Exploring the Middle School Model

We frequently hear from educators, parents and community leaders who are interested in learning more about the middle school educational model. We believe the resources we are gathering here may be of help.

Here at MiddleWeb, we don't advocate any particular grade structure or "label" -- middle school, junior high, intermediate, K-8 -- for schools that educate young adolescents in the 11-14 year range. We agree with middle grades reformer Hayes Mizell: It's not the sign in front of the building that matters, it's what is going on inside.

Is the school focused on high achievement and success for all students? Have its leaders and supporters taken into account the unique developmental needs of this remarkable age group? We support the principles developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform: All schools with middle grades should be judged by their academic excellence, their developmental responsiveness and their social equity.

We're frequently asked about the number of middle schools vs. junior highs, K-8 schools, etc. in the US. Market Data Retrieval sells education mailing lists to marketers and keeps up with the numbers. Check out the free "interactive catalog" at their website and browse the "School Universe." The last time we looked, there were about 10,700 middle schools and 3,200 junior highs.

Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century -- Coming a decade after the Carnegie Corporations's first Turning Points report, Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century calls for a rigorous curriculum, instructional methods that will prepare all students to achieve higher standards, targeted professional development opportunities for teachers, and involved parents and communities. In a discussion with the MiddleWeb Listserv, authors Tony Jackson and Gayle Davis focus their comments on "middle grades schools," whatever their exact configuration. "Turning Points 2000 is our best understanding of good practice in all aspects of middle grades school life, rather that a model of reform," says Jackson. Read an excerpt from TP2000 here.

Reinventing the Middle School ­ Edited by long-time middle school proponent Thomas S. Dickinson, this important book takes the position that many contemporary American middle schools are stuck in a state of "arrested development" and have failed to implement the original concept of the middle school. The book includes connected essays by 16 authors who share their ideas about how middle schools can "reinvent" themselves and "preserve the unique value of middle schools for our nation's adolescents." (2001 New York: Routledge/Falmer ISBN: 0-415-92593-2 Paperback: $25.95 320 pages) Read a review of this book at MiddleWeb. Some of the material in this book appeared in the Sptember 2001 Middle School Journal. You can also read a lengthy discussion about the article/book that took place in December 2002 among MiddleWeb list members and Tom Dickinson.

Grade Configurations: Research Summary -- This article at the ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management reviews the "very sparse" empirical research in recent years about the optimum grade span. Much of research centers on the middle grades.

"Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where?" ­ What is the best configuration of grades for K-12 schooling? This 1997 booklet, published by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, is one of the few general explorations of the topic available on the Web. The authors of this research review note that "Research has not provided definitive answers to the myriad possible questions about grade span," but they provide information that may be of use to communities wrestling with these questions. As they note, grade organization remains a controversial topic in American education as it has for at least 80 years. Includes a useful bibliography and a brief summary of grade configuration research.

National Middle School Association Resources ­ As we would expect, the NMSA is an enthusiastic advocate of the middle school model. At the Associationıs website, you will find a variety of position statements and resource papers supporting the middle school philosophy. Of particular interest in our context: Grade Configuration, Components of an Exemplary Middle School, and Grade 5 in Middle School. Also see Building Support for Middle Schools and the NMSA vision statement This We Believe - And Now We Must Act. Finally, read this passionate defense of the middle school model by John Lounsbury, a founder of the movement.

Transition Into Middle School ­ What is the real impact on students as they transition from elementary to middle school? Some advocates of the K-8 school model believe it is severe enough to support their argument for schools that serve students from kindergarten to high school. This article in the Middle School Journal (January 2000) suggests that while many young adolescents do suffer ill effects from the transition, it may have more to do with poorly conceived middle school programs than the middle school model itself.

Phi Delta KAPPAN Articles ­ In 1997, KAPPAN magazine published a special section devoted to middle grades reform. The authors of "What Works in Middle Grades Reform" underscored the failure of many middle schools to achieve the ideal balance among achievement and challenging curricula, developmental responsiveness, and the equitable treatment of all students -- and shared their ideas about remedies. A follow-up section in June 2000 reported on trends in middle grades reform since the first special section was published. Also see the "Five-Foot Bookshelf" of important writing about the middle grades.

