Roland’s Guide to Funding Opportunities

Vol. 4 Number 3 Integrating Technology with Music Education Summer 2000 Roland’s Guide to Funding Opportunities By Lynda García H Judy Meeks ow often do you hear the words “there’s no money in the budget but there’s an abundance of money in grants?” For most educators these words are usually accompanied by a sinking feeling caused by not knowing where to start and a suspicion that writing a grant takes untold time and energy. As a way of doing our part at Roland, we invited someone who has been extremely successful in getting funding and securing grants to write a comprehensive article. We first met Judy Meeks when she attended Roland’s Teacher Technology Retreat in Los Angeles in 1998. Judy, a high school music educator from Palm Beach, Florida, previously wrote the article, Group Piano and Technology in the Public Schools in the Summer, 1999 issue of Keyboard Educator (Vol. 3, Number 3, pp. 6-7). Judy Meeks has been a music educator for nearly thirty years – teaching piano, vocal music, pedagogy, advanced placement theory, music history, and electronic music to students and teachers of all levels and ages. A graduate of Louisiana State University, she has served as an adjudicator and clinician in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. As a In this issue... Roland’s Guide....................1 Fund Your Lab .....................2 Grant Opportunities ............5 Resources............................8 Fund Raising .....................10 FaxBack/Web.....................11 Did You Know?..................12 nationally certified teacher in Louisiana, Judy began integrating her computer and electronic keyboard into the curriculum of her private students and established a keyboard lab at Ridgewood Middle School in the 1980’s. Having completed graduate studies from the University of South Alabama and the University of Florida in multimedia and electronic music, Judy developed the first electronic music lab in Northwest Florida public schools and a state-of-the-art electronic music lab in Royal Palm Beach, the first such lab in Palm Beach County. Because of the comprehensiveness of this article, we decided to devote this entire issue to this important subject. Judy begins with funding options in three settings (school, private studio, and church). In addition to fundraising ideas and resources, she divides the grant information into federal grant resources and foundation grant resources. She concludes with a list of books and websites. You have Roland’s permission to copy this newsletter for colleagues and others as long as credit is given to Judy Meeks and Roland for providing this resource. We hope you find this information helpful in fundraising and securing grants for your music education goals. You Can Fund Your Own Keyboard Lab By Judy Meeks You may be required to educate district purchasing agents about 21st century music technology. !!! I n most cases, the main obstacle to realizing your goal of offering group piano classes is the cost of the keyboards or workstations. But don’t give up, funding assistance is available! Depending upon your situation, there are many resources to help fund the development of a keyboard lab, whether you’re a public or private school keyboard educator, or operate an independent music studio. Before approaching any of these funding organizations, develop your keyboard lab on paper. Research the available keyboards on the market. Know what features you want, and which instruments will meet your specifications. Talk with retailers and other music educators who have been teaching group piano with electronic keyboards. Read articles that compare or critique your keyboard selections. Decide if you will expand your lab later, or want to include any MIDI instruction. Be sure to include the cost of furniture, workstations and chairs for your lab. The lab should have adequate space and electrical capacity. When your research is complete, write a business plan for your keyboard lab that includes budget, maintenance, possible expansion and details for specific equipment. Armed with facts and a vision, you’ll be ready to begin your funding search. Stay flexible and creative in both your planning and your search. Funding Options in a School Setting If you are a keyboard teacher in a public or private school situation, there are many options to explore: A. Local Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) or SAC (School Advisory Committee) organizations are headed by parents who are willing to allocate money for programs that will impact their children’s education in a positive way. You should be an active member of these groups. My first keyboard lab in the ‘80s was funded by our local PTA. Be prepared to present your proposal to the committee early in the year. B. The Fine Arts Supervisor for your school district usually has money allocated in the district budget for new instruments. Request the necessary information and paperwork for funding keyboards for a music lab. Find out if your district requires competitive bids or has an existing bid list. Often portable MIDI