URL: http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/gradeconfig.html

   <h>Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting


   <p>Early Childhood Research & Practice (ECRP) is a bilingual Internet
   journal on the development, care, and education of young children.

   <p>The Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting (CEEP) is part of
   the the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative at the
   University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CEEP provides publications
   and information to the worldwide early childhood and parenting
   communities.

   <h>Grade Configuration in K-12 Schools
   <h>Nancy McEntire
   <h>2002 (Last updated May 2005)
   <p>Many educators and communities are searching for evidence on the best
   way to provide a high-quality education for their children and to make
   the best use of their education funds. One area that is of perennial
   interest is how to best configure the grades in local schools. Public
   education in the United States provides for kindergarten through grade
   12 in a variety of grade arrangements, from the K-12 school to
   separate schools for single grades. Unfortunately, as Paglin and Fager
   (1997) point out: "Research has not provided definitive answers to the
   myriad possible questions about grade span, but the questions have
   never gone away. They are questions which arise whenever school
   reform, increasing or declining enrollment, or financial
   considerations bring about a reorganization of existing schools, the
   building of new schools, or consolidation of districts" (p. 2). Much
   of the research available has been done on rural or middle schools.
   The research on the "best" grade configuration is inconclusive. At
   best, it indicates factors to be considered in deciding on a school's
   grade span or a community's configuration of grades within its
   elementary and secondary school system.

   <h>Contents

     <l>* How do schools differ in grade configuration?
     <l>* Single-grade-level configurations
     <l>* Other grade-level configurations: Middle schools, K-12
     <l>* How do grade configurations affect transitions?
     <l>* What factors do school districts consider when deciding on grade
       configuration?
     <l>* References
     <l>* Web Resources
     <l>* ERIC Resources

<h>How do schools differ in grade configuration?

   <p>Schools in the United States are organized in different ways: some
   schools include K-3, K-4, K-5, K-6, K-8, K-9, or K-12; others are
   organized as middle schools, junior high schools, and senior high
   schools; and still others consist of students in just one grade, such
   as a kindergarten center or a ninth-grade center. Some schools include
   pre-kindergarten. The U.S. Department of Education's National Center
   for Education Statistics (2002) provides data on the number of regular
   public school districts providing instruction and the percentage of
   students in membership, by grade span and by state, for the school
   year 2000-2001.

<h>Single-grade-level configurations

   <p>The literature suggests that some school districts have found
   advantages to schools that contain students at one grade level,
   although these advantages are not necessarily supported by research
   (Reents, 2002):
     <l>* A single-grade center, such as a school only for ninth-graders,
       can develop programs specific to the needs of that age group.
     <l>* Siphoning off students from several schools can relieve
       overcrowding at those schools.
     <l>* Students may be able to participate on an equal level in more
       activities and be less influenced by older students.
     <l>* The greater number of students in single-grade centers may enable
       the school to increase course offerings.

   <p>The literature also suggests some possible disadvantages to separate
   single-grade configurations (Hopkins, 1997):
     <l>* The cost and length of student travel increases, particularly in a
       school district that covers a large area.
     <l>* Parent involvement may decrease, possibly affected by the distance
       to the school and the number of schools a family's children
       attend.
     <l>* Students are required to make an increased number of school
       transitions.
     <l>* Fewer opportunities are provided for interaction between age
       groups.

   <p>Hopkins (1997) also suggests some additional factors for school
   districts to consider:
     <l>* Combining schools into separate grade centers may affect whether
       neighborhood schools close or remain open.
     <l>* Current buildings may have a design more suitable for several
       grade levels.
     <l>* School population may increase or decrease substantially as
       configurations change.

<h>Other grade-level configurations: Middle schools, K-12

   <p>"Much of what has happened with regards to school grade structure can
   be attributed to the development of the middle school" (Franklin &
   Glascock, 1996, p. 4). The separation of students in grades 5 or 6 to
   7 or 8 in middle schools is justified by some school districts because
   districts believe that middle schools better meet the developmental
   needs of preadolescents. As Howley (2002) points out, the
   developmental needs of young adolescents differ from those of
   elementary school children and older teenagers. "Developmentally
   responsive middle schools must take into account all that is known
   about young adolescents and the cultural context in which they live"
   (Lounsbury, 1996). The number of middle schools increased by 35% from
   1967 to 2000.

   <p>In the past decade, researchers also have demonstrated renewed
   interest in schools that include grades kindergarten through 12. A
   study of rural schools that examined the relationship between grade
   configuration and student achievement in Louisiana found that students
   in K-12 rural schools did as well or better on achievement tests as
   students in separate elementary, middle, or high schools. Students in
   high poverty areas also did better in the K-12 schools (Franklin &
   Glascock, 1996). A similar study in Texas analyzed data from a study
   of 1001 Texas high schools, including 116 K-12 schools. This study
   produced similar results (Bickel, Howley, Williams, & Glascock, 2000).

<h>How do grade configurations affect transitions?

