Middle schools still matter: As new school configurations grow, unique needs of young adolescents deserve attention - function of middle schools in scholastic, social development of students

School Administrator, March, 2002 by Marc Ecker

Editor's Note: The School Administrator invited three strong advocates of the middle school movement to discuss why middle schools ought to remain a central part of the educational landscape as more communities consider K-8 schools and other formats. The article below by Marc Ecker, a superintendent and former middle school principal, precedes commentaries by Mike Dietz, a middle school principal (on page 31), and Susan Carlile, a central-office administrator (on page 32).

The middle school movement has in its development created a "me or they" syndrome that I believe has plagued our efforts to fully serve the early adolescent child.

I am an advocate for the "new" middle school and serve on the Board of the California League of Middle Schools, which is a contributor to the publications "Caught in the Middle" and "Taking Center Stage," produced by the California Department of Public Instruction. Though no longer a middle school principal, I continue to work with teachers and parents in supporting such middle school concepts as interdisciplinary teams, exploratory programs, extended academic time for learning and after-school extracurricular activities.

Upon becoming superintendent, I found the zeal behind the middle school movement motivated two board members to seek the elimination of our one remaining K-8 school by converting it to a K-5 and transferring the students in grades 6-8 to the neighborhood middle school.

Their proposal quickly brought out the defenders of the neighborhood cause. "Save our K-8!" signs sprung up throughout the community and board meetings quickly became a battleground to preserve the current organizational structure of the district.

Seeking Disparities

I approached this issue carefully, asking for compelling reasons to eliminate the K-8 option in our district. We looked critically at the academic progress of 8th graders as they entered and completed their first year of high school in an adjoining district. We searched for evidence that 8th graders from the one K-8 school performed at lower levels than their counterparts at the three middle schools. We explored discipline and other safety issues.

In addition, we asked if any data proved that 6th, 7th and 8th graders mistreated their younger counterparts or caused the younger students concern while sharing the same campus. We studied the historical enrollment trends at the K-8 and of course asked if the school's community and staff supported the K-8 concept. What we concluded in our final report to the school board was that no compelling evidence existed that would support the board's elimination of the K-8 school.

Therefore, it became important to develop a description of the K-8 and middle school programs. If we had two successful models from which parents could choose, we thought it was vital for us to spell out the similarities and differences. Each spring we mail to every parent of a 5th-grader a brochure inviting them to an orientation and open house held at each middle school and the K-8 school. We promote both settings in hopes of encouraging wise decisions. The brochure stresses the district's interest in educational programs that are appropriate to children's individual needs and differences in learning modalities.

The middle school movement in the Fountain Valley School District began nearly 20 years ago. The schools are popular and draw from large and diverse populations of students. Many of the teachers not only have an elementary credential, but single subject expertise as well. Students in the middle school enroll in exploratory elective classes and extracurricular activities such as academic pentathlons, extended field trips and intramural sports. The middle schools offer an afterschool activities program funded through a Cal Works grant.

All 6th graders are assigned to an English/language arts/social studies core. A three-period extended time block promotes instructional flexibility. The middle schools have a computer lab, as well as technology integrated throughout the instructional program.

The K-8 setting obviously has fewer students, maximizing the student/teacher contact. A child who needs a stronger bond would have it at a K-8 elementary. However, we thought it important to avoid creating the perception that the K8 setting was primarily for students with learning disabilities.

We made sure to provide our K-8 school with the resources for high-level academic progress and pilot programs. That is why we recently added algebra for every 8th-grade student. We hired a teacher skilled in higher-level math and funded an additional period prior to the beginning of school in which 8th-graders were given the opportunity to enroll in high school algebra. Students at the K-8 school take two periods of English/language arts.

Due to the comparatively small middle school enrollment at the K-8, thematic units were coordinated throughout the three grades and graded report cards are sent home every six weeks.

Abundant Similarities

The similarities, however, between the two 6-8 grade settings remain important for all of us who are committed to early adolescent education. The core curriculum is the focus for the instructional day. Board-approved academic standards are reinforced through instruction in all classrooms. Principals evaluate teachers on the progress that students make toward academic learning objectives. A gifted and talented program operates in both the K-8 and middle school settings. A performing arts program is visible in both.