ETM-LA

Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) partners with inner-city schools to provide music as a core subject for all children, and utilizes music education as a catalyst to improve academic achievement, motivation for school and self-confidence. Education Through Music-Los Angeles believes that every child deserves access to high-quality music education, taught by qualified and well-trained music teachers. Music can support learning in other key subjects, including math, science and language arts. Engaged parents and school communities are key to the success of students.

We believe all students deserve a well-rounded education that includes music and the arts. Learning

Goal One: Provide quality sequential, comprehensive PreK-8 music instruction as part of the core curriculum to under-resourced LA County Schools; create pathways and partnerships for long-term sustainability.

Goal Two: Be a public and vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts and education sectors through ongoing training, guidance, research, and partnerships aligned with schools/communities.

Goal Three: Further strategically invest in organizational infrastructure, internal operations and personnel to support programming & the mission; assess ongoing needs towards staffing & workforce development.

We believe in embracing growth mindset and nurturing leadership development across the entire organization (current to emerging leaders). We hold space for individual thought and shared ideas to thrive, while offering retreats and resources on critical thinking, transformational and adaptive leadership, and communication with care. The WHY is central to our work and approach. To that end, ETM-LA will continue providing: culturally relevant training for staff/teaching practitioners (including both external and internal facilitators: Dr. Kevin Kumashiro (Author), Dr. Terrence Roberts (Little Rock Nine), Dr. Loneka Battiste (Culturally Responsive Teaching), Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin (Leadership/Compton, Inglewood; Why Not Incubator), Tiffiny Reckley (ETM-LA Trainer/Author/Speaker on Trauma and Social Justice in the Fine Arts Classroom), and Dr. Franklin Gómez (ETM-LA Instrumental Supervisor; extensive work in under-resourced schools/districts).

The pandemic and its negative impacts exacerbated existing inequalities within education, systems, and access to resources. When schools were forced to close physically, ETM-LA pivoted all instruction online and worked deeply and collaboratively with music teachers and school partners to ensure equity and access for music learning to continue for all students. We responded to evolving Safer at Home guidelines by adhering to regulations set forth by LA County health officials and the CDC. ETM-LA staff and teachers were resilient, going back in-person 2021-22. We adapted to each of the needs of employees, partners, and communities through flexible scheduling, providing more benefits/personal time off/competitive bonus & salary, and giving access to mental/wellness resources. In addition to training on music education goals and key benchmarks, we provide ongoing training/shared discussion on combating racism and implicit bias, building cultural responsiveness, and implementing social emotional wellness. ETM-LA believes in listening to our communities to lead the way. We center the needs/requests of those whom we work, predominantly populations from historically and systemically under-resourced communities. In order to achieve equity and access of music education, our approach begins with social justice – prioritizing schools with the highest Title 1 % (Free/Reduced Price lunch program) and typically populations of color. We consistently look for ways to strengthen our approach to provide the equitable distribution of resources, quality teachers, and funding to the communities with the greatest gaps in equity. Our 2021 impact study highlights the positive impact that ETM-LA’s programming has on student behaviors associated with social-emotional learning and academic success (i.e. understanding the feelings of, working well with, having skills for resolving conflict with, and cooperating with peers; being more engaged in learning).