How do salaries of elementary and middle school principals compare with those of other administrators and classroom teachers? Are increases in salaries of principals keeping pace with increases in salaries of classroom teachers? How have principals' salaries fared over the years when the cost of living is taken into account? There are reliable…

How do salaries of elementary and middle school principals compare with those of other administrators and classroom teachers? Are increases in salaries of principals keeping pace with increases in salaries of classroom teachers? And how have principals' salaries fared over the years when the cost of living is taken into account? There are reliable…

Leaders in schools with grades 5 to 8 face unprecedented responsibilities in working with young adolescents. As schools respond to the mandates of No Child Left Behind, more than half of the students tested annually will be enrolled in these middle grades. This means that the success or failure rate of schools nationwide will be largely determined…

According to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), American students' math performance deteriorates during their middle school years. While our fourth graders compare favorably with fourth graders around the world, by high school only students in South Africa and Cyprus do worse in mathematics.

How do salaries of elementary and middle school principals compare with those of other administrators and classroom teachers? Are increases in salaries of principals keeping pace with increases in salaries of classroom teachers? How have principals' salaries fared over the years when the cost of living is taken into account? To provide answers to…

When surveying parents on six types of involvement, the Family Center at Johns Hopkins University found that respondents were uninterested in regular school visits or participation in decision making but eager to help their children at home. In response, two researchers developed TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork), an interactive…

Grade retention and delayed entry to kindergarten are two of the major causes of overaged students in middle school. While data is often difficult to obtain, the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 reported that 20 percent of all eighth graders had repeated at least one grade (Wheelock 1998). In South Carolina, where students are…

A Delaware middle school schedules its summer school near the end of summer, requires students and parents to attend a preliminary meeting, and features strict attendance and behavior requirements. Students' placement depends on reading ability. An evaluation showed that vocabulary, reading, writing, and math scores increased for nearly 70% of…

In a federal case involving a vice-principal's pat-down search of middle-school students in a cafeteria (for a missing pizza knife), the court upheld the search, saying it was relatively unintrusive and met "TLO's" reasonable-suspicion standards. Principals need reasonable justification for searching a group. (Contains 18 references.)…

Adolescents share the basic needs for food, shelter, physical safety, access to health care, and transportation to essential services. Although mindful of survival issues, educators and community agencies must cooperate to design and implement programs to meet early adolescents' developmental needs for positive social interaction, structure and…

A transition plan offers students and parents an opportunity to become familiar with middle school's expectations, routines, curricula, classmates, and buildings before the new school year. The journey can be facilitated by surveying students about areas of concern, providing student mentors, and staging information day and transition day…

It is impossible to change from a discipline policy of constraint to one of consent and engagement if students lack a legitimate voice in school governance. In middle schools, the "Dream Team" approach can employ sociograms to identify the most broadly respected and most socially isolated students. A student-centered pedagogy enhances…

There are numerous vital middle-school programs, including cooperative learning, advisory programs, interdisciplinary curricula, and exploratory activities that can invite costly lawsuits if not properly structured and supervised. Educators should follow district policies and procedures, develop classroom rules for all grade levels, give adequate…

Research shows that adolescent girls experience greater stress than boys and are more likely to be depressed and attempt suicide. Most girls suffer a severe decline in self-esteem by age 12. Aware of unequal male-female power relations, girls often adopt a compliant, "perfect-girl" image of feminine behavior. Adult intervention is essential.…

"Elemiddle" schools serve the needs of young adolescents, aged 10 to 14, in any combination of grades 5 through 8, as part of an organizational structure that includes lower grades. Research has shown that middle schools with 6-8 grade spans and K-8 schools are most likely to implement child-centered programs, practices, and policies than schools…