This research brief describes a study of the readiness for high school of eighth-graders who participated in the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Middle Grades Assessment in spring 2000. The assessment included testing in reading, math, and science, and surveys of students and teachers. Following the 2000-01 school year, SREB gathered course-assignment and performance data on about 3,100 students--about 60 percent of the original sample--who had completed the ninth grade. Following are some of the key findings. Many students who expected to go to college were not taking the necessary courses in high school. Enrollment in more demanding courses did not result in more failures. Studying algebra or pre-algebra in the middle grades led to enrollment in higher level math courses in high school and did not increase failure rates. Teachers matter enormously; students in the middle grades who had teachers as advisors were more likely to have had educational goals and plans for high school. The report concludes with recommendations for leaders in middle schools and high schools to help students succeed in college-preparatory classes, and for states and districts to improve the transition from middle grades to high school. (WFA)