Since the state of Florida enacted stricter academic standards for high schools, the dropout rate has increased and middle schools have suffered. Funds formerly intended for elementary and middle schools are being used to sustain high school reform programs. School reform at one level has serious implications for other levels. (MD)

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recently published two documents emphasizing solving nonroutine problems in meaningful contexts. "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" (1989) describes what students should know and a framework for developing appropriate curricula. "Professional Standards for…

When introducing a new middle-school mathematics curriculum, an Iowa school district anticipated parents' misgivings, addressed them early, and made parents into allies. Planners addressed parental concerns by exuding confidence and honesty, treating parents as equal partners, defining accountability, communicating effectively, carefully selecting…

The intellectual disciplines comprising the traditional curriculum are actually territorial spaces carved out by academic scholars for their own purpose. Although middle-level educators have been engaged in reform efforts for two decades, the interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum is still rare and a working definition of a middle school…

Discusses the necessity for schools to be responsive to the developmental needs of young adolescents in order to develop an effective learning environment. Analyzes the application of the Middle Grades Assessment Program to this effort, as exemplified in the case of the Francisco Middle School in San Francisco, California. (PGD)