Middle School v K8

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Middle School v K-8

• Educational Research Subcommittee Report
• September 21, 2006

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What does current research indicate about K-8 v
6-8 schools?
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Critics

• Poor test scores
• Unmanageable behavior
• Many declared the middle school dead although it
  is a model that has not been fully implemented
  and supported

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Complex

• Grade configuration is only 1 consideration in
  making the choice
• Grade configuration does not determine the
  effectiveness of a school

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Advantages of K-8

• Enhances academic achievement
• Encourages parental involvement
• Reduces affective difficulties for adolescents
• Minimizes transitions

• Removes transition from elementary to middle
  school
• Fewer fights and a safer environment
• Less sexually charged environment and later
  initiation of sexual activity

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Advantages of K-8

• Higher attendance and lower suspension rates
• Students form strong bonds of friendship and
  support each other
• Less peer pressure

• Students exhibit higher self esteem and feel
  safer
• Easier to fill teacher and staff positions than
  in MS
• Less expensive to build and operate

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Disadvantages of K-8

• Teachers not used to having older, bigger
  children in the building
• Physical plant may not be conducive to the
  education of both very young children and young
  adolescents

• Academic and behavioral problems with new student
  transfers into the higher grades
• Fewer academic, sports and extracurricular
  activity options than MS

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Disadvantages of K-8

• Resistance on the part of some students to remain
  in an elementary school
• May result in a more difficult transition to high
  school

• May add to the resegregation of urban schools

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Challenges of K-8

• Age and size differences of students
• Need to create one unified school rather than two
  co-located schools
• Fair allocation of financial resources to ensure
  that the unique needs of all student age groups
  are met
• Preparation of students for transition to high
  school

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Middle School Advantages when middle school
concept is implemented as a complete set over time

• Increase in academic achievement
• Decrease in behavior problems (including among
  students who struggle with both)

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Various practices have independently shown

• Small teaching teams
• Authentic instruction
• Integrative curriculum
• Service learning
• Affective membership

• Improve achievement
• Improve engagement
• Improve relationships

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Adolescents needs

• Sense of belonging and security
• Support system through pubertys ups and downs
• Meaningful contexts for learning
• Many ways in which adolescents differ from
  younger children and older adolescents

• Small teaching teams
• Improved family relationships
• An integrative curriculum
• More appropriate teacher prep

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K-8 schools do not necessarily outperform
middle schools when both serve high poverty
studentsBalfanz et al., 2002
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However much improved achievement test scores
appear in urban K-8 schools, such scores still do
not rise to state and national averages for this
age groupBeane Lipka, 2006
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School grade configuration is not a remedy for
the rising tide of poverty in our nations urban
center.Beane Lipka, 2006
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Committee Recommendation

• Nathan Bishop be a high quality middle school
  with 100-150 students/grade
• One grade to be added each year so that incoming
  students can learn the culture of the school and
  a stable population can be established

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Quality leadership and teachers are key

• Strong leadership
• Committed teachers who want and choose to be at
  the school
• Teachers who want and are willing to forge bonds
  with students
• Promote teacher competence through continued
  professional development and support

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Curriculum

• Academically rigorous
• Student-centered builds upon the interest of
  students

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Environment

• Engaging, comfortable environment
• Student voices are heard
• Opportunities for student leadership (Everyone is
  a leader)
• Extracurricular activates to keep students
  engaged in the school community

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Support

• Transitions are difficult- Make connections to
  the elementary schools to ease transitions
• Advisories for student support

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Instructional approaches

• Consistently rigorous
• Implement systematically
• Supported with professional development
• Group and regroup students for instruction using
  formative assessment so students are not stuck in
  one group or tracked
• Offer options for students example AP Spanish
  for Hispanic Students with opportunity for high
  school credit

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Instructional Approaches

• Provide opportunities for students to advance or
  receive support in different subject areas
  through technology and distance learning
• Knowledge of Adolescents and adolescent
  development is a necessity
• Knowledge of learning styles

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Highly Qualified Teacher

• Content knowledge
• Certification
• Knowledge of the development of adolescents
• Expertise in teaching adolescents

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Implications for Professional Development

• Professional development that addresses pedagogy
  and adolescent development
• Specialized training for school environment and
  culture-poverty, violence, etc
• Effective use of common planning time such as how
  to study data for implication for instruction

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Implications for Professional Development

• Advisory Groups-training teachers with effective
  implementation of advisory groups when students
  make a lasting connection with at least one
  caring adult, academic and personal outcomes
  improve.
• Differentiation professional development-instructi
  onal strategies effective for middle school
  students because not all students learn at the
  same rate
• Partnerships with Colleges and Universities for
  continuation of content professional development
  for teachers

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Educational Research Subcommittee

• Dr. Joyce L. Stevos, Chairperson
• Barbara Halzel
• Diane L. McAleer
• Annette Mozzoni
• Dr. Monica Nagy
• Dr. Harlan Rich
• Samuel Zurier, Esq.