Music Education

Latest Music Education News

Updated Family and Community Guides for the Visual and Performing Arts

The recently updated standards in the visual and performing arts (dance, drama and theatre arts, music, and visual arts) have also updated the corresponding family and community guides. These guides are websites that are organized by grade level to summarize learning in these content areas.

2022 Revised Standards in Additional Formats

The revised Colorado Academic Standards for visual and performing arts have been updated to additional formats for teachers to use in their planning and organization for standards-based instruction. The alternative formats include comma-separated values (CSV), Microsoft Excel, Markdown/plain text, and a highly-accessible, simplified Microsoft Word format. These updated files can be found on the Music standards page linked below.

Family and Community Guides

Colorado Academic Standards: Music

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Academic Standards

By implementing a structured and standards-based music education, students continue the acts of performing, creating, and responding to music as a means for development and growth in the ability to express the otherwise inexpressible and to facilitate growth in many areas of academic development. In learning music, students use critical thinking, self-assessment, reasoning, problem solving, and collaboration, and make connections in new and imaginative ways as they progress through their musical education.

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Curriculum Support

Article IX, Section 16 of Colorado's constitution states, "Neither the general assembly nor the state board of education shall have power to prescribe textbooks to be used in the public schools." However, CDE can still serve as an advisor to help districts and schools adopt, adapt, develop, or use the materials of their choice.

District Sample Curriculum Project

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Instructional Support

Suggested text is something like: Instructional support is grounded in CDE's shared approach to Best, First Instruction as well as practices and strategies supported by professional organizations and scholars at the leading edge of music education.

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Community

There are many opportunities to connect and grow as a professional educator with the larger music education community, including mailing lists, professional organizations, and events.

Keeping up with Music Education in Colorado

For further assistance, please contact:

Carla Aguilar, Ph.D.
Music Arts Consultant
P 720.376.2781
Aguilar_C@cde.state.co.us