▁unusual ▁to ▁see ▁program ▁cut s ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁music ▁and ▁arts ▁when ▁economic ▁issues ▁surface . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁indeed ▁un fortun ate ▁to ▁lose ▁support ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁especially ▁since ▁music ▁and ▁the ▁art ▁programs ▁contribute ▁to ▁society ▁in ▁many ▁positive ▁ways ." ▁ ▁Com pre h ensive ▁music ▁education ▁programs ▁average ▁$ 1 8 7 ▁per ▁pup il , ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁study ▁fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁national ▁Association ▁of ▁Music ▁Mer ch ants ▁( NA MM ) ▁Foundation ▁The ▁Texas ▁Commission ▁on ▁Dru gs ▁and ▁Al co hol ▁Ab use ▁Report ▁noted ▁that ▁students ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁band ▁or ▁or chestra ▁reported ▁the ▁lowest ▁lifetime ▁and ▁current ▁use ▁of ▁all ▁subst ances ▁including ▁alco hol , ▁to b acco , ▁and ▁ill ic it ▁dru gs . ▁ ▁Non - mus ical ▁benefits ▁Studies ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁music ▁education ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁enh ance ▁cogn itive ▁achiev ement ▁in ▁students . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 3 0 % ▁of ▁students ▁struggle ▁with ▁reading , ▁while ▁ 1 7 % ▁are ▁reported ▁as ▁having ▁a ▁specific ▁learning ▁dis ability ▁linked ▁to ▁reading . ▁ ▁Using ▁int ensive ▁music ▁curr icul um ▁as ▁an ▁inter vention ▁pa ired ▁alongside ▁regular ▁class room ▁activities , ▁research ▁shows ▁that ▁students ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁music ▁curr icul um ▁show ▁increases ▁in ▁reading ▁compreh ension , ▁word ▁knowledge , ▁voc ab ul ary ▁recall , ▁and ▁word ▁dec oding . ▁When ▁a ▁student ▁is ▁singing