Money is still available from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School

Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds to use at your school for music education needs. As of

today, there are still billions of dollars left in several funds.

Wenger Corporation has been working with school administrators and music teachers to help

them determine ways to elevate their music education programs by using these valuable funds.

Here is one school’s story.

Cleve A. Maloon

K-12 Arts Education Program Planner

School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, Florida

Purchase: Instruments, choral risers, chairs/stands, instrument supplies, and sheet music

Why: We aim to create access to quality and equitable instrumental music education for all

students in the school district of Palm Beach County. Additionally, purchases are made for the

long-term sustainability of the music program.

Our goals are to:

• Creatine viable elementary instrumental music programs that continue in perpetuity

• Support the elementary instrumental programs already in existence

• Replace eld, unusable instruments in the district's bands, orchestras, and piano programs

• Replace worn, outdated choral risers throughout the district

• Buy/replace instrument supplies as needed

• Buy sheet music to add to our repository

How we received the funds: The federal grant funds were passed through the Florida Department

of Education to reopen and sustain the same operation of schools and address the impact of the

coronavirus pandemic on the nation’s students.

“Playing a musical instrument has proven to improve a student's academic success and social-emotional well-being,” Maloon says. “The District used its ESSER dollars on a wide range of

initiatives intended to mitigate learning losses exacerbated by the pandemic. One of those

important initiatives is increasing access to musical instruments. Research shows that music

increases language skills, aids literacy, and strengthens memory and attention. The ESSER funds

allowed the district to expand access to musical instruments and teaching staff provided through

other supplemental funds.”

Was Wenger helpful in the process? Yes, Wenger provided timely quotes and targeted advice to

meet the needs of our diverse school population.