Riverside Unified School District is pleased to announce it has been selected to receive a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grant in the amount of $80,000.
This grant will support the expansion of the music instruction program at various elementary school sites and evaluate its effectiveness at impacting a variety of student outcomes such as: academic, behavior, and well-being throughout the 2023-24 school year.
"We are excited about receiving this prestigious grant,” said Annemarie Guzy, RUSD Arts Specialist. “Having concrete research to demonstrate the full impact will help us shape our future programs and ensure we can provide life-changing educational experiences to more students."
The long-term goal is to demonstrate that music can be an all-encompassing solution to many problems that districts currently face, particularly post-pandemic.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support RUSD in this project, part of the NEA’s investment in studies that explore the value and impact of the arts,” said Director of Research & Analysis Sunil Iyengar.
In collaboration with the Riverside Arts Academy, RUSD provides both in-school and after-school music instruction for underserved students in fifth and sixth grades at four pilot sites within RUSD.