ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – All elementary students within Albuquerque Public Schools now have the option to take art and music every school year. This is a culmination of a plan since 2018 to provide access to all fine arts within elementary schools. Up until this year, most elementary schools would offer music class one year, then art class the next year, but never both at the same time. "A fourth grader had music in 4th grade, and then the next year they had art. By the time they go to middle school, they've kind of forgotten about music, so they are not enrolling in our music classes in middle school," said Gina Rasinski, APS executive director of fine arts. Story continues below News: ACLU suing former officers, APD over DWI corruption scheme Investigation: Arresting deputy refuses to testify in DWI license hearing Trending: 14 acres of the Albuquerque Bosque to close for restoration project Rasinski said the recent change is due to an increase in budget and staff to enable roughly 20 more schools a year to start offering both courses every year. "Students don't have to wonder, 'Oh, am I having art or music this year?' So that sense of consistency and pride being to know as a school system that we offer this to students I think builds upon APS in general," Rasinski explained. Rasinski said she already has noticed a difference in the elementary school students. "It's been fun to watch the growth from those first 20 schools, and now I can't wait to see it move up through middle and high school, and hopefully see the enrollment in our visual and performing arts classes start to increase," she explained. The change has also been good for teachers so they don't have to move schools every year. "Now I can actually build a program. Before, you couldn't really build anything because you're going to be leaving," said Mike Anaya, music teacher at Tierra Antigua Elementary. APS said elementary schools have been alternating with art and music programs for the last 25 years. The expansion cost $9 million.