electronic keyboards are not on an existing bid list because the technology is new. You may be required to educate district purchasing agents about 21st century music technology. C. The Technology Committee at your school or district level should have funds available for incorporating new technologies in your school. Both federal and state education departments are funding new technologies. Electronic keyboards with Standard MIDI File disk drive sequencers are a part of a complete multimedia program, and would definitely fall under the new technology area. Your local technology supervisor can provide you with information on the procedure for requesting funds for your program through the technology area. D. Special Needs Programs such as dropout prevention, students at risk and learning disabled or special needs often have funds to allocate for creative classes. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides federal aid to public education. Over half of its funds are devoted to providing services to the disadvantaged through Title I. Title I funding covers the use of arts to provide enriched and accelerated educational programs, and encourages extended learning time beyond the traditional day and year. Part D of Title 10 funding provides for strengthening arts education in elementary and secondary schools. My first keyboard lab in Florida was funded by 2 Roland Keyboard Educator dropout prevention, and was very successful with these students. Working with administrators and instructors in these areas to devise a specialized program for these students involving keyboard classes was a rewarding and beneficial project. Speak to local and district level representatives for Title I programs for assistance in developing and presenting your plan. E. A New School Budget is the ideal opportunity to plan and implement a classroom dedicated to a keyboard lab, including keyboards, workstations, sound cards and software. My most recent lab was included in the architectural plans and was funded by the original capital budget for the school. Our principal provided computers for each workstation from technology money funded to the school. A principal with a vision for music education and technology will be eager to have your new school open with the latest in music technology. F. Principals often have discretionary funds to use as needed. A principal who is “arts positive” usually wants a keyboard lab for the school. Approach your principal with your request and your justification for these funds. G. Fundraising by your department or the students who will benefit by the addition of group piano instruction is usually an option in most schools. (You’ll find details in the “Fundraising” article on page 10.) H. Federal and Foundation Grants provide millions of dollars each year in funding for the arts in education. Information on funding by grants is discussed in detail in the “Grant Opportunities” article on page 5. I. Alumni Donations or Individual Endowments are often available at the university or college level. Approach your alumni foundation for database information and be prepared to present a complete proposal of your plan to a potential private donor. Funding Options for the Private Studio Music Educator The private studio music educator can take advantage of many parallel funding strategies for additional equipment and technology: A. Local Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) can be approached by private studio educators in the neighborhood with a plan to add group piano to their curriculum. Not all band or choral directors are skilled in piano education. A PTA group may be eager to begin a keyboard program for students with an adjunct private instructor. B. Special Needs Programs under Title I and Title 10 of the ESEA can also be developed by a private music educator. Contact your local school board to talk with the supervisor who is responsible for these areas. Be prepared with a plan to benefit these students through keyboard education. Teaching a group piano class after school would be within the domain of Title I provisions. C. Parks and Recreation departments in your area are interested in classes to offer the community. Contact the local administrator to discuss funding piano classes offered and taught by you. D. A Business Alliance with a Keyboard Dealer is usually beneficial to both the retailer and the music educator. The retailer can provide a keyboard lab on the business site, providing an opportunity for both students and parents to learn about equipment they can purchase from the dealer for home use, or the retailer can provide keyboards through lease or lease-to-own plans. E. