The CFO's Fine Arts Consultant
Jeremy L. Earnhart, Ed.D.
Helping districts see the arts as infrastructure—not overhead.
Dr. Jeremy Earnhart
District Fine Arts Strategist | Author | Consultant
Helping school districts build stronger, more sustainable fine arts programs through strategy, research, and data-informed leadership.
EXECUTIVE
• Guided Music for All/Bands of America through the COVID-19 pandemic
• Increased Bands of America participation by 40%
• Expanded operating reserves from approximately one month to one year
ADMINISTRATOR
• Led significant secondary fine arts enrollment growth across multiple districts
• Directed more than $250 million in fine arts capital investment
• Developed districtwide programs expanding access, opportunity, and participation
MUSIC EDUCATOR
• Built State & National Championship Programs
• Taught Beginning Musicians Through Advanced High School Ensembles
• Implemented the International Baccalaureate Music Program
AUTHOR & SPEAKER
• Author of The Cost of Not Playing, reaching more than 100,000 readers
• Writes on the economics of music education, access, and sustainable program design
• National presenter on music education, leadership, program development, and arts advocacy
Dr. Jeremy Earnhart is a district fine arts strategist, author, consultant, and music educator whose work examines the relationship between arts participation, educational opportunity, and the financial and organizational health of school districts.
He is the author of The Cost of Not Playing (2026), a widely read white paper with more than 1000,000 views examining how music participation influences the financial and structural health of school districts. The paper serves as the foundation for his ongoing research, consulting practice, and forthcoming book, The Cost of Not Playing: How Music Participation Shapes the Health of a School District.
Throughout his career, his body of work has contributed to more than $250 million in sustained public investment across fine arts facilities, academies, and workforce-aligned programs.
His articles have appeared in peer-reviewed and invited publications including the National Band Association Journal, Dallas Baptist University Journal for K–12 Educational Leadership, Sam Houston State University's PRAXIS, Music Education Alliance (CBDNA/Music for All), the Music for All Newsletter, and Conn-Selmer Touchpoint. Through SchoolMusicConsulting.com, he publishes research, commentary, and practical frameworks for educational leaders seeking sustainable, student-centered approaches to music and arts education.
Selected Media & Presentations
His work has been covered by The New York Times, NPR/KERA, Marketplace, CBS 11, NBC 5, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The NYTimes highlighted, "After documenting a drop in the size of marching and concert bands, the Arlington Independent School District, near Dallas, suspended instrument rental fees. Band participation at the middle and high schools jumped" (Rich, 2015).
Dr. Earnhart has presented at conferences and events including The Midwest Clinic (2014, 2019)— where his 2014 session "Administration Advocacy WMDs: The Why, the Mission, the Data" examined reverse-economics research and its application to a $663.1 million bond initiative — the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show (2016, 2018), where he was selected for the invitation-only Music Administration Collaborative alongside Larry Livingston (USC Thornton School of Music) and Bob Morrison (Quadrant Research); National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS); Texas Bandmasters Association (2001, 2008, 2021), where he co-moderated the "Advocacy Now!" panel with Richard Floyd; Texas Music Administrators Conference (2013, 2015, 2016); Washington Music Educators Association, where he delivered the 2024 State Conference keynote.
He has also presented at the Music for All Summer Symposium (2017) and Conn-Selmer Institute (2015, 2016, 2017).
Current Work
Dr. Earnhart currently serves as Assistant Band Director at Guyer High School (Denton ISD) while continuing his consulting, research, writing, and speaking through Scholastic Music & Fine Arts Consulting, LLC.
A long-time Bands of America adjudicator, Dr. Earnhart has judged the Texas UIL State Marching Contest on multiple occasions, with adjudication and clinician experience at premier events and programs across the United States. His consulting work includes nationally recognized programs such as Broken Arrow (OK), Coppell (TX), Lafayette (LA), and world-class drum and bugle corps Phantom Regiment and The Cavaliers, while maintaining a strong commitment to supporting developing programs.
Executive Leadership
From 2018 to 2024, Dr. Earnhart served in executive leadership at Music for All, Inc., helping guide the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and the multi-year return to live events. During his tenure, Bands of America Championships expanded by 40%, organizational operating reserves grew from approximately one month to one year, and he played a key role in creating the TeachMusic Coalition to address the national shortage of music educators.
District Leadership
Dr. Earnhart previously served as Director of Fine Arts for Arlington Independent School District (TX) from 2013 to 2017, where he oversaw a 22% increase in secondary performing arts participation. His leadership contributed to a historic $663.1 million bond initiative, including a $50 million district-wide Fine Arts Center, Fine Arts and Dual Language academies, and nearly $10 million secured for instruments and uniforms. During this period, he also launched dual-credit music courses in partnership with the University of North Texas, established the nation’s first public–private high school course in Musical Instrument Repair with Music & Arts, and introduced the first Texas chapter of United Sound to serve students with disabilities through peer mentorship.
Earlier, Dr. Earnhart served as Director of Fine Arts for Irving Independent School District (TX) from 2009 to 2013, leading a 40% increase in secondary fine arts participation while expanding access through strategic program development and districtwide implementation of beginning music initiatives.
Arlington ISD Participation "Jumped"
New York Times cites an increase in participation resulting from the removal of musical instrument usage fees
Peer Mentorship for
Students with Disabilities
NBC 5 coverage of Arlington ISD launching the first Texas Chapter of United Sound
Dual Credit Music Partnership
Fort Worth Star-Telegram coverage of Arlington ISD and University of North Texas Dual Credit Music Coursework
Music Education
Prior to district leadership, Dr. Earnhart served as Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School (Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD), increasing enrollment by 50% and helping establish one of the nation’s most consistently successful high school band programs. From 1999–2009, the L.D. Bell Band averaged approximately 1.5 in competitive placement, including a decade of sustained success against some of the nation's strongest programs. Bell's distinction wasn't simply sustained national competitive excellence. It was sustained national competitive excellence produced within a comparatively diverse, economically mixed public-school community.
2007 Bands of America Grand National Champions: If You Know, You Know
This wasn’t part of the show. The contest was over. L.D. Bell had just been named the 2007 Bands of America Grand National Champion, and during the champion’s encore, the band set up one last familiar image in the RCA Dome: L D BELL from the Spirit Show.
The Sudler Shield — May 2005
Jeremy Earnhart accepts the Sudler Shield from W. Dale Warren on behalf of the L.D. Bell High School Band at its 2005 spring concert.
A Legacy of Excellence
From 1999–2009, the L.D. Bell High School Band earned an average contest placement of 1.5, including UIL State Marching Championships in 2000 and 2004 and the 2007 Bands of America Grand National Championship.
School Band & Orchestra Magazine
Cover Story, May 2008
The View from the Top
Education
Dr. Earnhart holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education from the University of North Texas, where he studied trumpet with Dr. Leonard Candelaria and performed under Eugene Corporon, Dennis Fisher, and James Riggs as a member of the Two O’Clock Lab Band. He also holds certifications in International Baccalaureate Music, an Executive Certificate in Leadership & Management from MIT, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Dallas Baptist University.
Jeremy's wife, Gwendolyn, brings her own path through music education — as a former band director and elementary music teacher, now a public school grant accountant — to a shared family commitment to the arts. Their daughter, Kierstyn, is an All-State trumpet player and drum major. Jeremy continues to perform regularly as a trumpet player, including with Soul Tsunami & the Hurricane Horns in Dallas, and joined the orchestra at First Baptist Church of Plano in July 2026.
References
Rich, M. (2015, May 11). Some schools embrace demands for education data. The New York Times.