Date
10-14-2026
Department
School of Music
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education (PhD)
Chair
Thomas Paul Goddard
Keywords
secondary music education, high-stakes testing, music enrollment, arts equity, curriculum narrowing, accountability mandates, music program marginalization
Disciplines
Leadership Studies | Music
Recommended Citation
Auguste, Jeanmarie, "The Lived Experience of Music Program Marginalization: Secondary Music Educators Amid High-Stakes Testing" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8991.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8991
Abstract
This transcendental phenomenological study described secondary music educators’ lived experience of music program marginalization amid high-stakes testing mandates. The study examined the phenomenon’s invariant essence through participants’ descriptions of their lived experience. This topic matters because accountability systems continue to limit access to music education, particularly in schools serving high-needs populations. Fifteen certified music educators from public secondary schools participated in the study. Each participant had at least three years of experience teaching in environments shaped by testing and accountability policies. The researcher collected data through one-on-one, semi-structured virtual interviews lasting thirty minutes, supplemented by reflective memos, field notes, and an interview protocol that ensured consistency and depth. Analysis followed Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenological method, incorporating epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis to identify invariant constituents, shared themes, and the textural and structural essence of participants’ lived experience. Drawing on first-person accounts, the analysis examined how educators navigated institutional pressures, adapted their practices, and sustained their professional identities despite marginalization. Results, conclusions, and recommendations for future research are presented in the final chapters of the dissertation.
