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What is Needed to Launch a Guitar Program
A simple internet search for ‘starting a classroom guitar program’ results in many articles from many sources, including those from guitar manufacturers and other vendors. Two authoritative sources address this issue, one from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and another from the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA). These sources combined provide a complete listing of all needed materials and the estimated costs.
The articles linked above explain, in detail, what you need to set up a guitar classroom and what you need to purchase. A summarization of what is needed to set up a successful guitar program is as follows:
Guitars
Both organizations state that the ideal situation is to have matching nylon-stringed guitars, full-sized, not three-quarters, for high school students. Nylon-stringed guitars are recommended because they are easier on a beginner's fingers, the strings break less frequently, and they are easier to repair than steel-stringed guitars. Also, all styles of music can be played on them. Adding acoustic or electric guitars or other stringed instruments could be helpful, but are not recommended for primary instruction.
Classroom Setup
Most school guitar programs provide a guitar for each student to use at school so that the consistency of instruments and tone can stay the same for performances. Having school-provided guitars will allow for a more economical storage system, too. It is recommended that students provide their own guitar at home for practicing. For the storage of school-provided guitars, the classroom setup should include racks. Other items needed for the classroom include: a podium for the teacher and for each student, there should be a music stand and a footstool/footrest.
Accessories
It would be a good idea to have the following on hand: wire clippers, string winders, needle-nosed pliers, capos, picks, tuners, and many extra sets of strings. Working with a local guitar shop can help with many of these items.
Budgeting
An article about starting a guitar program from Moosiko, a music education technology company, provides the following estimate of starting and ongoing costs.
Please note that these estimates (in the table) include their annual fees for their curriculum platform.
Other curriculum options are available below.
Additional Note: the estimate that is provided by Moosiko in the table has numbers consistent with the GFA article listed above, which says that "the average total cost for an initial setup of 30 guitars and related materials is roughly $8,000.
Curriculum
Because school districts have different requirements for alignment with state standards, it is recommended to seek curriculum advice from the Director of Education of the Guitar Foundation of America at mdenman@guitarfoundation.org, and they have provided a comprehensive resource guide:
Guitar Educator Resource Guide.pdf
There are additional highly regarded sources for curriculum:
Funding
Sourcing guitars is easier than you think; they are relatively inexpensive, and a member of a student's family already probably has one.
This video not only has suggestions on how to get guitars, but also how to get funding to start a guitar program.
GNF and other local arts organizations may also help.
You could hold a community fundraiser, and additional funding options can be found at Grants 101: Funding Opportunities for School Music Programs - Wenger Teacher Resources.
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