![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260313-RANDY-PORTER-RETIRES-MD-02_qed.jpg\")
News clippings of Randy Porter from 1994 hang on the wall in Porter\u2019s classroom at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland on March 14, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento\/KQED)<\/p>\nPorter truly believes in the musical ability of kids of all ages. When he was Berkeley Symphony\u2019s director of music education, he would have the orchestra perform pieces composed by 5-year-olds. And in years past, he\u2019s created opportunities for his elementary and middle school students to record their own albums \u2013 something that he\u2019s doing for his current middle school students.<\/p>\n
News clippings of Randy Porter from 1994 hang on the wall in Porter\u2019s classroom at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland on March 14, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento\/KQED)<\/p>\n
Porter\u2019s the type of teacher who provides a safe space for his students to practice, hang out and have a snack after school. But this is Mr. Porter\u2019s last year teaching because he is retiring.<\/p>\n
At this juncture, the future of music classes in Oakland public schools is uncertain because of looming budget cuts<\/a> across the district. Porter does not want arts education to fall to the wayside so he started a fundraiser for Roosevelt\u2019s music program<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201c[The arts] is an absolutely essential part of a kid\u2019s development. Music, art, PE, manipulating things with your hands \u2013 this is how kids learn,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s how a lot of people learn. And when you take them away, a certain portion of the population gets a little bit left behind,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n There are many benefits for students who study and play music. Research conducted by the University of Southern California\u2019s Brain and Creativity Institute found that learning music enhances auditory pathways in the brain<\/a>, which could help with other learning systems affected by these neural pathways like reading and language. In 2022, policy caught up with science when California voters passed Proposition 28<\/a>, requiring the state to provide additional funding for music and arts programs for public schools.<\/p>\n For students like seventh grader Diego, Porter\u2019s band class wasn\u2019t a natural choice when he entered middle school. \u201cIt was so weird,\u201d Diego said of jazz music. \u201cI was like, \u2018will people actually wanna listen to this?\u2019 I didn\u2019t even want to play it at first.\u201d But, he marched forward.<\/p>\n \u201cI hesitated and then I just stuck with it,\u201d he said. \u201cI like that there\u2019s so many possibilities and different combinations so that you can make any different one.\u201d<\/p>\n Another of Porter\u2019s seventh grade students, Imani, who plays guitar, became interested in playing Sun Ra\u2019s music in band class. \u201cAll the parts are so different and they all come together into chaotic bliss,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Some of Porter\u2019s former students have gone on to new heights, like 10th grade student Ryan, who comes back to Porter\u2019s classroom at Roosevelt every Thursday to mentor middle schoolers. When Ryan arrived in Porter\u2019s classroom about five years ago, he had experience playing violin and had picked up the cello. But Porter\u2019s jazz-filled band class presented something new.<\/p>\n \u201cIt just felt exciting to be in the music class\u2026that\u2019s when I started to think, \u2018wait, I need to switch to an instrument that\u2019s more suitable for jazz,\u2019\u201d said Ryan.<\/p>\n So, at the suggestion of Porter, Ryan picked up his third instrument \u2013 the trombone. \u201cIt really opened up a new world for me,\u201d said Ryan.<\/p>\n Now, he plays a total of fifteen instruments, is a member of the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Band, and has played in a youth orchestra for three years, all at the encouragement of Porter.<\/p>\n Middle school students are in an age group that is notorious in schools and among teachers for their unpredictability, high energy, and increased social awareness. But if you can tap into their interests, the potential for growth is what Porter finds most exciting about this age group, he said.<\/p>\n He plans on being an active member of the local music education community in his retirement, but the students are what he\u2019ll miss most. \u201cI wanna be helpful. I wanna mentor teachers. I want to do what I can just to see things continue to be successful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260313-RANDY-PORTER-RETIRES-MD-04_qed.jpg\")
Randy Porter sets up a cello that he repaired with Gorilla Glue in his classroom at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland on March 14, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento\/KQED)<\/p>\n![\"Student](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260313-RANDY-PORTER-RETIRES-MD-01_qed.jpg\")
Imani plays the guitar in Randy Porter\u2019s music class at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland on March 14, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento\/KQED)<\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260313-RANDY-PORTER-RETIRES-MD-03_qed.jpg\")
Randy Porter tests an upright bass before the start of classes at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland on March 14, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento\/KQED)<\/p>\n