After School Music Academy Blog
Making music and encouraging movement in K-8 classrooms
across California
You Received Prop 28 Funding… Now What? A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
For many schools across California, receiving Prop 28 funding was a major milestone. After years of limited arts access, schools finally have dedicated funding to expand music, visual arts, dance, theater, media arts, and other enrichment opportunities for students....
Why Some Prop 28 Programs Will Fail (And How Schools Can Avoid It)
When California passed Prop 28, many schools finally saw an opportunity to expand access to music, arts, and enrichment programs for students. But receiving funding is only the beginning. The real challenge is building a program that schools can actually sustain...
Why Schools Are Struggling to Hire Teachers for Prop 28 — And What to Do About It
Schools Got Funding… But Can’t Find Teachers When Prop 28 passed, it unlocked something huge: Billions in funding for arts and music education. But almost immediately, schools ran into a problem no one fully solved: There aren’t enough qualified instructors to meet...
You Received Prop 28 Funding… Now What? A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
You Got the Funding… Now Comes the Hard Part Receiving Prop 28 funding is a big win. But for many schools, the next question hits fast: “What do we actually do with it?” Because this isn’t just about spending money. It’s about: Staying compliant Hiring (in a tough...
How Music Education Impacts Brain Development (Backed by Science)
Why Music Education Is More Than “Just an Elective” For years, music programs were treated as enrichment—valuable, but optional. Science says otherwise. Research consistently shows that music education directly enhances brain development, impacting how students think,...
Building Executive Function Early Through Music
How Music Programs Support Executive Function Development in Students Music education does far more than teach students how to play instruments or perform songs. In many school environments, music programs also support the development of important cognitive skills...
Aligning Music Programming With CASEL’s SEL Framework
How Music Programs Support Social and Emotional Learning in Schools Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has become a central priority for many school districts across the United States. As schools continue to expand their focus beyond academic achievement,...
If You Already Have a Music Program, Here’s How to Strengthen It and Take It Further
Many schools across California already offer some form of music education. Maybe it’s a band program. Maybe it’s classroom music once a week. Maybe it’s a small program supported by Proposition 28 funding. But what many school leaders are discovering is this: Having a...
The Science Behind Music Education: How Rhythm, Melody, and Practice Improve Memory and Focus, Made More Accessible Through Prop 28
School administrators are under increasing pressure to improve academic outcomes, support student well-being, and ensure compliance with state funding requirements, all while managing limited instructional time and resources. Music education is often viewed as an...
From Regulation to Readiness: Why School Leaders Are Turning to Music-Based SEL Programs
Across California, school leaders are navigating a complex reality: rising student needs, increased behavioral challenges, and growing expectations around academic performance and whole-child development. At the center of these challenges is one foundational issue,...
The Hidden Cost of Waiting: What Happens When Prop 28 Funding Goes Unused
California’s Proposition 28 was designed to expand access to arts and music education by providing schools with dedicated, ongoing funding. For many districts, it represents a long-awaited opportunity to rebuild programs that were previously underfunded or...
Why Music Education Supports SEL and Classroom Behavior and Why Prop 28 Makes It More Accessible Than Ever
Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a priority for school districts across California—not as a standalone initiative, but as a foundational component of student success, classroom culture, and overall school climate. What many administrators are now recognizing...