Parents urge action as Brockton band enrollment falls; district says scheduling, staffing limit middle school starts

During public comment at the June 17 Brockton School Committee meeting, parents and grandparents urged the committee to address a steep decline in student participation in the district's instrumental music programs.

"If you're not aware at the elementary level, lessons were moved to before school and are only open to fifth graders," said Miranda Davids, who identified herself as vice president of the band boosters and told the committee she has two children who participate in Brockton High School bands. Davids said changing lesson timing "limits many families" and "puts students back an entire year in their learning an instrument."

Davids quantified a decline in participation: "Before COVID, 450 kids were in the fifth grade [band]. It had dropped to around 200. This year students going from fifth grade to sixth grade will be around 90 and some will end up at the charter schools. For example, at North, only 8 students will be joining the band with a total of 20 band students." She said several instrumental sections will be empty and that a full marching band culture has been reduced.

Nancy Susie, speaking later in public comment, said her grandson took up band in sixth grade at North Middle School and added, "I think sixth grade is a good time for kids to join the band." She also raised a separate topic about dress code at North.

Committee members responded in the subsequent agenda items. Mrs. Oliver asked whether current students were consulted; Principal Lisonbee Ramsey said she had spoken with incoming sixth-graders and reported that many "said, we love our uniforms," in the related uniform discussion. During that exchange Mrs. Oliver and others acknowledged scheduling and staffing constraints as factors limiting the ability of schools to offer instrument instruction in-school for younger grades.

At a later point in the meeting Mrs. Oliver raised the band scheduling issue again, urging the district to restore daytime lesson times so more students can participate: "I think we really need to go back and figure out how we can go to do the old schedule so we don't lose the band program." Ramsey and committee members acknowledged the concern and indicated a willingness to revisit scheduling and staffing to increase access.

The meeting record shows the band issue was raised during the public comment period and followed up in committee discussion; there was no formal motion or vote on the matter at this meeting. Committee members asked staff to consider steps — including schedule adjustments and outreach — to increase participation and to report back to the committee if additional resources or policy changes are required.