Permission to reprint by author, Bob Morrison
The Number: 67.5%
by Bob Morrison, Arts Education Data Project
On its own, a number like 67.5% does not actually tell us very much.
Is it good? Is it average? Is it a warning sign? Without context, it is just a statistic. Numbers only become powerful when we understand what they are being compared to and why they matter.
In this case, context changes everything.
A statewide music education participation rate in the high 60s can sound solid, but the direction of the trend matters just as much as the level. Nebraska’s 67.5% music education participation is notable not only because it represents most students, but because it comes after several years of gradual decline.
In Nebraska, this number reflects continued broad reach for music education across the K–12 system, but it also signals that participation has been slowly eroding since 2020. The slight increase in 2024 is encouraging, but it does not erase the longer-term pattern.
What the Data Shows
According to data from the Arts Education Data Project, Nebraska’s Music Education Participation Rate:
- Reached 67.5% in 2024
- Increased 0.4 percentage points from 2023 (67.1% to 67.5%)
- Declined 2.8 percentage points since 2020 (70.3% to 67.5%)
- Hit a five-year low in 2023 (67.1%) before the modest uptick in 2024
- Shows a consistent year-over-year decline from 2020 through 2023
This is a top-line, statewide view across all student groups and grade levels.
What’s Really Going On (The Story Behind 67.5%)
This number reflects more than a single-year change.
Several forces may be converging:
- Gradual post-pandemic shifts in scheduling, course availability, and student enrollment patterns
- Ongoing staffing and capacity constraints that can limit the number of students districts are able to serve
- District-level variability, where some communities sustain robust participation while others slowly lose access
- The reality that participation rates can decline quietly over time without triggering immediate alarms
A one-year uptick usually requires local decisions that protect access through staffing, scheduling, and consistent course offerings. But reversing a multi-year decline requires sustained attention.
Why This Number Matters
A statewide average tells us something important, but not everything.
What it confirms:
- Most Nebraska students are still being reached by music education
- Declines are not inevitable, as seen in the 2024 increase
- Stabilization is possible when participation is tracked and prioritized
What it does not yet reveal:
- Whether the decline is concentrated in certain districts or widespread
- How participation varies by grade level, geography, or student group
- Whether program capacity and staffing are sufficient to rebuild long-term growth
A modest increase is meaningful. But it is also a signal to watch closely.
What This Means for Advocates
Use 67.5% carefully and confidently.
Talking points:
- “Nebraska’s music education participation increased in 2024, after several years of decline.”
- “The bigger story is that participation has fallen since 2020, and the state may now be at a stabilization point.”
- “The opportunity is to turn a small uptick into sustained recovery.”
Key advocacy question:
What is driving the multi-year decline, and what would it take to move Nebraska back above 70% participation?
A steady number can still hide slow erosion. The work ahead is ensuring the 2024 increase becomes momentum, not a temporary pause.
This number is a hat tip to Cody Talarico of the Nebraska Department of Education, who has moved on to a new job this week. Cody has made significant contributions to arts education in Nebraska, and specifically to the Arts Education Data Project.
THANK YOU CODY!
