This study used comparative interrupted times series analyses to assess the impact of a continuous improvement-focused family engagement intervention on ninth grade attendance and course passing rates. The intervention, conducted in an urban district, sought to improve middle and high school family engagement practices during the transition to…

Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) and the Hopkins Enhancement Survey of NELS:88 Middle Grades Practices were used to examine the prevalence and antecedents of different types of remedial activities in the middle grades. Data were also used to estimate the effects of remedial activities on the mathematics and…

In Talent Development Middle Schools, students needing extra help in mathematics participate in the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration (CATAMA) course. CATAMA is an innovative combination of computer-assisted instruction and structured cooperative learning that students receive in addition to their regular math course for about…

Two studies evaluated the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration course (CATAMA) in Talent Development Middle Schools. The first study compared growth in math achievement for 96 seventh-graders (48 of whom participated in CATAMA and 48 of whom did not); the second study gathered data from interviews with, and observations of, CATAMA…

This article reports on the first 4 years of an effort to develop comprehensive and sustainable mathematics education reforms in high poverty middle schools. In four related analyses, we examine the levels of implementation achieved and impact of the reforms on various measures of achievement in the first 3 schools to implement the Talent…

Improvement of academic achievement requires both changes in school organizational structures and in curriculum and instruction. This study investigates the assumption of giving "minds-on" opportunities to reflect and "hands-on" opportunities to experiment and tests whether moving beyond the textbook makes science class more engaging for middle…

Reform advocates have often recommended using interdisciplinary teams, advisory groups, and transition activities to comprise appropriate educational programs for young adolescents. Using 1988 Johns Hopkins University middle grades survey data, researchers explored "real world" use of these components and gauged their effectiveness.…

Longitudinal case study of reform efforts centering on the Talent Development Middle School model at low-performing, high-poverty middle school in Philadelphia. Finds that student gains in mathematics, science, and reading achievement at subject school exceeded that of students in comparable school. (Contains 19 references.) (PKP)

This study uses data from a national survey of principals of public schools with a 7th grade to document and analyze the variation in the types of marks and evaluations included on report cards issued to young adolescents in the United States. The analyses examine the prevalence of report card entries of various types and the antecedents and…

Data from a national survey of principals in public schools with a 7th grade were used in this study of schools that serve disadvantaged, advantaged, and other populations. Differences in the schools' course-taking opportunities, organizational structures, extracurricular programs, remedial activities, instructional approaches, staffing needs, and…

The Talent Development Model of Middle School Reform includes a "Student Team Literature" (STL) program that relies on: (1) curricular materials designed to assist students to study great literature; (2) recommended instructional practices, peer assistance processes, and assessments; and (3) staff development, mentoring, and advising to…

This document analyzes data obtained from "Education in the Middle Grades," a national survey of practices and trends using a representative sample of principals in public schools that contain grade 7, to examine the use and effects of practices that many educators believe are especially responsive to the needs of early adolescents. Practices…

Summarizes research on middle level schools and students that contributes to ongoing debates concerning grade span, school size, grouping of students, departmentalization, curriculum, instruction, advisory groups, interdisciplinary teaming, school-transition activities, extra-help programs, and student evaluation practices in the middle grades.…

Central East Middle School in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), an urban school with about 45% Hispanic enrollment, and the Center for Research on the Education of Children Placed at Risk are working together to implement a Talent Development Middle School model of schooling. Part of this effort includes use of the Student Team Reading (STR) Program,…

The Incentives for Improvement Program is an alternative student evaluation and recognition system that is responsive (all students have a realistic chance to achieve success) and challenging (students are not likely to succeed consistently unless they work up to their potential). The program's goals are to raise student performance and foster…