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers financing for additional equipment to expand small businesses. Go to www.sba.gov and learn about loan opportunities, small business grant options, and help in locating your local SBA servicing office. Visit www. businessfinance.com and www.smallbusiness.yahoo.com for more links to information that will assist you in your search for business capital. Continued on Next Page Roland Keyboard Educator 3 Teaching a group piano class after school would be within the domain of Title I provisions. !!! You Can Fund Your Own Keyboard Lab Continued from Previous Page [Funding] requires planning and preparation, but every piano teacher knows that persistence and practice develop success. !!! F. Fundraising is an option often overlooked by the private studio instructor. Contact the band or choral director or cheerleader sponsor of your local schools for the names and phone numbers of professional fundraising specialists. These experts provide services to plan and execute a successful fundraiser and motivate your students to high sales at no cost to you. (There’s more information in the “Fundraising” article on page 10.) G. Federal and Foundation Grants provide funding in the area of the arts and in education for the private studio educator. (See “Grant Opportunities” on page 5.) Funding Options in a Church Setting Funding for keyboards in a church setting usually requires special considerations of use and need. Most funding is allocated or approved by a church board or finance committee. Approach the minister of music for your church with your ideas. The website www.minister-of-music.com can also supply information about electronic keyboards in church ministries. Opportunities for funding include: A. Creating a Comprehensive Music Program, often a goal of the church. Many young people have received excellent vocal and instrumental training in local church choirs and orchestras. An expansion of these programs could include keyboard instruction so that young people could also be trained as accompanists. Usually funding must be requested for the upcoming budget year, so plan ahead. B. “Music Schools,” created by many churches to offer voice and piano lessons for a set charged fee, the lessons being given by a professional music educator in the church. The income from the lesson fees can be applied to the cost of the keyboards used in the group class. C. The Keyboard Ministry, an integral part of worship in many churches. The hundreds of SMF disks that are now available to accompany worship indicate an extensive use of electronic keyboards both in small groups and in services. websites such as www.gnms.com offer SMF accompaniment for worship that can be downloaded or mailed. There are even sites with SMF disk accompaniment for every hymn in the Baptist hymnal! Request an allocation of funds to expand this area of music ministry. D. New Equipment Purchases for the music office are often made under the current budget. MIDI keyboards facilitate scoring music and writing parts for the available instruments in the church. The keyboard could also be utilized to fill in for missing instrumentalists needed to perform various arrangements, such as the often-scored oboe solo! E. Private Philanthropic Giving to churches, synagogues, and religious agencies, which accounts for over half of all philanthropic gifts. A specific monetary gift can be earmarked for purchase of keyboards, as family donations have often been earmarked for a new organ or piano for the sanctuary. Less than 10% of foundation grants go to religion, and that 10% usually represents the personal contribution of a donor-director. F. Fundraising is also an option for purchase of keyboards in a church. Traditional church fundraisers are often “Fall Festivals” or large “garage sales.” But other creative fundraising through both sales and events are possible. As you can see, there are many sources for funding your new class piano lab. Do not be discouraged if you must try several different avenues. It all requires planning and preparation, but every piano teacher knows that persistence and practice develop success. Seize the opportunity! 4 Roland Keyboard Educator Grant Opportunities By Judy Meeks O ften overlooked by keyboard educators are the millions of dollars awarded each year in federal and foundation grants in the areas of the arts and education. Access to these funds requires research and perseverance. Federal Grant Resources www.cfda.gov Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance www.federalregisterdigest.com Federal Register Digest Service www.gcs.ed.gov U.S. Department of Education www.arts.endow.gov National Endowment for the Arts The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CDFA) is a government-wide digest of all 1,424 Federal programs, services, activities and projects that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. These various programs provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, scholarships, training, services, information and insurance. Published in June and updated each December, information from the CDFA can be accessed at www.cfda.gov or by contacting the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, telephone 202-512-1800. The U.S. Department of Education (gcs.ed.gov/) announcements, including grant applications and grant program priorities, are officially announced in the Federal Register each day/week. Access this website for the necessary contact and requirement information for all pending grants from the Department of Education, both