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The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of middle schools in Virginia. A questionnaire, validated by a panel of middle school authorities, was mailed to 110 principals of all public school organizations labeled as "middle" or "intermediate" which had at least three grade levels, including grades 6 and 7, but not grades 4 and 9. The response rate for this study was 78 schools (71 percent). Data gathered from the surveys and subsequent telephone interviews were considered representative of middle schools in Virginia. Data were described and reported through the use of frequencies and percentages. The middle school in Virginia is a recent phenomenon which has gained rapidly in popularity and numbers. According to the responses, over 75 percent of the schools have been organized since 1974. The predominant grade organizational pattern at the time of the study was 6-7-8 (80 percent). Reasons reported most frequently by principals for establishing middle schools were to provide a program specifically designed for children in this age group, to bridge better the elementary and high schools, and to try out various innovations or employ new curricula. Eliminating crowded conditions, aiding desegregation, and utilizing a staff who desire to be in a middle school were perceived less frequently as reasons for change. The disciplinary non-team approach or departmentalization was the most popular instructional organization. Only 37 schools had interdisciplinary team planning; and 40 schools had a common team planning period. Flexible and modular scheduling were used infrequently. Middle schools offered a variety of programs including guidance, career education, reading, volunteer, and orientation; however, teacher-advisor and special interest or mini-course programs were found in only 27 and 36 schools, respectively. The majority of teachers had no special training or certification in middle school education; only 27 percent had middle school certification. Larger percentages of teachers had either elementary certification (37 percent) or secondary school and/or subject area endorsements (37 percent). In-service programs were used frequently to prepare teachers. According to the opinions of middle school principals, parent contacts, faculty morale, pupil attendance, and school spirit increased after reorganization to middle schools. Discipline referrals and teacher turnover decreased after reorganization to middle schools. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Includes tables. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Frank L. Smith Jr. Dissertation committee: Jeannette E. Fleischner. Sponsor: Frank L. Smith, Jr. Dissertation Committee: Jeannette E. Fleischner, . Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-167).

The problem of this study was to analyze the effect that a legislature-mandated quarter system was having on certain selected middle schools in the State of Texas, Some educators have claimed that the quarter system makes it possible to add flexibility to school programs. This study, therefore, was an attempt to find out if local school districts were taking advantage of this opportunity. A second goal of the study was to determine how principals, teachers, and curriculum directors felt about the manner in which schools were implementing certain teaching strategies which experts in this field have recommended for use in middle schools. It was concluded that the schools were not taking advantage of the quarter system in order to more nearly approach the middle school concept. Educators do not seem to be against the innovations proposed by middle school authorities so it would seem that the time is right for a full commitment to the area of schooling for the middle years. The support of the general public then will be a key factor in the success of the middle school. Educators must make an effort to keep the public better informed about the way children learn and grow if this support is to be forthcoming.

The purpose of this study was to compare the relationship of school configuration, gender, and ethnicity upon the mean number of life events experienced by early adolescents. A review of the literature revealed many existing problems associated with early adolescent and adolescent inability to cope. At the same time, a review of the literature demonstrated an absence of any significant research which determines if school variables contribute to increased student stressful life events. Without empirical data, the improvement of existing programs as well as the development of new or alternative programs aimed at reducing stressful life events, coping with change and encouraging healthier lifestyle choices appears doubtful. Determining specifically what stressful life events early adolescents are experiencing will aid middle level administrators and educators in improving schools to address student needs and maximize learning. The sample consisted of 837 eighth grade students enrolled in nine middle level schools that met the criteria of having been at least one year at a 7-8 school or at least two years at a 6-7-8 school. 529 students were from 7-8 schools and 308 students were from 6-7-8 schools. Total number of males sampled were 395 students and total number of females sampled were 440 students. Subjects were administered a questionnaire composed of 55 life event items previously used with junior high and senior high students and slightly modified in this study for use with early adolescents. Analysis of variance was employed to examine the relationship of the independent variables (school configuration, gender, and ethnicity) on the dependent variable (mean number of life events experienced by early adolescents). The findings revealed significant main effects for: school configuration and life event scores; school configuration and gender. No significant difference was found in the 2-way interaction for school configuration and gender. Significant 3-way interaction was noted for school configuration, ethnicity, and gender. Furthermore, examination of the results using ethnicity as a variable showed no significant difference in main effects or the 2-way interaction of ethnicity and gender or ethnicity and school configuration. Data indicate that significant differences were found in the two school configuration types, gender differences as well as the interaction of school configuration, gender, and ethnicity.

For this session, we will higlight project-based learning (PBL) as a method for integrating science, math, and literacy while addressing state curriculum standards for each subject area. PBLs prompt students to interact with science, math, and literacy in a way that enhances the connection between all three subject areas and provides a real-world context for learning. In this session, we will provide ideas and strategies to begin developing PBLs for your classroom and share example PBLs that integrate math, science, and literacy at the middle school level.

Students who experience bullying have been shown to be at greater risk for forms of maladjustment including depression and loneliness (Hawker & Boulton, 2000), and social withdrawal (Olweus, 1993). Research indicates that bullying is especially severe in middle schools (Boulton & Underwood, 1992; NCES, 2002; Olweus 1993). Students with learning disabilities (LD) are considered to be particularly at risk due to the frequent co-occurrence of poor social skills with learning disabilities (Fox & Boulton, 2005). This study examined the percentage of victims, bullies, bully-victims and non-participants in bullying as reported by a sample of 255 students (144 with LD) attending public middle school in a large, urban Southeastern school district. Classification of students into the four bullying groups was based on students' responses on the Revised Bullying Victim Questionnaire (RBVQ; Olweus, 1996). Chi-square analysis indicated that students with LD were not more frequently classified as victims of bullying than their peers without LD. Students' social skills were measured by means of the Social Skills Rating Scale- Teacher Form (SSRS; Gresham & Elliott, 1990). Results of a discriminant function analysis using scores on the three subscales of the SSRS-T as predictors indicated that students' social skills were not significantly associated with victim/non-victim status.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 169 p.; also includes graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Wayne K. Hoy, Dept. of Educational Policy and Leadership. Includes bibliographical references (p. 154-169).

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