   <p>The division of elementary schools into configurations that include
   fewer grades requires that students make several transitions from one
   school to another. Researchers note that transitions can be stressful
   for students:
     <l>* Alspaugh (1999) found a significant achievement loss during each
       transition year. He also found that some students regain what is
       lost in the following year, but it would seem that students who
       make fewer transitions need fewer years to make up for achievement
       losses caused by transitions.
     <l>* Another study found that each time students switched schools,
       their feelings of anonymity increased. Researchers who found that
       sixth-grade students in both elementary and combination K-12
       schools outperformed students in middle schools or junior high
       schools considered the number of transitions a significant factor.
       This study considered 8 schools with 7 different grade spans with
       student populations of 82 to 1,200. The schools were located in
       both urban and rural settings in 5 northwest states. The number of
       grades in the schools ranged from 1 to 11 (Paglin & Fager, 1997).
     <l>* Another research study found that girls in early adolescence
       suffered from a drop in self-esteem, extracurricular
       participation, and leadership behaviors when they made the
       transition into middle school or junior high, but not if they
       remained in an elementary school setting. This study found that
       the effects of this transition lingered throughout the school
       years. For boys, the study found similar negative effects in
       extracurricular participation and grades, but not in self-esteem,
       when they made the transition into middle school or junior high.
       The authors concluded that the relatively protected elementary
       school setting made the entry into adolescence less stressful for
       both boys and girls. The students who had not had the stress of
       the earlier transition seemed to cope better with the transition
       into high school than did other students (Simmons & Blyth, 1987).
     <l>* Franklin and Glascock (1996) found that sixth-grade boys
       experienced more suspensions in middle schools or junior high
       schools than in elementary schools, possibly related to the
       effects of the transition, the school organization, or school
       size. This study was based on information gathered from all
       Louisiana public schools during the 1992-1993 school year.

<h>What factors do school districts consider when deciding on grade
configuration?

   <p>Researchers at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory looked at
   eight schools with seven different grade spans. They examined the
   history of each school's decision on grade configuration along with
   observed advantages and disadvantages of each configuration and
   principals' comments on the success of their programs (Paglin & Fager,
   1997). Based on this research, Paglin and Fager compiled a list of
   nine factors that school districts might want to consider when making
   decisions about grade configurations of individual schools:
     <l>* the cost and length of student travel, particularly in a school
       district that covers a large area
     <l>* a possible increase or decrease in parent involvement, possibly
       affected by the distance to the school and the number of schools a
       family's children attend
     <l>* the number of students at each grade level, which may affect class
       groupings and courses offered
     <l>* the effect of school setting on achievement, particularly for
       grades 6-9
     <l>* effect on whether the neighborhood schools close or remain open
     <l>* the number of school transitions for students
     <l>* the opportunities for interaction between age groups
     <l>* the influence of older students on younger students
     <l>* the building design-is it suitable for only a few or for several
       grade levels?

   <p>Paglin and Fager concluded that designing a school system to use a
   particular span of grades in individual schools will not in itself
   guarantee that students will learn well and be well adjusted.

<h>References

   <p>Alspaugh, John W. (1999). The interaction effect of transition grade
   to high school with gender and grade level upon dropout rates.
   Montreal: American Educational Research Association. (ERIC Document
   No.ED431066)

   <p>Bickel, Robert; Howley, Craig; Williams, Tony; & Glascock, Catherine.
   (2000, November). Will the real "Texas miracle in education" please
   stand up? Grade span configuration, achievement, and expenditure per
   pupil. Randolph, VT: Rural School and Community Trust. (ERIC Document
   No. ED447995)

   <p>Franklin, Bobby J., & Glascock, Catherine H. (1996, October). The
   relationship between grade configuration and student performance in
   rural schools. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the
   National Rural Education Association, San Antonio, TX. (ERIC Document
   No. ED403083)

   <p>Hopkins, Gary. (1997, September 8). Grade configuration: Who goes
   where? Education World [Online]. Available:

   <p>Howley, Craig. (2002, March). Grade-span configurations. American
   Association of School Administrators [Online]. Available:

   <p>Lounsbury, John H. (1996). Key characteristics of middle level schools
   [Online]. ERIC Digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary
   and Early Childhood Education. (ERIC Document No. ED401050).
   Available:

   <p>National Center for Education Statistics. (2002). Directory of public
   elementary and secondary education agencies, 2000-2001 [Online].
   Available:

   <p>Paglin, Catherine, & Fager, Jennifer. (1997, July). Grade
   configuration: Who goes where [Online]. Available:
   http://www.nwrel.org/request/july97/index.html.
   Reents, Jennifer Newton. (2002, March). Isolating 9th graders. School
   Administrator [Online]. Available:

   <p>Simmons, Roberta G., & Blyth, Dale A. (1987). Moving into adolescence:
   The impact of pubertal change and school context. Hawthorne, NY: de
   Gruyter.

<h>Web Resources

   <p>The Academic Effectiveness of Small-Scale Schooling (An Update)

   <p>Age Appropriate Schools

   <p>The Case for the Elemiddle School

   <p>Elementary Grade Configuration Report, Frost and McCoy Elementary
   Schools
   This report contains research and recommendations on the grade
   configuration of two elementary schools. Key points of considerations
   include: transportation costs, parent involvement, staffing, special
   programs, educational equity and diversity, assessment of existing
   facilities, and budget implications.

   <p>Elementary School Grade Span Configuration: New Evidence on Student
   Achievement, Achievement Equity, and Cost Efficiency

   <p>Grade Configuration

   <p>Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where? (Education World)

   <p>Grade Configuration-Who Goes Where (full-text report from the
   Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)

   <p>Grade Configuration Study Committee Final Report (Hopkinton, MA)

   <p>Grade-Level Configurations

   <p>Grade Span (ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management)

   <p>Grade Span Configurations

   <p>Grade Span Configurations and Reconfigurations: With Rural Dilemmas in
   Mind

   <p>High School Size, Achievement Equity, and Cost: Robust Interaction
   Effects and Tentative Results

   <p>The Hobbit Effect: Why Small Works in Public Schools

   <p>In the Middle: Characteristics of Public Schools with a Focus on
   Middle Schools

   <p>K-8 Schools: An Idea for the New Millenium?