Federal and State, categorized and explained. The National Endowment for the Arts (arts.endow.gov) is the only Federal agency created expressly to foster and support nonprofit arts of the highest quality. In 1999, 430 grants were awarded by the NEA for a total of $12,347,480. The goals of the agency are creation and presentation of artistic work, developing strong and valued arts organizations, access to the arts for all, lifelong education in the arts, and preservation of our cultural heritage. www.schoolgrants.org is a user-friendly site which gives grant information on federal, state and foundation grants in the area of education. Foundation Grant Resources There are four types of foundations. The first three are private and the fourth is a public charity or local foundation, often subject to different rules and regulations than private foundations. • Company-sponsored foundations created and funded by business corporations • Independent foundations established by a wealthy family or person • Operating foundations created to operate research, social welfare, or other charitable programs considered worthwhile • Community foundations supported by and operated for the benefit of a specific community or region Foundations differ greatly in giving interests, so research is of primary imporContinued on Next Page Foundations differ greatly in giving interests, so research is of primary importance. !!! The Federal Register Digest Service (www.federalregisterdigest.com) is a weekly publication for educators that is the official newspaper of the United States government. Issued daily on weekdays by the U.S. Government Printing Office, it is the vehicle through which all federal agencies publish their regulations and legal notices. Each Friday the FRDS compiles all education-related announcements appearing in the Federal Register that week, indexing grant opportunities, rules and regulations. Roland Keyboard Educator 5 Grant Opportunities Continued from Previous Page Many organizations employ full-time grant writers who are very willing to share helpful suggestions. !!! tance. Foundations can be targeted by geographical area, subject matter or type of support. The majority of funding is offered to non-profit organizations. For example, a quick scan of the Geraldine Dodge Foundation on the Internet shows that the Foundation has awarded seventy-two grants in education and seventy grants in the arts, ranging from $10,000 to $300,000 each. Federal grants, such as the Promotion of the Arts – Grants to Organizations and Individuals, totaled $39,671,000. Many grants are offered to educators in a public or private school setting, and many grants are offered specifically for the arts. The American Music Center (www.amc.net) and the National Endowment for the Arts (www.arts.endow.gov) both offer information on grants and competitions that support the arts. And there are also grants that deny funds to educational institutions or teachers, but provide funds to artists. Other areas that you might consider are grants awarded for minorities or special populations, technology or media and communications. Most grantmakers place very specific restrictions on funding, especially in funding to individuals. Before preparing a proposal for a specific grant, research the foundation thoroughly. Answer the following questions about the grant organization: 1. What is the mission statement of this grant foundation? Does it apply to my need? 2. Does this grant apply to individuals or to nonprofit agencies only? 3. Are moneys awarded by this grant for purchase of equipment? 4. Is this grant awarded in my specific geographical area? 5. Are there other restrictions in this grant that would disqualify my request? 6. What types of grants have been awarded in the past year by this foundation? 7. Who is the contact person for this foundation? 8. Does this foundation prefer first contact to be a phone call, or letter of inquiry, or a full proposal? Many organizations employ full-time grantwriters who are very willing to share helpful suggestions. Organizations that offer workshops and classes nationwide on proposal writing are The Foundation Center, The Grantsmanship Center, The Alliance for Nonprofit Management, and The NSFRE, the National Society of Fundraising Executives. The following websites will help in your training to write appropriate proposals: www.Fdncenter.org read “Proposal Writing Short Course” www.seacoastweb.com/resource/ grnt-app read “Sample Grant Application” www.silicon.com/~paladin/ promaster.html Elements of a Grant Proposal Another source to guide you in the area of foundations’ charitable investments is a book from the Foundation Center, Program-Related Investments: A Guide to Funders and Trends by Loren Renz and Cynthia W. Massarsky. Do your homework thoroughly before submitting your proposal – don’t waste your time and energy. Collect documentation for your concept (as it co-ordinates with the mission statement of the foundation), your program and budget. Any proposal should be accompanied by a cover letter that is brief, clear and specific. Address the cover letter to the