Munford Elementary School announced Wednesday it has been named one of the nation’s best communities for music education, earning a 2026 Best Communities for Music Education Award from the NAMM Foundation.

The honor, now in its 27th year, recognizes K-12 schools and districts across the country for their commitment to music programs and efforts to ensure students have equitable access to music learning. More than 1,000 schools — public, private, charter and parochial — received the designation this year.

Recipients were selected through an application and review process that evaluated funding, instructional time, student participation rates, facilities and community support. Applications were independently verified by WolfBrown, a research and evaluation firm focused on education and the arts.

The NAMM Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants, a global trade association for the music products industry.