   <p>The (Limited) Evidence Regarding Effects of Grade-Span Configurations
   on Academic Achievement: What Rural Educators Should Know. ERIC
   Digest.

   <p>Middle School Goes the Way of Junior High

   <p>Motivation and Middle School Students

   <p>NMSA (National Middle School Association) Research Summary #1: Grade
   Configuration

   <p>NMSA (National Middle School Association) Research Summary #8: Grade 5
   in the Middle School

   <p>Number of Regular Public School Districts Providing instruction and
   Percentage of Students in Membership, by Grade Span and by state:
   School year 2000-01

   <p>Public Elementary Schools, by Grade Span and Average School Size, by
   State: 2000-2001 Table 3 (To view this table, click on Table 3 under
   Summary Tables.)

   <p>The Relationship Between Middle Level Grade Span Configuration,
   Professional Development, and Student Achievement

   <p>Research about School Size and School Performance in Impoverished
   Communities. ERIC Digest

   <p>Research Summary on Grade Level Configurations

   <p>Revival of the K-8 School

   <p>The Rise of the `Elemiddle' School

   <p>Schools by Type: State of California, 2002-03 Schools vary in their
   grade-level configuration. Most elementary schools encompass K-5,
   middle schools 6-8, junior high 7-9, and high schools 9-12

   <p>The Transition to Middle School

   <p>Education World: Where Does Sixth Grade Belong?

<h>ERIC Resources

   <p>How to Obtain ERIC Documents and Journal Articles:
   References identified with an ED (ERIC document), EJ (ERIC journal),
   or PS number are cited in the ERIC database. ERIC Documents (citations
   identified by an ED number) may be available full text from ERIC at no
   cost at the ERIC web site:. Journal articles
   are available from the original journal, interlibrary loan services,
   or article reproduction clearinghouses.

   <p>ERIC Search using identifier "Grade Span Configuration," or
   descriptors "Instructional Program Divisions" or "School
   Organization." Various grade levels, such as K-2 or 3-5 or 6-8 or
   9-12, can be used as keywords in combination with the identifier or
   descriptors.

   <p>If you would like to conduct your own free ERIC database searches via
   the Internet, please go to 
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_
nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ERIC_Search.

<h>Grade Configuration

   <p>ERIC database search through 05/2005

   <h>ED479332 TM035136
   <h>Title: The Effect of Grade Span Configuration and School-to-School
   Transition on Student Achievement.
   <h>Author(s): Wren, Stephanie D.
   <h>Pages: 18
   <h>Publication Date: 2003
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan
   <h>Journal Announcement: RIEAPR2004

   <p>The effect of grade span configuration (grouping of grades in schools)
   and school-to-school transition on student achievement was
   investigated. The Michigan Education Assessment Program test was used
   to collect data on the passing rate of students in 232 schools in a
   large urban inner city school district in the midwest. The results
   indicate that grade span configuration and school-to-school transition
   had significant positive and negative effects on student achievement
   respectively. The paper discusses implications for school districts.
   (Author)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Elementary Secondary Education;
   *Grade Span Configuration; *Instructional Program Divisions; State
   Programs; Testing Programs; Transfer Students; Urban Schools
   Identifiers: Michigan Educational Assessment Program; *Transition Time
                    ___________________________________

   <h>EJ640942 EA539336
   <h>Title: Revival of the K-8 School.
   <h>Author(s): Pardini, Priscilla
   <h>Source: School Administrator, v59 n3 p6-12 Mar 2002
   <h>Publication Date: 2002
   <h>ISSN: 00036-6439
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--General (140);
   Reports-- Descriptive (141)
   <h>Journal Announcement: CIJJUL2002

   <p>Describes the reasons for renewed interest in the K-8 school model,
   including dissatisfaction with middle schools, research linking
   improved academic achievement with K-8 grade configuration, and parent
   support. Includes examples of districts that have converted middle
   schools to K-8 schools. Identifies the challenges districts face in
   moving to K-8 schools. (PKP)

   <p>Descriptors: Educational Research; Elementary Education; *Elementary
   Schools; Middle Schools; *School Restructuring
                    ___________________________________

   <h>ED473710 PS031086
   <h>Title: Update on the Relationship between Elementary Grade Span and 
Student Achievement: Identification of Human Interactions and
   Behaviors in a Kindergarten-2nd Grade Configured Young Primary
   Elementary Which Resulted in Superior Student Achievement Observed in
   the 4th and 5th Grade.
   <h>Author(s): Norwood, H. S.
   <h>Publication Date: December 15, 2002
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Alaska
   <h>Journal Announcement: RIEOCT2003