contact person, and include information such as who you are, what you do, the nature of the need, and how the project will be carried out. Then include required attachments and documentation for your proposal. You 6 Roland Keyboard Educator may wish to seek the aid of a professional grantwriter, consult textbooks on grant research and writing, attend a grant-writing seminar, and seek help via the Internet. Be prepared to encounter a lot of competition for funding from foundations. Specific funding is available for higher education in the form of scholarships, fellowships and grants for research. Music educators needing a keyboard lab for research purposes towards a higher degree program could prepare a proposal with those needs in mind. Excellent guides to aid the novice grantseeker is Foundation Grants to Individuals (May, 1999. ISBN 0-87954-883-5), Judith Margolin’s The Individual’s Guide to Grants (New York, Plenum Press, 1983), and Greg L. Colvin’s Fiscal Sponsorship: 6 Ways to Do It Right (San Francisco: Study Center Press, 1993). The Foundation Center is a nonprofit service organization established in 1956 to foster public understanding of the foundation field. Many of the publications of the foundation center can be found in your public library, but its interactive website http://fdncenter.org has a wealth of information to orient those who are seeking funding through foundation grants. The Foundation Center includes only foundations offering over $10,000 in grant money. But there are many local businesses and organizations that offer grants in smaller amounts. Research these by reading articles in local magazines or papers and networking among your peers. Community service groups such as the Junior League, local arts groups and local businesses often offer smaller grants for creative community and educational endeavors. The Foundation Center website has links to community foundations in every state. Seek out every possibility as a funding source for your keyboard lab. The vast majority of foundations limit funding to non-profit agencies, but a few award grants to individuals. Individuals seeking funding can greatly increase their chances for success by locating a nonprofit organization that will serve as your project’s fiscal agent by receiving and administering the funds. Begin your search by making a list of nonprofit agencies with which you are already affiliated, and those educational associations and institutions, religious organizations, professional societies, recreational and social clubs and service organizations in your area. After you have exhausted your local Yellow Pages™, reference guides such as the National Directory of Nonprofit Organizations (Farmington Hills, MI: The Aft Group) or websites with searchable databases such as Idealist and Guidestar will aid you in your search. Pursue those organizations that have shown interest in projects such as yours or organizations whose focus would be benefited by association and support of your project. For example, your local branch of AARP might see much value in supporting a group piano lab for senior citizens in your area, or the Boys Club might support establishing a group piano after-school class for disadvantaged youth. If you are unable to secure institutional affiliation or project sponsorship, another option is to consider incorporating your business as a tax-exempt organization since most grants require IRS approval of the program before awarding funds to an individual. Information on the procedure of incorporation is available at the Small Business Administration website. Good luck with your grant application! Music educators needing a keyboard lab for research purposes towards a higher degree program could prepare a proposal with those needs in mind. !!! Roland Keyboard Educator 7 Resources By Judy Meeks Books 1999/2000 Grant Guide – Education. (New York, NY: The Foundation Center, Dec., 1999). Batten, Donna. Awards, Honors and Prizes, (Detroit, MI: Gale Research, annual). Bowker, R.R. Annual Register of Grant Support: A Director of Funding Sources, (New York, N.Y., 2000). Butler, Francis, J. and Catherine E. Farrell. Foundation Guide for Religious Grant Seekers, 2nd rev. ed. (Scholars Press, 1984). Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 2000). Colvin, Gregory. Fiscal Sponsorship: 6 Ways to Do It Right, (San Francisco: Study Center Press, 1993). Directory of Grants in the Humanities, 10th Ed., (Phoenix: Orgx Press, 1996). Fandel, Nancy A. The National Directory of Grants and Aid to Individuals in the Arts International, 8th ed., (Des Moines, IA: Arts Letter, 1993). Fey, Don. The Complete Book of Fund-Raising Writing. (Garden City, NY: Hoke Communications, 1995). Foundation Grants to Individuals, ISBN 87954-883-5, (New York, NY: The Foundation Center, May, 1999). Franks, Aaron and Norman. CASH NOW! A Manual of Twenty-Nine Successful Fundraising Events, (Vancouver, British Columbia, 1993). Freedman, Harry and Karen Feldman. The Business of Special Events: Fundraising Strategies for Changing Times, (Sarasota, Fl.: Pineapple Press, 1998). Geever, Jane C. and Patricia