The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide school district leaders and policymakers information of the impact grade configuration had on academic performance using math and ELA ILEARN scores over a three-year period. The study included data from 585 schools that were classified into four groups: Elementary Setting, Intermediate Setting,…

Initiatives for outdoor education have gained popularity because of their capacity to boost teacher well-being, foster better mental health in instructors, and enrich the learning environment for students. We demonstrate the influence that outside education programs have on the achievement of students and how they create a vivid tapestry of…

Developed through a broad-based national consensus building process, the National History Standards project has involved working toward agreement both on the larger purposes of history in the school curriculum and on the more specific history understandings and thinking processes that all students should have equal opportunity to acquire over 12…

Given that the physical, emotional, and social metamorphosis of today's early adolescents differs chronologically from that of adolescents a century ago, school districts must identify the middle level school grade configuration that will best accommodate local student developmental needs. Educators must first identify the age at which local…

Developed through a broad based national consensus building process, the National History Standards project has involved working toward agreement both on the larger purposes of history in the school curriculum and on the more specific history understandings and thinking processes that all students should have equal opportunity to acquire over 12…

Middle school transition brings with it considerable change for those involved. Using corporate and industrial management theories and practices presents a rationale for wholesale and comprehensive educational change. (six references) (MLF)

Designed as an overview of the progress of middle schools in the last two decades, this document compares results from a 1968 survey that sampled 10 percent of middle schools with at least three, and not more than five grades, and including grades 6 and 7, with those of a similar 1988 survey. Following a brief summary of the origins of the middle…

Develops a model for estimating the comparative costs of a middle school structure and an intermediate school structure. Considers the extensive cost data collected in the Montgomery County (Maryland) school system. (JW)

Although the middle school movement has been around for decades, it is still new in many places. The middle school concept has been adopted for several reasons: (1) to use as a tool for desegregation; (2) to cope with changing demographics and exploding enrollments; and (3) to meet state funding requirements. The revived middle school movement of…

Successful collaborative efforts depend upon an efficient workgroup communication network. With the continuing evolution of powerful information and communication technologies, designers are facing the challenge of fitting these technologies to organizational and workgroup structures and workstyles. The goals of this project are to use previous…

Discusses middle school student tracking. Describes a longitudinal analysis of tracking among 1,669 students. Argues that the number, stability, and size of tracks are determined independently of the student population distribution. Suggests that tracking is often based upon students' track history and prior achievement. Identifies tracking…

Middle-level education has become a fixture in our educational system. This collection of essays provides the opportunity for readers to examine current policies, programs, and practices in light of recent developments at the middle level. Nine essays include: (1) "Why Middle Schools?" (Donald Eichhorn); (2) "Organizing Middle Level Schools To…

In the rising tide of reports proclaiming the need to reform various aspects of education, middle level education has been frequently overlooked. The Study Panel on Curriculum and Instruction of the National Center for Improving Science Education recognizes the critical development that occurs during early adolescence and the current reform toward…

Test components and results of the Grade 6 Social Studies Achievement Tests in Alberta, Canada administered to 28,566 students are described in this booklet. All questions were drawn from three prescribed topics: Topic A--"How People in Earlier Times Met Their Needs"; Topic B--"How People in Eastern Societies Meet Their Needs…

This study was designed to assess the effect of a process oriented elementary science curriculum upon students' achievement. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Complete Battery with the social studies and science supplements was administered to sixth grade students completing one, two, or three years of the Science through Discovery program in…