Statistics on Band Students Dropping Out?

Hi all! I'm doing a talk on band advocacy and keeping students. However, I'm having a hard time finding actual specific statistics.





Do any of you know where I could find statistics (national and/or on the state level) of what percentage of band students drop between middle school and high school (8th and 9th grade)?





Also, do any of you know of any specific information about high school band parent advocacy?





Thanks a bunch for all your help!

Statistics on Band Students Dropping Out?
Here's an article you may want to read:





http://music.arts.usf.edu/rpme/boyledec....





I did a study myself in 1998 while I was a graduate student of university music students and their opinions of their high school music teachers. I was interested in learning why they decided to continue to pursue music studies in college when it seemed like most of their high school music peers in band or choir did not. Here's a quick rundown of some of the student responses to my survey items:





1. My director related well to me and my classmates: over 50% strongly agreed





2. My director did an adequate job of assessing my work and progress: 35% of music majors and 63% of non-majors strongly disagreed with this statement.





3. I was encouraged by my director to pursue a career in music or t participate in music as a non-major: 26% of majors and 45% of non-majors either disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement. These statistics were very telling. They seem to imply, along with item #2, that the most talented music students are receiving the most guidance and attention, when those students who would benefit most from more attention and guidance did not feel they were adequately being encouraged or assessed.





If you need any more info, send me a message. Good luck with your search!
Reply:Uhm , I dont really think theres a statics for kids dropping out of band . There have been quite a few but not in statics form . You could make one of your own from the band students at your school and band teacher . Its just really hard to make statics because the amount is really just estimated and not the exact amount . When you get in high school theres so much many choices and some kids take other classes and drop out of band / strings or just dont have the time to all the things they wish they could do because of band or strings . Then there are the few who rejoin after a small hiatus .
Reply:Okay, first answer is not true. i have a friend who is a freshman, and he is on the football team as well as in the pit for marching band.





speaking of which, when you say band, i hope you mean marching band? err... it's just that we are losing members. if kids don't learn an instrument before high school, it is really hard to recruit them. so, if you have a regular band, PLEASE suggest marching band to a few of them? and if you don't have marchiing band (that's a bunch of hogwash to me because i LOVE marching band) tell them to join a drum corps, which is a professional marching band.
Reply:don't know a actual number but alot people quit from 8th grade to 9th grade is cause in 8th grade they can play football and be in band at the same time. in 9th and above u can't do both

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