The Main Issues Facing Middle Schools

The middle school years are a time of early adolescence, which can place greater pressure on schools.

Middle school usually includes grades 6 to 8 and acts as a bridge between elementary school and high school. The middle school has largely replaced the junior high, which taught grades 7 to 9. The years of middle school also correspond to a child's early adolescence and are a critical developmental period for most teens. This increases the pressure on middle schools, as they must meet students' academic needs while also facing behavioral and disciplinary problems associated with this phase of children's development.

Transition Issues

According to a 2004 study by the Rand Corporation, students often have difficulty transitioning from elementary to middle school and then from middle school to high school. This is partly because of the age at which children begin middle school -- they are forced to leave elementary school just as they are also transitioning into their teenage years. These multiple transitions can cause students to have behavioral and developmental problems that can affect their academic progress.

Uneven Academic Progress

Academic achievement and progress does not tend to be even across all social and economic groups. According to a study conducted by Cornell University and reported in Physorg, students begin to identify with their ethnicity to a greater degree during the middle school years. This can lead to some minority students under-achieving because they perceive academic achievement as only possible if they give up some of their unique ethnic identity and social status. The result is that Latinos and African-American middle school students tend to lag behind white middle school students.

Poor Learning Conditions

The Rand Corporation study points out that students who are socially alienated and disengaged tend to have poor academic performance in middle school and are also at higher risk of dropping out. One major issue, according to the study, is the degree of safety at school. Bullying and other types of conflict in middle school can lead to emotional distress that cause students to do poorly at school. They suggest middle schools adopt strong anti-bullying programs and try to focus on preventing antisocial behavior.

Parental Support

Several studies, such as a 1997 report by the United States Department of Education and the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress, both reported in Education Week, have shown that parents tend to be less involved in their child's education as the child moves into middle school. Parents tend to feel that as the work become more advanced, they are not qualified to assist their child. Middle schools also tend to be larger and more impersonal than elementary schools, which deters parents from getting involved. Middle school students usually have more than one teacher, and parents can be confused about who to contact.

References

• Rand Corporation: Problems and Promise of the American Middle School
• Rand Corporation: Focus on the Wonder Years: Challenges Facing the American Middle School
• Education World: A Call for Better Middle School Transitions
• Physorg: Social costs of achievement vary by race/ethnicity, school features
• Education Week: Parent Involvement