Policies, Practices, and Promises: Challenges to Early Childhood Music Education in the United States

The United States has achieved nearly universal access to education and has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the number of children who attend child care programs. In addition, researchers and practitioners are making notable advances in the field of early childhood music. Many preschools, however, feel pressure to accelerate learning for young children to prepare them for high-stakes testing in the elementary schools at the expense of early childhood music programs. In this article, the author looks at policies that have impacted early childhood music education practices, examines challenges that No Child Left Behind and other policies present, and presents promising practices and future recommendations for early childhood music.