Increase High School Completion

Improve Middle School Teaching and Learning

What Can Policymakers Do?

·         Implement systemic changes to increase academic rigor and raise student engagement levels. Research shows that successful middle schools combine several strategies to increase student achievement. These include a rigorous and relevant curriculum, multiple approaches to teaching and learning, effective assessment programs, an organizational structure that promotes meaningful relationships, school-wide policies that foster wellness and guidance and support services. Minnesota has launched a two-year pilot initiative to support schools implementing six core components of a systemic middle-level school redesign model. The model includes a rigorous and relevant curriculum for all students; personalized learning environment for each student; highly effective teachers and instruction; effective leadership; safe and healthy school environment and data use for improvements in a timely and ongoing manner. A Washington statute authorizes funding parity with high schools for middle schools operating hands-on career and technical education (CTE) opportunities for middle school students in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Nevada legislation on middle schools requires small learning communities in certain larger middle schools and junior high schools, with a program of peer and adult mentoring at the start of middle school and at least one conference for each student on his or her educational progress.

·         Strengthen literacy and math instruction. Though content area teachers in middle and high schools are not expected to be reading teachers, they do need to know how to teach their students the reading and writing skills of their disciplines. Kentucky recently passed legislation that requires more professional development for teachers in adolescent reading instruction and revisions to the state’s teacher certification and licensure requirements to strengthen teacher preparation related to students’ subject reading skills. Through the Governor's 21st Century Literacy Coach Initiative, North Carolina provides literacy coaches to 200 middle schools to provide on-going, relevant professional development, coaching and mentoring to teachers. The Southern Regional Education Board recommends that states restructure math curricula for middle school to help more students prepare for Algebra by 8^th grade, as Maryland and Texas have done.

·         Identify struggling students and intervene early. Poor course grades and high absenteeism in middle school and early high school are highly predictive of later high school dropout. In fact, research in Philadelphia found that nearly half of all dropouts could be predicted as early as the sixth grade. States can follow Louisiana’s lead to develop Early Warning Systems that use student level data on course performance, attendance and behavior to identify and support at-risk students beginning in middle school. Additionally, the state’s comprehensive High School Dropout Prevention Act authorizes coaching for middle school students who are below grade level in reading and math.