The attitude and modeling behavior of the entire middle school staff is the most important factor in providing an effective school learning environment. Discusses program ingredients necessary to help staff members furnish authentic middle level education. Includes 15 references. (Author/MD)

Early sexual activity is seen in youngsters who exhibit school behavior problems. As one middle-school prevention program shows, adolescent parenthood can be prevented through careful, thoughtful, and developmentally appropriate strategies. The program's focus-group approach emphasized equal male-female responsibility and discussion of life goals…

Describes a framework for moving from the general school effectiveness factors to specific practices and behaviors focusing on strong leadership by the principal. Outlines the general functions of instructional leadership, then narrows to one function, monitoring student progress, and derives specific principal behaviors. (MLF)

Parent and community concerns in the authors' recent study were organized into seven themes: anonymity, rigor and challenge, safety, sociability and civility, school responsiveness, instruction methods, and information accessibility. Middle schools should hold dialogs with the community, stop rationalizing, acknowledge weak achievement areas,…

Since students possess intimate knowledge about their academic progress, they should be invited to participate in, or even lead, parent-teacher conferences. Interested middle schools should consider piloting their models, focus on the conference model process, have students identify personal goals, clearly define participants' roles, and evaluate…

Algebridge, the first phase of a University of Arizona project (PRIME) to promote higher education among minority middle school students, makes algebra more accessible by smoothing students' transition to abstract thinking and pinpointing potentially frustrating concepts. The program helps at-risk youngsters dispel their fear of math and clear the…