Research on middle-level education and the relationship between grade-span configuration and educational outcomes is reviewed in this paper. Discussions include the evolution and growth of middle schools in the United States, differences between middle and junior high schools, and outcomes of middle-grade organization. Two national trends are…

The relationship of the middle-level writing curriculum to four influences on English language arts teachers' writing practices and instructional programs are explored in this report. The four variables include school organizational structure, philosophical commitment to middle-school programs, policy structure, and teacher characteristics. The…