Moving Into Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study -- This longitudinal study evaluates the transition from childhood into early and middle adolescence and how it is affected by the type of school a child attends, onset of puberty, and gender. The study was conducted between 1974 and 1979. Students were followed from sixth grade in elementary school into the two types of contrasting seventh grade settings. A second phase of the study followed students into high school.

Safe To Be Smart: Building a Culture for Standards-Based Reform in the Middle Grades ­ In her 1998 book, researcher Anne Wheelock writes that students "need schools characterized by Œrigorous caringı between teachers and students and where they can engage in meaningful tasks to create high quality work. Students need schools where teachers meet standards of practice in a professional community." Everything in the culture of the middle grades school must attend to these purposes, Wheelock says. Also see her assessment tool, "Is Your Middle School Ready for Standards-Based Reform?" NMSA has developed a study guide for this book (PDF File).

Answering Middle School Critics -- A conversation about the value of the middle school model, from the MiddleWeb Listserv.

What about Teaming? -- Concerned about both the cost and potential lack of academic focus, some school systems are questioning one of the basic tenets of the middle school model -- teaming. In an article in the KAPPAN, "Block Scheduling Revisited," researcher J. Allen Queen suggests that creative, well-designed block schedules can make teaming cost-effective and academically productive. Also see this Middle School Journal article "What Makes Interdiscipinary Teams Effective?"

The Great K-8 Debate -- The School District of Philadelphia's recent push for K-8 schools reflects a national trend, particularly in urban communities. According to Keith Look, a researcher at the Philadelphia Education Fund, a growing body of research shows K-8 schools to be effective in improving student achievement in the middle grades. This article looks at national data and at specific performance data from Philadelphia which show students from K-8 schools performing better on standardized tests and displaying higher GPAs in ninth grade than students from middle schools.

Some Findings about K-8 Schools – Keith Look shares some findings from his own experience and dissertation research in this email to the MiddleWeb List.

Taking Another Look at K-8 Schools -- "The educational pendulum couldn't swing much farther in the direction of middle schools than it already has," says this article at Education World. "Now and then, however, even though middle schools rule the educational landscape, we hear cries -- thin but growing stronger -- of 'Take another look at K through 8.'" This review of research and practice does just that.

Are Middle Schools Up to the Task? -- Nationwide, says this October 2000 story in the American School Board Journal, the spotlight is once again on middle-grades reform. The concern: "A growing number of policymakers and educators fear that middle schools have made too many concessions to adolescence and given short shrift to rigorous academics." Good synopsis of the current debate over the future of middle schools, which takes as its jumping-off point a decision in Cincinnati to abandon the 6-8 structure in favor of K-8 schools. Also, see this Catalyst Magazine story about Cleveland's phase-out of middle schools and this August 2001 news story.

A Parent Criticizes Middle School Theory -- An Illinois parent describes what she and others in her community saw as her local middle school's "dumbing down of the curriculum" and "stew pot approach to teaching" -- and their decision to abandon the public schools. ("Basic Education," May 1999)

Public Concerns about Middle-Level Schools -- Researchers studied the public's concerns about middle school education in four communities to "provide a framework for understanding how schools build or erode community confidence in what they do." The authors conclude that while schools can explain away most public concerns, "true school reform means we work with our communities in an open collaboration to identify concerns and try to change what we do to benefit students and their families.

Changing Structure Doesn't Necessarily Produce Change -- "We put an enormous amount of energy into changing structures and usually leave instructional practice untouched," says researcher Richard Elmore in "The Limits of Change" (Harvard Education Letter, Jan/Feb 2002). "Weıre just now getting the first generation of aggregate studies on block scheduling, which, shockingly, show no relationship between its adoption and any outcome that you can measure on student performance."

Easing the Transition to Middle School -- A well-designed transition plan can restore the strong sense of belonging the new middle school student once felt in elementary school and motivate students to enjoy and succeed in academic tasks. This joint position paper adopted by the National Middle School Association and the National Association of Elementary School Principals describes the attributes and activities of an effective transition plan.

Take a close look at the
key ingredients of four middle schools singled out for national recognition!

Why do some say the middle grades are the "weak link" in education? Education Week explores the question in a special series here.

Read a discussion about reinventing the middle school.

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See this "five-foot bookshelf" of essential books about the middle grades.