   <p>This cross-sectional study used primarily quantitative methods to
   investigate the superior achievement of 4th- and 5th-grade students at
   Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Borough School District who as young
   elementary students had attended K-2 primary school, compared to peers
   who had attended a K-6, K-8, or K-12 configured school. Since this
   study was limited to a single school district that included all four
   elementary school configurations in communities that were found to be
   similar, variables that historically confuse the application of
   results to conclusions were systematically eliminated as causal
   factors. To study the effect of the remaining variables on student
   outcome, educational instructors that had experience teaching in both
   a K-2 and other configurations within the district were surveyed. The
   survey findings revealed the magnitude of the variance between causal
   agents known to affect future student success that exists in the K-2
   versus other configuration elementary schools. In order of decreasing
   magnitude, the following variables are more prevalent in the K-2
   environment than in other configurations, and their increased presence
   related to superior student achievement in later years: Resources,
   Parental Involvement, Collaboration (among administrators, teachers,
   and special services personnel), Foundation (ability to establish
   social and emotional competence, language, cognition, teaching
   strategies that lead to next levels of accomplishment), Relevant
   Teacher Training, Teacher Efficacy (with regard to aligning primary
   students' interests and abilities), High Expectations, Principal's
   Leadership, Teacher's Stability, and School Climate. (A copy of the
   survey is included. Contains 14 references.)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Educational Environment;
   Elementary Education; *Institutional Characteristics; Outcomes of
   Education; *Performance Factors; *Primary Education; School Districts;
   *School Organization
   Identifiers: Alaska
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED472649 EA032306
   <h>Title: Directory of Public Elementary and Secondary Education
   Agencies, 2000-2001.
   <h>Author(s) McDowell, Lena M.; Sietsema, John P.
   <h>Author Affiliation: National Center for Education Statistics (ED),
   Washington, DC.(EDD00004)
   <h>Pages: 410
   <h>Publication Date: November 2002
   <h>Notes: For the 1999-2000 Directory, see ED 464 396.
   <h>Report No: NCES-2003-310
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC17 Plus Postage.
   <h>Availability: ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Tel:
   877-433-7827 (Toll Free). For full text:
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reference
   materials--Directories/Catalogs (132)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
   <h>Journal Announcement: RIESEP2003
   <h>Government Level: Federal

   <p>This directory lists all public elementary and secondary education
   agencies in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, five outlying
   areas, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Department of Defense, as
   reported from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
   Common Core of Data (CCD) Local Education Agency Universe data
   collection of spring 2001. In the introduction, several tables
   summarizing the file contents are provided. The seven types of
   agencies listed include regular school districts, supervisory union
   components, supervisory union administrative centers, regional
   educational service agencies, state-operated agencies, federally
   operated agencies, and other agencies that cannot be appropriately
   classified using another CCD designation. The directory provides up to
   12 items of information for each public elementary and secondary
   agency listed: state, name of agency, mailing address, telephone
   number, name of county, metropolitan status code, grade span, total
   student membership, number of regular high school graduates for the
   1999-2000 school year, number of students with an individualized
   education program (IEP), number of teachers, and number of schools. An
   appendix provides state education agency addresses. (RT)

   <p>Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education; Enrollment; Government
   Publications; *Public Agencies; *Public Schools; *School Districts;
   School Personnel; School Statistics; State Departments of Education
   Identifiers: Grade Span Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ648686 EA539683
   <h>Title: An Examination of K-5, 6-8 versus K-8 Grade Configurations.
   <h>Author(s) Connolly, Faith; Yakimowski-Srebnick, Mary E.; Russo, Carmen
   V.
   <h>Source: ERS Spectrum, v20 n2 p28-37 Spr 2002
   <h>Publication Date: 2002
   <h>ISSN: 0740-7874
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143)
   <h>Journal Announcement: CIJNOV2002

   <p>Examines differences in certain factors such as student achievement
   and student attendance in K-8 versus K-5 and 6-8 grade configurations
   in Baltimore City Public Schools. Finds, for example, that students in
   K-8 schools had significantly higher reading, language arts, and
   mathematics scores than did students in K-5 or 6-8 schools. (Contains
   20 references.) (PKP)

   <p>Descriptors: Academic Achievement; Attendance; Educational History;
   Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; *Grade 8; *Instructional Program Divisions;
   *Kindergarten; Middle Schools; Parents; Principals; Student
   Characteristics
   Identifiers: Baltimore City Public Schools MD
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ650573 EF502951
   <h>Title: How Should Schools Be Organized?
   <h>Author(s) DeJong, William S.; Craig, Joyce
   <h>Source: School Planning & Management, v41 n6 p26-32 Jun 2002
   <h>Publication Date: 2002
   <h>ISSN: 1086-4628
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)
   <h>Journal Announcement: CIJDEC2002

   <p>Explores the impact of grade configuration decisions on the number and
   size of elementary, middle, and high schools needed. Discusses various
   trends regarding placement of sixth grade, ninth grade, and preschool
   classes and the resurgence of K-8 and K-12 models. (EV)

   <p>Descriptors: Educational Facilities Planning; Grade 6; Grade 9;
   Instructional Program Divisions; Middle Schools; Preschool Education;
   *School Organization
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ640946 EA539340
   <h>Title: Middle Schools Still Matter.
   <h>Author(s): Ecker, Marc; Dietz, Michael J.; Carlile, Susan
   <h>Source: School Administrator, v59 n3 p30-33 Mar 2002
   <h>Publication Date: 2002
   <h>ISSN: 0036-6439
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)

   <p>Three public school administrators (a superintendent, a middle school
   principal, and a central-office administrator) discuss why educators
   and parents should continue to support the middle-school grade
   configuration. (PKP)

   <p>Descriptors: *Early Adolescents; Middle School Students; Middle School
   Teachers; *Middle Schools; Transitional Programs
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ640945 EA539339
   <h>Title: Grade-Span Configurations.
   <h>Author(s): Howley, Craig B.
   <h>Source: School Administrator, v59 n3 p24-29 Mar 2002
   <h>Publication Date: 2002
   <h>ISSN: 0036-6439
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143)

