMM Foundation and several partner organizations in the fields of music and education. NAMM is a not-for-profit, international association that represents the musical instruments and products industry.

Thousands of public school and independent teachers, school and district administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders participated in the web-based survey earlier this year. The participants answered detailed questions about funding, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, participation in music classes, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, participation in private music lessons and other factors in their communities’ quality of music education.

With recent budget cuts, however, elementary band and orchestra will not be available for students next year and perhaps for several more to follow.