McNeill. The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing, Revised Edition, (New York, New York: The Foundation Center, 1997). Grant, Daniel. The Artist’s Resource Handbook, (New York: Allworth Press, 1994). Hall, Mary. Getting Funded: A Complete Guide To Proposal Writing, 3rd Ed., (Portland, OR: Continuing Education Publications). Kiritz, Norton J. Program Planning and Proposal Writing, Expanded Version, (Los Angeles, Ca. The Grantsmanship Center). Kitze, Jerome. Opportunities in New Music, 8th Ed., (New York, NY: American Music Center, 1997). Levy, Barbara R. and Barbara H. Marion. Successful Special Events: Planning, Hosting and Evaluating, (Frederick, MD: Aspen Publishers, 1997). Margolin, Judith B. The Individual’s Guide to Grants, (New York, Plenum Press, 1983). Miner, Lynn E. and Terry Griffith. Proposal Planning and Writing, (Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1993). 8 Roland Keyboard Educator National Directory of Nonprofit Organizations. (Farmington Hills, MI: The Aft Group). National Guide to Funding in Arts and Culture, 6th Ed. ISBN 0-87954-906-8, (New York, NY: The Foundation Center). Renz, Loren and Cynthia W. Massarsky. Program-Related Investments: A Guide to Funders and Trends, (New York, NY: The Foundation Center, April 1995). Ross, Dorothy M. FUNDRAISING FOR YOUTH: Hundreds of Wonderful Ways of Raising Funds for Youth Organizations, (Meriwether Pub, 1990). SELLING GOODNESS: The Guerilla Guide to Promoting Your Charity, Nonprofit Organization or Fund-Raising Event, (Los Angeles, CA: Renaissance Books, 1998). Williams, Warren. USER FRIENDLY FUND$RAISING: A Step By Step Guide to Profitable Special Events, (World Comm, 1994). Web Sites www.access.gpo.gov www.aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ifun www. amc.net www.arts.endow.gov www.artswire.org www.beveridge.org/grant www.businessfinance.com www.carnegie.org www.cfda.gov www.cfpbmc.org/grant www.custwww.xensei.com www.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_ Economy/Companies/Fund-raising www.ed.gov/prog www.federalregisterdigest.com www.fdncenter.org www.fordfound.org/grants www.fund-raising.com www.gcs.ed.gov www.gnms.com www.grantsnet.org www.grantwriter.com www.grdodge.org www.guidestar.com www.idealist.com www.idimajic.com/htmls/grants www.ministerof-music.com www.netfundraiser.com www.sba.gov www.schoolgrants.org www.seacoastweb.com/resource/grnt-app www.silicon.com/~paladin/promaster.html www.smallbusiness.yahoo.com www.sra.rams.com www.wallacefunds.org www.windfalls.com Roland Keyboard Educator Fundraising By Judy Meeks Often a fundraiser is the most efficient way to raise money, and is less timeconsuming than the many hours needed to wade through grant paperwork and proposals. !!! I deas shared and explained in these books, periodicals and websites include walk-athons, golf tournaments, auctions, bowl-a-thons, raffles, balls and many creative moneymakers. Often a fundraiser is the most efficient way to raise money, and is less time-consuming than the many hours needed to wade through grant paperwork and proposals. If you choose to raise funds by the time-honored candy or magazine sales, look for opportunities that offer at least 50% profit and a guarantee from the company to accept all returns. It is best to collect all money from customers in advance with each order. This simple procedure will prevent ordering products that a fickle customer might not pay for later. Fundraising by hosting an event is not only profitable by ticket sales, but also through ad sales for the program, concession proceeds, plus donations and raffles during intermission. Recruit students and parents to help with the preparation, planning and execution of the event. One well-planned and organized event can not only raise enough money to purchase the needed keyboards, but might also become an annual fundraising event eagerly anticipated by your group. Fundraising Resources www.fund-raising.com Unique ideas for fund-raising, free sample of products, books, links www.netfundraiser.com Ideas which also incorporate Internet sales www.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/Fund-Raising Alphabetic listing of fundraising companies and opportunities on the Internet THE BUSINESS OF SPECIAL EVENTS: Fundraising Strategies for Changing Times by Harry Freedman and Karen Feldman, (Sarasota, Fl.: Pineapple Press, 1998). CASH NOW! A Manual of Twenty-Nine Successful Fundraising Events by Aaron and Norman Franks, (Vancouver, British Columbia: 1993). SELLING GOODNESS: The Guerilla Guide to Promoting Your Charity, Nonprofit Organization, or Fund-Raising Event. (Los Angeles, CA: Renaissance Books, 1998). FUNDRAISING FOR YOUTH: Hundreds of Wonderful Ways of Raising Funds for Youth Organizations by Dorothy M. Ross, (Meriwether Pub.1990). USER FRIENDLY FUND$RAISING: A Step By Step Guide to Profitable Special Events by Warren Williams, (World Comm, 1994) Periodical: Grassroots Fundraising Journal 10 Roland Keyboard Educator How to Use Roland’s FaxBack System Roland’s FaxBack System contains hundreds of documents on a variety of subjects that are divided into