   <p>Discusses debate surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of
   various grade-span configurations. Offers several provocative
   "hunches" concerning the implications of grade-span-configuration
   research for practice. Includes list of additional resources on
   grade-span configurations. (PKP)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Elementary Secondary Education;
   *Grade 6; *Grade 7; *Instructional Program Divisions; *Rural Schools
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ630006 PS531911
   <h>Title: The Efficacy of Philadelphia's K-to-8 Schools Compared to
   Middle Grades Schools.
   <h>Author(s): Offenberg, Robert M.
   <h>Source: Middle School Journal, v32 n4 p23-29 Mar 2001
   <h>Publication Date: 2001
   <h>ISSN: 0094-0771
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141);
   Speeches/meeting papers (150)

   <p>Natural experiments explored the effects of attending public
   Philadelphia K-to-8 schools or public middle schools on eighth- and
   ninth-grade achievement. Found that students attending K-8 schools had
   higher reading, mathematics, and science achievement than students
   attending middle schools serving similar communities. Suggested that
   number of students in a grade rather than school size contributed to
   the difference. (KB)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Comparative Analysis; *Elementary
   Schools; Mathematics Achievement; Middle School Students; *Middle
   Schools; Outcomes of Education; Program Effectiveness; Reading
   Achievement; *School Organization; *School Size; Science Achievement;
   Social Differences
   Identifiers: Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED447995 RC022706
   <h>Title: Will the Real "Texas Miracle in Education" Please Stand Up?
   Grade Span Configuration, Achievement, and Expenditure per Pupil.
   <h>Author(s): Bickel, Robert; Howley, Craig; Williams, Tony; Glascock,
   Catherine
   <h>Pages: 48
   <h>Publication Date: November 2000
   <h>Sponsoring Agency: Rural School and Community Trust, Randolph, VT.
   (BBB35873)
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Ohio

   <p>Research across seven very different states has shown that as schools
   get larger, the average achievement among economically disadvantaged
   students declines. A traditionally strong argument against smaller
   schools, however, is that they are too expensive. Large consolidated
   schools with narrowly specialized grade spans are typically offered as
   necessary to save money and to meet the needs of different age groups.
   This paper examines whether the size-by-socioeconomic status
   interaction effect proves robust across alternative regression model
   specifications, as it did across different states. It also explores
   whether the equity gains associated with smaller schools are
   incompatible with the need to save money. Analysis with four different
   regression model specifications consistently found that increased
   school size was related to increases in achievement-test-score costs
   associated with economically disadvantaged students. School size was
   negatively related to expenditure per pupil, but this relationship
   became increasingly tenuous as size increased, and eventually savings
   became negligible. In addition, organizational factors, especially as
   manifest in the distinctive components of the single-unit school, were
   related to cost reduction. For those interested in balancing
   expenditure per pupil with achievement-based equity, the best
   grade-span configuration seems to be a small single-unit school.
   (Contains 76 references.) (SV)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Expenditure per Student; *High
   Schools; Regression (Statistics); *School Size; Small Schools;
   *Socioeconomic Status
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration; *Texas; Unit Schools
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED450991 RC022836
   <h>Title: High School Size, Achievement Equity, and Cost: Robust
   Interaction Effects and Tentative Results.
   <h>Author(s): Bickel, Robert; Howley, Craig; Williams, Tony; Glascock,
   Catherine
   <h>Pages: 49
   <h>Publication Date: 2000
   <h>Sponsoring Agency: Rural School and Community Trust, Washington, DC.
   (BBB35927)
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; West Virginia

   <p>Research has revealed interactive effects of school size and
   socioeconomic status--as school size increases, the mean measured
   achievement of schools with disadvantaged students declines. The
   larger the number of less advantaged students attending a school, the
   greater the decline. This study also examined the claim that large
   schools with a narrow range of grades necessarily save money by
   achieving economies of scale. Results indicate that school size was
   negatively related to costs, but this relationship became increasingly
   tenuous as school size increased, with savings eventually becoming
   negligible. In addition, analysis of organizational factors distinct
   to the single-unit school indicates that if schools are designed
   solely to minimize expenditure per pupil, the best configuration may
   be a large single-unit school. However, if expenditure per pupil is
   balanced with achievement-based equity, the best configuration seems
   to be one small single-unit school per district. While decreased size
   would increase costs, the fact that there is only one school with
   13-15 grade levels would substantially diminish costs. (Contains 69
   references.) (TD)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Consolidated Schools;
   Disadvantaged; Elementary Secondary Education; Equal Education;
   *Expenditure per Student; High Schools; Interaction; Outcomes of
   Education; *School Size; *Socioeconomic Status
   Identifiers: *Economies of Scale; Grade Span Configuration; Texas;
   *Unit Schools
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED440471 EA030387
   <h>Title: Grade Span.
   <h>Author(s): Renchler, Ron
   <h>Author Affiliation: National Association of Elementary School
   Principals, Alexandria, VA.(BBB23667); ERIC Clearinghouse on
   Educational Management, Eugene, OR.(SJJ69850)
   <h>Source: Research Roundup, v16 n3 Spr 2000 Pages: 5
   <h>Publication Date: 2000
   <h>Sponsoring Agency: Office of Educational Research and Improvement
   (ED), Washington, DC. (EDD00036)
   <h>Contract No: ED-99-CO-0011
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Availability: National Association of Elementary School Principals,
   1615 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3483 ($2.50 prepaid; quantity
   discounts).
   <h>Document Type: Collected works--Serials (022); ERIC product (071)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Oregon

