1. Indiana State School Music Association Participation advocacy How to Grow Performing Arts?
NFHS Music Conference - Chicago
Mick Bridgewater, ISSMA Executive Director
ISSMA Website:
September 19 , 2018

2. ARTS FIGHTING FOR …
IN A MATH & SCIENCE WORLD.

3. Indiana State School Music Association
1000 Member Schools
2000 Music Teachers
1200 Judging Positions
150 Host Sites
Over 200,000 student participants

4. ISSMA

5. CONTEST

6. REASON FOR PARTICIPATION
Since the passing of Public Law 90, we have seen an increase in participation at ISSMA events and I believe one of the reasons is the need for student growth data. We encourage teachers not to use the overall rating as a single data point, but to use comments and points in specific categories as indicators of student progress.

8. ADVOCATING from the
INSIDE
OUT
Advocacy

9. 3 QUESTIONS What does it mean to advocate from the inside-out?
Can it increase participation?
Can it promote greater support for performing arts?

10. ISSMA DATA EVENT 2015-2016 2017-2017 2017-2018 CHANGE Marching Band
370
369
377 +8
Solo & Ensemble
33659
34119
34958
+839
Jazz
304
344
381
+37
Concert Organization
1625
1674
1748
+72
Total Entries
35958
36506
37464
+956

11. EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE CYCLE
Evaluate
Strategies
Prepare

12. ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING & LEARNING
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL

13. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
ASSESSMENT TYPES
Used to gauge, at a particular point of time, student learning relative to content standards.
Used to evaluate an “end result.”
ASSESSMENT OF
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
Used to provide information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening.
Informs both teachers and students about student progress.
ASSESSMENT TO
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

14. REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION
Standards-Based
External
Assessment
Evaluation
vs.
Validation
Judges’
Comments
(2nd Voice)
Thrill of
Competition

15. REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION
Student
Growth
Data
Since the passing of Public Law 90, we have seen an increase in participation at ISSMA events and I believe one of the reasons is the need for student growth data. We encourage teachers not to use the overall rating as a single data point, but to use comments and points in specific categories as indicators of student progress.

16. ISSMA MISSION
“The mission of the Indiana State School Music Association Inc. is to provide educationally evaluated music performance activities for the students and teachers of the State of Indiana, to assist in the development of performance oriented assessment of state and national musical academic standards, and to offer educational support to fulfill this mission.”

17. NEW ISSMA MISSION
“The mission of the Indiana State School Music Association Inc. is to provide educationally evaluated music performance opportunities for students and teachers of school music ensembles from member schools in Indiana, to assist in the development of performance oriented assessment of standards for music education, to promote the inclusion of music ensembles as part of each school’s core curriculum, and to offer educational support to fulfill this mission.”
Each year over 200,000 students participate in ISSMA events. As per ISSMA rules, those students are enrolled in school music ensembles from member schools and those students and teachers are who we serve.
With so many education reform movements giving little priority to music education, we believe it is very important that ISSMA takes an active role in promoting the inclusion of music ensembles as part of each school’s curriculum. We believe every student should be provided the opportunity to reap the numerous benefits from participation in a school music ensemble as part of their regular school day.
Two years ago ISSMA hired a lobby team and worked with Senator Dennis Kruse, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee on a bill that would require all public schools to offer at least one music ensemble course to students in Grades The bill passed the Senate with a large majority, but the Chairman of the House Education Committee would not bring it to a vote , and therefore the bill died. ISSMA will continue to promote the inclusion of music ensembles as part of each school’s core curriculum, and is proposing to add this language to our mission.

18. STAFF CHANGES Instrumental Education Director
Instead of filling the Assistant Executive Director position we created two new staff positions.
Instrumental Education Director
Choral Education Director

19. MUSIC CURRICULUM CYCLE
Desired Results
Students Know & Do?
Objectives
Music
Selection
Strategies
Formative Assessment
Marching
Band
Adjust
Solo & Ensemble
Adjust Strategies
Formative
Assessment
Jazz/Concert
Summative Assessment
Learn
New

20. ISSMA RUBRICS
Many teachers are using ISSMA rubrics and/or participation in ISSMA events to provide data in support of Student Learning Objectives.
Music teachers can request use of rubrics via director’s only area of ISSMA website.
To examine more specifically as to how to use ISSMA rubrics and ISSMA events to connect the dots in an instrumental ensemble classroom and in a vocal ensemble classroom we are going to beak into two groups. Instrumental directors are going to meet with Mark Middleton and Choral Music directors will meet with Scott Bradford.

21. ASSESSMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
Consistency
Inter-judge
Reliability
RELIABILITY
Accuracy
Content, Criterion, Construction
VALIDITY
curricular focus - ISSMA mission - increased our responsibility to provide assessments - reliable and valid.
Reliable assessments - consistent and demonstrate a high degree of inter-judge reliability.
2 out 3 agree
Validity - dependent upon the proper design of the assessment tool
- adjudicator’s ability to effectively use the tool - fair and accurate evaluation.
training and certification - adjudicators should improve our ability to provide reliable and valid assessments of student music performances.

22. ISSMA ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Design of the adjudication form must “fit” the PRIMARY purpose of the event.
RATING
RANKING
FORMATIVE
SUMMATIVE

23. ADJUDICATION FORM: DESIGN
CATEGORIES
Refer to items to consider
SPECIFIC REMARKS
Refer to measure numbers
CATEGORY SCORE
Relative to rubric and group level
RUBRIC
CIRCLE RATING
TOTAL POINTS
The traditional score sheet - redesigned – fair & formative assessment.
use the form from top left to top right.
look at the categories and descriptors, or items to consider, in the left column.
(equal weight - equal consideration)
2. Next section right - area for specific remarks relative to each category.
- used during the performance, making references to specific measures while indicating concerns or compliments in each category.
3. Section to the far right - check marks - assign a point value for each category.
Checkmark - language in the rubric above this section. The
points are then added & point total is written in the space provided.
If the adjudicator has
1. analyzed each category during the performance,
2. provided specific measures and remarks, then the
3. total score should reflect the appropriate Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Participation rating. 4circle the rating.
large area - bottom - suggestions for improvement. (back)
A Penalty Box is located on the bottom left and the judge’s signature line on the bottom right.
Some judges prefer to write comments in the Suggestions for Improvement section during the performance and then place check marks indicating points for each category. Although the comments may include excellent suggestions for improvement in certain areas, a fair assessment of all categories typically does not exist when the sheet is used in this manner.
Fan Mail
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Use back if needed
PENALTY BOX
SIGNATURE

24. PROCESS OF ACHIEVEMENT
Achievement recognizes the balance of what is performed & how well it is performed!
WHAT
ACHIEVEMENT
During the assessment process, adjudicators are asked to reward achievement as the balance between the what (the literature being performed) and the how (the demonstrated ability level of the performers). Adjudicators should not reward students for attempting to perform music beyond their ability level, nor should they reward students for performing literature that does not meet their ability level. True achievement must recognize the appropriate balance between the what and the how.
HOW
HOW

25. ISSMA GROUP LEVELS I II III IV V Grades 5 - 12 Difficult Proficient
Medium/
Medium Difficult Music
Advanced V
Grades
Medium Easy/ Medium Music
Intermediate
Grades 5 - 9
Easy Music
Beginner
Grades 5 - 8
Easy Music
First Time
When assigning points, judges must also be aware of the Group Level of the performer or ensemble. Experienced adjudicators adjust expectations based on the repertoire being performed and the musical maturity level of the performer.
Students entered in Group V are entering an ISSMA event for the first time. They will be students in Grades and will be performing easy music.
Group IV students will also be performing easy music and should be considered beginners although it may be the second time they have entered an ISSMA event. It is important to be very encouraging of Group IV and V students and to have appropriate expectations of beginning level performers.
As students progress past being considered a beginner and move to a more intermediate level, they will perform Medium Easy to Medium music, and should be entered in Group III. Performances at this level should reflect some training and early stages of musical maturity. As a teacher I would typically enter 9th & 10th grade students who were not receiving any private lessons in Group III.
Advanced students who have not yet reached the proficiency level to perform Group I literature should be entered into Group II. These students will perform Medium to Medium Difficult music. Adjudicators should expect a moderate to advanced level of music maturity.
Group I students perform music to be determined to meet a level of difficulty appropriate for mature, proficient high school musicians. Although adjudicators should have higher expectations, those expectations should be appropriate for high school students, not college music majors.

26. BECOME A CERTIFIED ISSMA ADJUDICATOR!
Today’s purpose – excited – new program
Certification Program & Invitation

28. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
PHASE 2
Endorsement Area Training
PHASE 3
Adjudication Experience
PHASE 1
General Training
Adjudicator Certification training divided into three phases.
Today’s training - Phase 1 - General Training - regardless of specialty area.
Phase 2 - area specific training resulting in endorsements.
Phase 3 - use what you have learned in Phase 1 and 2 while adjudicating as ISSMA event.
short questionnaire - end of each phase before moving to the next phase.
live training sessions may be scheduled
- available online at

29. MUSIC ADVOCACY

30. QUESTIONS