four categories: price lists, product specifications, operational support documents and authorized repair centers. Catalogs are available for each category, listing the available documents, their order numbers and the number of pages for each document. To request a FaxBack document or catalog: • Using a touch-tone phone, dial the FaxBack System directly at (323) 890-3780. • Press 2 to hear a brief description of how the FaxBack System works. • Press 1 for a document or 2 for a catalog. • Select the document from the numbers listed at right or catalogs 1-5. • Press 2 when finished. • Enter your fax and voice phone number when requested by the system. The requested document(s) or catalog(s) will be sent to the fax number that was entered. Commonly requested educational products include: MT-Series V-MT (Visual Music Tutor) MT-80s (Music Tutor) MT-300 (Music Tutor) MT-300s (Music Tutor) HP-Series HP-137 (Digital Piano) HP-147 (Digital Piano) HP-237 (Digital Piano) HP-337 ( Digital Piano) HP-555G ( Digital Piano) KR-Series KR-75 (Intelligent Piano) KR-375 (Intelligent Piano) KR-575 (Intelligent Piano) E- and ep-Series E-500 (Intelligent Keyboard) E-600 (Intelligent Keyboard) ep-77/97 (Digital Piano) Other LVC-1 (Lyrics Video Convertor) PMA-5 (Personal Music Assistant) CK Keyboard Educator Newsletter #10236 #10141 #10250 #10250 #10441 #10442 #10446 #10447 #10249 #10290 #10291 #10285 #10213 #10370 #10457 #10103 #10085 #10456 Roland and the Web For the very latest news from Roland, be sure to visit our website at www.rolandus.com. This award-winning site features comprehensive information on Roland’s entire Contemporary Keyboards line, including our Atelier® organs and popular HP- and KR-Series of digital pianos. You’ll also find information on special educator products and support. You can even request music lab information via e-mail directly from our site. And if you’ve just purchased a new Roland product, be sure to visit our online product registration and warranty information page, which makes it easy to register your new Roland product without mailing in a warranty card. The Roland website is also your source for current and past issues of Keyboard Educator and the Atelier newsletter. These files are in Adobe Acrobat™ format (.pdf), so you’ll need to have this program installed on your computer in order to view the files. Roland has included a special link on the Keyboard Educator page to a “toolkit,” which makes this software easy to download. Having these newsletters in electronic format makes it easy to share all of the great articles and information with colleagues, parents, and students – just e-mail the .pdf file or use it to print out extra copies. You can access Roland’s international site at www.rolandcorp.com or get Roland information via Compuserve (GO Roland). Roland Keyboard Educator 11 Editorial Staff Editor Lynda García Associate Editor Brenda Dillon Assistant Editor Madeleine Crouch Layout and Design Amy Stewart Stewart Design Publisher Roland Corporation U.S. 5100 S. Eastern Avenue P.O. Box 910921 Los Angeles CA 90091-0921 Did You Know... America's first music education survey is complete and a tally of the results show that the Coppell Independent School District of Coppell, Texas and the Farmington Public School District of Farmington, Michigan are tied as the best communities for music education in America. More than 5,800 public school and independent teachers, school and district administrators, school board members, parents and community leaders, representing communities in all 50 states, participated in the web-based survey. The participants answered detailed questions about funding, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, participation in music classes, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, participation in private music lessons and other factors in their communities' quality of music education. The survey results show that successful music programs are to be found in communities that balance measurable resources, such as budgets and buildings, with less tangible assets such as the will to make quality music education a reality. The top schools for music education are to be found in urban communities and rural ones, in wealthy areas and not-so-wealthy ones, but the common thread is that they enjoy the support of parents, teachers, school decision-makers and community leaders who value music education highly. “For the first time, we have a snapshot of music education in America,” says Michael Faulhaber, President of the American Music Conference. “With resources at a premium, and with the mounting scientific evidence that shows how vital music education is, it's important for us to learn who's doing it right and why,” Faulhaber explained. For more information about the survey, telephone AMC at (760) 431-9124 or visit http://www.giles.com/musicedsurvey on the World Wide Web. 5100 S. Eastern Ave Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938 Printed on recycled paper. All trademarks are properties of their respective companies. Roland and are registered trademarks of the Roland Corporation. 2804US