   <p>This issue reviews grade span, or grade configuration. Catherine
   Paglin and Jennifer Fager's "Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where?"
   provides an overview of issues and concerns related to grade spans and
   supplies profiles of eight Northwest schools with varying grade spans.
   David F. Wihry, Theodore Coladarci, and Curtis Meadow's "Grade Span
   and Eighth-Grade Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Predominantly
   Rural State" reports on the influence of grade span on the academic
   achievement of eight-grade students in Maine. David L. Hough's "The
   Elemiddle School: A Model for Middle Grades Reform" surveys the
   history of grade configuration and cites research indicating that
   "elemiddle" schools (schools with both elementary and middle-school
   grades) may be most appropriate for meeting educational and social
   needs. Charlene G. Tucker and Gilbert N. Andrada's "Accountability
   Works: Analysis of Performance by Grade Span of School" presents
   results from a study measuring sixth-grade students' academic
   performance on the "Connecticut Mastery Test" in relation to student
   enrollment in schools having K-5 or K-6 configurations. John W.
   Alspaugh's "The Interaction Effect of Transition Grade to High School
   with Gender and Grade Level upon Dropout Rates" looks at the influence
   of grade span and related factors on dropout rates in high school.
   (DFR)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Dropout Rate; Elementary Secondary
   Education; *Instructional Program Divisions
   Identifiers: *Connecticut Mastery Testing Program; ERIC; *Grade Span
   Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ584549 RC513199
   <h>Title: The Relationship between Grade Configuration and Student
   <h>Performance in Rural Schools.
   <h>Author(s): Franklin, Bobby J.; Glascock, Catherine H.
   <h>Source: Journal of Research in Rural Education, v14 n3 p149-53 Win
   1998
   <h>Publication Date: 1998
   <h>ISSN: 8756-0534
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143)

   <p>Examines the relationship between grade configuration in rural schools
   and student attendance, suspension, and academic achievement for
   grades 6, 7, 10, and 11. In a large random sample of rural Louisiana
   schools, students in elementary schools (K-
   6/7) and unit schools (K-12) outperformed their middle and secondary
   school peers. Contains 25 references. (Author/CDS)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Attendance; *Educational
   Environment; Elementary Secondary Education; Instructional Program
   Divisions; Rural Education; *Rural Schools; Student Needs; Suspension
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration; *Louisiana
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED432033 EA029887
   <h>Title: Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where? By Request Series.
   <h>Author(s): Paglin, Catherine; Fager, Jennifer
   <h>Author Affiliation: Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland,
   OR.(RIK65325)
   <h>Pages: 48
   <h>Publication Date: July 1997
   <h>Sponsoring Agency: Office of Educational Research and Improvement
   (ED), Washington, DC. (EDD00036)
   <h>Contract No: RJ96006501
   Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Oregon

   <p>This booklet is the fourth in a series of "hot topic" reports, that
   address current educational concerns. The booklet examines questions
   relating to grade configurations, its purpose being to increase
   awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding grade span. It
   explores the ways that schools have addressed concerns associated with
   particular grade spans and suggests avenues for further inquiry. The
   text focuses on historical trends in grade configuration and the
   various contexts of grade spans, such as whether a school is in a
   rural or an urban area. Most research on grade span focuses on the
   middle grades and addresses such questions as: Which grades should be
   grouped together in one school? How many grades should be in one
   school? and How many school transitions will students make during the
   K-12 years? Some tips for starting a school with a grade span new to a
   school system are offered, followed by an overview of grade-span
   considerations. The bulk of the volume describes eight schools'
   experiences with grade spans, discussing such issues as how the grade
   span came about and how the schools were structured to meet the needs
   of the particular grades it contains. (RJM)

   <p>Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education; *Instructional Program
   Divisions; Program Descriptions; *School Organization; School
   Restructuring
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration; United States (Northwest)
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED411278 TM027261
   <h>Title: Accountability Works: Analysis of Performance by Grade Span of
   School.
   <h>Author(s): Tucker, Charlene G.; Andrada, Gilbert N.
   Pages: 23
   <h>Publication Date: March 1997
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
   Educational Research Association (Chicago, IL, March 24-28, 1997).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers
   (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Connecticut

   <p>For the past decade in Connecticut, public school students have been
   tested in the fall of grades 4, 6, and 8, and results have been
   attributed to the school in which students are tested. Some
   Connecticut elementary schools end at grade 5 (Type I) and some
   continue to grade 6 or 8 (Type II). Consistent results showed that
   schools that expected to be accountable for sixth-grade results (Type
   II) produced better performing sixth graders. Implications for
   designing and developing accountability systems are discussed.
   (Contains six tables and four references.) (Author/SLD)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Accountability; Elementary
   Education; *Expectation; *Instructional Program Divisions;
   Multivariate Analysis; Public Schools; *School Organization
   Identifiers: *Connecticut; Grade Span Configuration
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED401058 RC020738
   <h>Title: K-12 Unit Schooling in Rural America: A First Description.
   <h>Author(s) Howley, Craig; Harmon, Hobart
   <h>Author Affiliation: Appalachia Educational Lab., Charleston,
   WV.(AWT03075)
   <h>Pages: 34
   <h>Publication Date: October 14, 1996
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Rural
   Education Association (San Antonio, TX, October 14, 1996).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Language: English
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; West Virginia
   <h>Journal Announcement: RIEMAR1997

