As a music teacher with 13 years experience this is not ok. We don't allow large class sizes for regular classrooms, why is music any different. We know students benefit from having lower class sizes and more individual attention. My chorus classes are actually co-taught by two music teachers so that our teacher to student ratio stays reasonable. Lawmakers also need to consider that 6th grade is not all in middle school. Some districts have 6th grade in elementary school. Please do not increase class sizes for music classes regardless of whether they are ensembles or general music.

I am writing to strongly urge opposition to this proposed bill. While, on paper, it seems like a good idea to condense classroom sizes to reduce overall operational costs, the results come at the cost of the quality of education for each student in these mega classes and the mental and physical well-being of the teachers. There is no way a person who has ever been in a classroom would sponsor or compose a bill such as this, because that person would recognize that it's like being at a town hall meeting where you were forced to interact with each and every single person in the room BY LAW. Please, do the right thing and kill this bill. It's cruel, it's packed full of suppositions that do not stand up against the realities of public education, and it stinks of punitive action against the people who are trying their best to make this chaos work for the students in the classroom. I would also add that if this goes through, there must be an amendment that states that EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY must then send their children to public schools or face impeachment. If you can't agree to this, then you can't put it on the floor for voting. If you can't agree to this amendment, simply ask yourself why....and you'll no doubt generate more reasons to NOT go with this than to support it. Please....for the benefit of what is left of our rotting education system....just let this one go.

I oppose SB 656 and HB 36 on the grounds that they are unnecessary and harmful to music programs. I teach beginning instrumental music in Stafford, where the purported problem of access exists. Students are not being turned away from music education here; instead, positions have already been de-staffed over the last several years, increasing the student load on those who remain. Instrumental music teachers would never let students be turned away, so they have shouldered the burden by taking on more students and larger classes. If the General Assembly wants to support music education, they should provide incentive for localities to properly staff music classrooms. They should also ensure that existing law is followed so that families are notified if classes exceed 35 students, as they routinely do. Having taught beginning classes ranging from 25 to 55 students, I can assure you that having large classes causes students to be left behind, especially those who are disadvantaged and those who receive special education services. It is discouraging for students and teachers alike that students are denied equal access to music education by large classes sizes and reductions in staff. Increasing class size limits does not solve this problem; it exacerbates it.

Increasing access by simple numbers does not equate to access to knowledge and experience. Particularly for hands on learning such as with instruments in band The simple volume increase would exponentially decrease the amount of actual instruction any child would get especially in beginner courses where I think we would all agree they need more attention. This bill is attempting to increase access but it is not accomplishing meaningful impact for the students it is trying to help achieve better outcomes. Oppose this bill as written

As a middle school music teacher, I see a drastic difference in my beginning classes of even 26 vs 19-20. Increasing to 45 would severely limit the quality of instruction students receive. We have the space and scheduling abilities for smaller classes - there is no reason to raise the cap.

Against increasing class sizes in 6th grade ensembles.

HB-36 In general teaching is difficult and those who do it well never make it seem difficult. A change like this will force teachers to move out of our commonwealth for better job opportunities. We already see this happening in terms of pay. When we look at specifically an elementary ensembles class we get into advanced teaching techniques. Not only are these teachers teaching curriculum and the basics of education but they are teaching four specific instruments with different strings, technique, and posture. Within a grade level they can also be teaching beginner-advanced students. Not only is this difficult to do but considering the amount of students with IEP’s, 504’s, English learners etc these music ensemble teachers are scaffolding and differentiating for all of this. A class size of 30 is too many but teachers are used to it, a class size of 45 will destroy programs and we will lose teachers who are extremely capable and are giving us their very best teaching.

OPPOSE this bill. The language is deceptive, it says it increases access, but increasing access without any concern for the quality of instruction does not help students. It helps administrators solve scheduling problems. No budgetary or scheduling puzzle should ever be solved at the expense of student learning. This proposal would go nowhere if this was being suggested for math or English because everyone reading this full well knows that teaching and learning quality suffers the more kids you pack into a room. All this bill says to me is that the legislature doesn't care about the quality of instruction for music, despite its status as a core subject for a well rounded education in federal law.

Please oppose this bill. By raising class limits for music education classes, this places a greater burden on music educators to continue to provide high quality, needs-based, individualized instruction to larger class sizes without providing any kind of additional support (teacher assistants, increased instructional time, resources, etc.). If a school system wanted to “provide more opportunities” to students for a math course, they wouldn’t increase the class size so one teacher could provide instruction to more students. That division would hire additional teachers to meet the need of that math course. Why are music courses not given the same support or courtesy?

Please OPPOSE this bill. In many schools students only receive instrumental music instruction once per week (that does not get made up if missed for snow, state testing, assemblies, fire drills, etc). Raising the class size limit will be severely detrimental to student learning and progress.

(SB656) By increasing Grade 6 music class sizes to 45 students, it risks lowering instructional quality, increasing teacher workload, and harming beginning music learners. I am a music educator who spends the first few months of each school year helping to guide young learners. This increase in number would mean each child would receive LESS individual instruction.

Please OPPOSE this bill! While we certainly want to improve and increase access to music education, this bill will worsen the situation rather than improve it. When you increase class sizes, you reduce the number of sections that the music teachers are teaching, which will have the unintended effect of reducing music staff or causing them to be required to teach or provide remedial guidance in subject for which they are not certified. As a lifelong music educator in Virginia, i commend the Virginia legislation for wanting to improve access to music education. If that is truly the goal, we ask you to oppose this bill and work with the team at VMEA (VA Music Educators Association) to create new legislation which will provide more access to Music! Thank you!

Growth does not automatically mean success. Placing 45 sixth-grade students, all of whom are brand-new to their instruments, into one classroom does not promote learning. It severely limits a teacher’s ability to address proper technique, posture, tone production, and individual needs. Early instrumental instruction requires close listening and constant individual feedback. At that stage, students do not benefit from hearing a full orchestra every day; they benefit from small classes where a teacher can truly see and hear every detail of their playing. The bill may be framed as supporting program growth, but in practice it risks weakening the quality and sustainability of music education across our schools. I oppose SB656 because the current VA Code already allows flexibility when needed. Increasing class size limits risks lowering instructional quality, increasing teacher workload, and harming beginning music students who need individual attention.

Td1 diabetes support Serenity

Please pass this important bill

I am a music educator who teaches general music classes that are capped at state standard sizes. I also teach an extracurricular chorus that is within the confines of my school day that has more than 130 students in it. Because of our schedule, there is no way to offer smaller sections. While our students are capable of doing more challenging music, my supervision of them prevents us from fully meeting their needs musically. Smaller groups would allow us to develop their musicianship in an appropriate way. Larger groups also require more attention to behavior management. If this Measure goes through, I recommend that any music teacher whose class in sixth grade goes beyond the state maximum is paid an extra stipend or that part-time music teachers are hired to help ensure that appropriate musical attainment is achieved. Furthermore, the state should provide that stipend or the money for an extra part-time teacher because this initiative came from the state.

Please vote NO on HB 359. Please don’t take away the opportunity for low income students to receive better education and grow spiritually. Thanks.