The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation developed and sponsored the Middle Grades Initiative (MGI), which began in 1989, in five urban school systems: (1) Baltimore (Maryland); (2) Louisville (Kentucky); (3) Milwaukee (Wisconsin); (4) Oakland (California); and (5) San Diego (California). The purpose of MGI was to change the ways schools educate young,…

Adolescents are entering middle level schools today with more sophisticated skills and a broader range of positive experiences than ever before. However, middle-school students undergo major physical, emotional, social, and cognitive changes. This publication describes the role of educators and the school in helping middle-school students develop…

This document describes how Philadelphia's (Pennsylvania) Asian students who exited from the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESOL) program in June 1990 at seven New Instructional Model schools functioned in mainstream classes. The study population included 42 high school students, 6 middle school students, and 13 elementary school students. The data…

The meaning of academic achievement for African American students was studied in 2 populations, a sample of 145 (53% males, 47% female) African American middle school and high school students in an African American Academy summer enrichment program and 45 African American high school seniors (36% males, 64% females) in a summer program for…

Problems in students completing homework may be related to lack of parental involvement and support, student attitudes and priorities, and the assigning of inappropriate and irrelevant homework. This action research project implemented and examined the effectiveness of increased communication with parents regarding homework, cooperative learning…

A Madison School District (Phoenix, Arizona) program in which parent volunteers teach Spanish to fifth and sixth graders is described. The program originated with the author, who as a parent volunteer had been teaching Spanish to her child's class. First, a brief account is given of the history of foreign languages in the elementary school (FLES)…

Through its efforts in 12 middle schools in 5 cities, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation's Program for Disadvantaged Youth is trying to challenge the assumption that certain children are uneducable. The first steps in this program were detailed in "Gaining Ground," which described the thoughts and hopes of educators in 1989 through 1991…

Potential gender-related differences in the process of mathematical word problem solving were investigated. Sixth and eighth graders (n=302) solved 2-step mathematical word problems using a 9-step problem solving plan. The nine steps were: (1) identify the facts; (2) identify the question; (3) draw a diagram; (4) choose the operations; (5) write…

This document is comprised of the 12 monthly issues of a newsletter providing support and information for providers of child care for school-age children. The featured articles for each month are: (1) "Reflections on the School-Age Field" (September); (2) "Tips for Effective Service-Learning Projects in Out-of-School Time…

Ideas young students have about their government and the effects of instruction and development on the formation of these ideas were studied for 26 students interviewed 4 times (before and after U.S. history instruction in grades 5 and 8). Why students' conceptions showed more consistency than growth is discussed. (SLD)

This report examines trends in student achievement for public school students using both state assessment data and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Recent trends on state assessments from 2004-05 through 2006-07 are examined in 30 states that had consistent assessments in place over this period and longer-term trends on the…

Rigorous research provides information that will allow other schools and districts to select interventions that have a scientifically based track record of effectiveness. All Striving Reader grants include the mandate to evaluate literacy intervention(s) targeted to adolescents who are reading significantly below grade level. Although all studies…

This article advocates continued attention to spelling in the middle years. Students need systematic spelling instruction from grades one through eight that is appropriate to the developmental stages of learning to spell. Teachers are encouraged to include both spelling patterns and spelling strategies in their spelling curriculum and provide…

Predicted membership in peer-identified aggressive, withdrawn, or aggressive and withdrawn groups and in a nondeviant contrast group, based on quantitative observations of playground behavior. Confirmed the ability of peers to identify children who show specific patterns of atypical social interaction. (Author/ABB)

Examines research indicating that while homework assigned at the middle school level does improve achievement, homework in the lower grades appears to undermine children's school attitudes and to have little effect on their school performance. Suggests goals and characteristics of useful homework assignments. (HTH)