   <p>This report presents selected results of a national study of school
   districts operating at least one K-12 unit school. Of the 706
   districts operating unit schools, 157 districts in 27 states responded
   to the survey. The majority of respondents (106) were superintendents
   of one-school districts, that is, districts in which the K-12 unit
   school was the only school. Of the 53 multischool districts, about
   half operated just one K-12 unit school. Data reveal that K-12 unit
   schools were usually located in an agricultural region where
   socioeconomic status was lower than the national average; the average
   unit school enrollment was 414; most unit schools in multischool
   districts were comparatively remote from key resources such as
   hospitals, interstate highways, and cities; superintendents of
   single-school districts reported higher rates of above-average test
   scores, postsecondary attendance, and high school completion than did
   superintendents of multischool districts; satellite and Internet
   systems were the most prevalent forms of distance learning
   technologies in use; community attitudes toward single-school
   districts were moderately and positively related to the sustainability
   of the school; single-school districts spent almost 50 percent more
   per pupil than multischool districts; and single-school districts more
   often than multischool districts employed cooperative strategies for
   maximizing resources such as joining regional service agencies or
   cooperating with other districts. Includes data tables and
   recommendations for research and practice. Contains 24 references.
   (LP)

   <p>Descriptors: Administrator Attitudes; *Community Attitudes; Distance
   Education; Educational Practices; Elementary Secondary Education;
   Expenditure per Student; Geographic Isolation; Institutional Survival;
   National Surveys; *Outcomes of Education; *Rural Schools; School
   Demography; *School Districts; *School Surveys; Small Schools;
   Superintendents
   Identifiers: Grade Span Configuration; Small School Districts;
   *Sustainability; *Unit Schools
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED403083 RC020794
   <h>Title: The Relationship between Grade Configuration and Student
   Performance in Rural Schools.
   <h>Author(s): Franklin, Bobby J.; Glascock, Catherine H.
   <h>Pages: 56
   <h>Publication Date: October 1996
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Rural
   Education Association (San Antonio, TX, October 11-14, 1996).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Louisiana

   <p>This paper examines the relationship between a school's grade
   configuration and student performance in Louisiana. Results indicate
   that sixth- and seventh-grade students performed better in elementary
   and K-12 schools than in middle or secondary schools, in terms of both
   achievement and persistence. Students in K-12 schools performed as
   well as those in elementary schools overall and performed better in
   some cases (grade 6 and high poverty). For grades 9-12, the K-12
   school was more beneficial to students than the traditional secondary
   school, particularly in the area of student persistence or conduct.
   With regard to academic achievement, secondary schools did not differ
   significantly from K-12 schools regardless of school size or SES.
   School size did appear to impact 11th- and 12th-grade student
   persistence more within the secondary school environment than that of
   the K-12 school. Contains 34 references and 29 data tables and
   figures. (Author/SV)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Academic Persistence; *Educational
   Environment; Elementary Schools; Instructional Program Divisions;
   Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools; *Rural Education; *School Holding
   Power; *School Organization; School Size; Secondary Education;
   Secondary Schools; Socioeconomic Status
   Identifiers: *Grade Span Configuration; *Louisiana; Unit Schools
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED389501 RC020367
   <h>Title: A Comparison of Four Enrollment Groups of K-8 and K-12 Missouri
   Rural School Districts.
   <h>Author(s): Alspaugh, John W.
   <h>Pages: 8
   <h>Publication Date: October 1995
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Rural
   Education Association (Salt Lake City, UT, October 1995).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Research
   (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Missouri

   <p>This paper compares school district characteristics for rural Missouri
   K-8 and K-12 districts in four categories of enrollment size. A random
   sample of 56 K-8 and 56 K-12 districts yielded 4 equal categories of
   K-8 enrollment: 51-100, 101-150, 151-200, and more than 200 students.
   Data are presented in graphic form for assessed valuation per pupil;
   operating tax levy; expenditure per pupil; administrative cost per
   pupil; teacher salaries; student-teacher ratio; and achievement scores
   on the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test (MMAT) for grades 3, 6,
   and 8. Two final graphs present data from 428 Missouri districts
   showing that the high school dropout rate was positively related to
   school size and negatively related to the high school grade span. (SV)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Dropout Rate; Elementary
   Secondary Education; *Expenditure per Student; *Rural Schools; *School
   District Size; School District Wealth; *School Districts; School Size;
   Teacher Salaries; Teacher Student Ratio
   Identifiers: Grade Span Configuration; *Missouri
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ505828 SP524248
   <h>Title: Transition Effects of School Grade-Level Organization on
   Student Achievement.
   <h>Author(s): Alspaugh, John W.; Harting, Roger D.
   <h>Source: Journal of Research and Development in Education, v28 n3
   p145-49 Spr 1995
   <h>Publication Date: 1995
   <h>ISSN: 0022-426X
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143)

   <p>Reports on a study of the transition effects of grade-level
   organization on student achievement as schools transitioned from
   self-contained to departmentalized classes. Reading, math, and social
   studies achievement scores of five equated rural school districts with
   K-4 through K-8 organization were compared. Results noted a decline in
   achievement during the transition year. (SM)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Achievement Gains; Departments;
   Elementary Education; Elementary School Students; *Instructional
   Program Divisions; Rural Schools; *School Organization; *Self
   Contained Classrooms; *Transitional Schools
   Identifiers: Transitional Activities
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ496194 EA530201
   <h>Title: The Elemiddle School: A Model for Middle Grades Reform.
   <h>Author(s): Hough, David L.
   <h>Source: Principal, v74 n3 p6-9 Jan 1995
   <h>Publication Date: 1995
   <h>ISSN: 0271-6062
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Evaluative (142)

