Music is a universal language and is sought to be one of the first forms of communication between cultures who are unable to understand foreign languages to that of their own. Because of this, it has been a vital part of success in many areas of our lives today and through the development of a variety of societies around us. The most important part being academic achievement. Academic achievement has declined in the nation drastically in recent years. It is believed and studied that something as simple as music can help this problem. Although it has been debated across the country in school boards, the importance of music programs still stand. The decline in academic success can easily be greatly reduced by incorporating music programs into education more often.

Academic success has drastically declined in recent years and students are putting less and less effort in school work and studying. In Why Our Kids Don’t Study, John D. Owen writes that this may be a result of many things such as how the society or culture they live in views academic success. Some areas of the U.S. take it very seriously, while some may brush it off likes its nothing. It is also seen that most teachers in the U.S. will demand less but expect more of students, putting them in an uneasy state and leaving them unmotivated. Students are staying disengaged when they have professors or teachers who simply don’t care about the students’ success. As a result, students have the perspective that if the professor doesn’t care whether a student fails or succeeds, then they shouldn’t either. 

Social and cultural factors have also played a huge role in the decline in academic achievement. In Beyond the Classroom, Laurence Steinberg examined cultural factors and how they contribute to slacker sensibility in high school students. Results showed that across the country, whether in poverty or well-off, in an urban or suburban area, or in the city or outskirts, students’ commitment to school is at an all-time-low. Social factors such as romantic relationships, organizations and clubs, and sports activities have been found to have effects on students’ academic performance. Students will spend most their day in the school community, surrounded by their peers and teachers. Because of this, their social lives are influenced extremely in their specific school settings. If a student attends a school in which their teachers and peers are friendly to them, a 2008 study found that this student will succeed academically. Sadly, not every student in the country has this type of environment, leading to the continued decrease in academic success.

Not only has academic success decreased, it has remained at a plateau in many areas. Per the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2014), the nation’s performance in math and reading among high school seniors has shown no improvement. This was also reported in The Washington Post. Statistics show that per students’ absences, academic success has remained the same. An example of this is a study on Massachusetts public schools, 2003-2010. The study showed that students across all races reached a constant similarity in academic success grades 9-11 in high school (Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010).

Incorporating music programs into education more often can reduce the decline in academic achievement. Studies have confirmed that music has a positive correlation with academic success in specific areas. Math and reading skills have been improved through playing rhythms and decoding notes and symbols in music. It was also proven by researchers in Hamilton, Ohio that students who participate in stringed music programs score drastically higher than non-music students in reading, math, and citizenship portions of the Ohio Proficiency Test (OPT).

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) scores of high school students were also tested. According to The College Board, Profile of College–Bound Seniors National Report for 2001, data shows that students taking any type of music-involved lessons or classes scored on average 60 points higher in the verbal section than non-music involved students. It also showed that musically-inclined students scored on average 43 points higher in the math section.

Music can improve psychological health as well. Performance aspects on being involved in music programs can benefits many things. Some of which being that they enhance a child’s sense of self-esteem. While this doesn’t seem like it would affect a child’s academic success, it does. If a child feels better about themselves, it is seen that they will typically care more about their schooling, resulting in their academic achievement being remarkable.

Another thing performance aspects of musically inclined students help is a child’s social skills. Children who participate in musical programs become a small part of a huge community. They have a place in a world that benefits from them. This community consists of a safe and positive organization they can go to be themselves outside of their immediate school settings.

Keeping and adding more music programs in elementary and secondary education will result in more people going to college. Studies show that students who were musically-involved have a better chance of going on to post-secondary education at a college. About 50% are students who weren’t involved in music continued onto college, while 90% of students who were involved in music did as well.

Academic achievement is not doing well and will only continue to decline if something is not changed. Music is one major way of many small ways that we can reduce the decline in academic success. Through music, academic success can be improved in math, reading, and verbal skills. Music can also improve one’s social skills and self-esteem, which will only build onto a child’s academic performance.