   <p>"Elemiddle" schools serve the needs of young adolescents, aged 10 to
   14, in any combination of grades 5 through 8, as part of an
   organizational structure that includes lower grades. Research has
   shown that middle schools with 6-8 grade spans and K-8 schools are
   most likely to implement child-centered programs, practices, and
   policies than schools with 7-9 or 7-12 grade spans. (MLH)

   <p>Descriptors: *Early Adolescents; *Educational Benefits; Educational
   Change; Elementary Education; *Grouping (Instructional Purposes);
   *Instructional Program Divisions; Intermediate Grades; Junior High
   Schools; Middle Schools; *School Organization; *Student Centered
   Curriculum; Student Needs
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED380245 RC019950
   <h>Title: An Examination of the Non-K12 School District Organizational
   Form in New York State.
   <h>Author(s): Monk, David H.
   <h>Pages: 52
   <h>Publication Date: November 1994
   <h>Sponsoring Agency: New York State Education Dept., Albany. (QPX62775)
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Test/questionnaires (160)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; New York

   <p>This paper reports on a study assessing the viability of the non-K-12
   organizational form as currently practiced in New York State.
   Impediments to success with the non-K-12 form included inadequate
   transportation, the abruptness of the transition, inopportune grade
   levels of transition, calendar inconsistencies, inadequate
   communication, parental disenfranchisement, curricular
   inconsistencies, narrowness of choice, and inherent bias toward
   resident students. Recommendations to deal with all impediments are
   included. Appendices include the high school and parent survey
   instruments. (RAH)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Elementary Secondary Education;
   Feeder Patterns; High School Students; *Instructional Program
   Divisions; *Interdistrict Policies; Organizational Change; *Parent
   Attitudes; Public Schools; School District Reorganization; School
   District Size; *School Districts; *Transfer Students
   Identifiers: *New York
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED372883 RC019686
   <h>Title: The Cultural Contradictions of Middle Schooling for Rural
   Community Survival.
   <h>Author(s): DeYoung, Alan J.; And Others
   <h>Pages: 39
   <h>Publication Date: July 1994
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Information Analysis (070)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Kentucky

   <p>During 1968-91, middle schools were the only school type to grow in
   number, increasing by over 400 percent. Middle school advocates focus
   on early adolescents' need for developmentally appropriate
   institutions, but show only a weak historical understanding of the
   emergence and status of middle schools. Critical factors in early
   support for the middle school movement included urban interests in
   countering de facto school segregation without use of busing, urban
   overcrowding of elementary and high schools, and a "bandwagon
   effect"--the desire to appear modern and reform oriented. The
   emergence of rural middle schools under the cloak of psychological
   progress can be destructive to both the declining sense of community
   in America, and to the actual persistence of many rural communities
   still organized around K-8 or K-6 public elementary schools.
   Examination of the National Center for Education Statistics's Common
   Core of Data indicates that the construction of rural middle schools
   has led to the closing and consolidation of rural elementary schools.
   During the school years 1987/88-1991/92 the proportion of schools that
   were middle schools increased 20 percent in rural areas, was unchanged
   in suburban areas, and decreased 6 percent in urban areas. At the same
   time, the proportion of rural schools that were K-8 declined
   precipitously. Emerging school reform agendas that provide
   alternatives to the "inevitability" of consolidation include efforts
   to restructure schools as caring communities (requiring active parent
   and community participation), and the development of rural schools as
   centers for integrated social services. Contains 52 references. (SV)

   <p>Descriptors: Early Adolescents; *Educational Change; Educational
   Philosophy; *Instructional Program Divisions; Intermediate Grades;
   Junior High Schools; *Middle Schools; *Rural Schools; School Closing;
   *School Community Relationship; *School Organization
   Identifiers: *Community Viability
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ464589 RC509333
   <h>Title: Grade Span and Eighth-Grade Academic Achievement: Evidence from
   a Predominantly Rural State.
   <h>Author(s): Wihry, David F.; And Others
   <h>Source: Journal of Research in Rural Education, v8 n2 p58-70 Sum 1992
   <h>Publication Date: 1992
   <h>ISSN: 8756-0534
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143)

   <p>In 163 Maine schools, the performance of eighth-grade students on
   standardized tests, especially reading achievement, was highest in
   elementary settings (K-8, K-9, 3-8) and lowest in junior-senior high
   school settings (6-12, 7-12, 8-12), when socioeconomic status and
   teacher experience were controlled. (SV)

   <p>Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Educational Environment;
   Elementary Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; *Grade 8;
   *Instructional Program Divisions; Middle Schools; Rural Schools;
   *School Organization; Secondary Schools; Student School Relationship
   Identifiers: *Maine
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ454389 EA527376
   <h>Title: Grade-Level Reorganization in a Small School District: Making
   and Implementing the Decision.
   <h>Author(s): Vann, Allan S.
   <h>Source: ERS Spectrum, v10 n4 p10-17 Fall 1992
   <h>Publication Date: 1992
   <h>ISSN: 0740-7874
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)

   <p>A New York school district was forced to consider a grade-level
   reorganization or possible school closing, primarily resulting from
   severe economic pressures. Describes the advantages and disadvantages
   of reorganizing 2 K-5 elementary schools into a K-2 primary school and
   a 3-5 intermediate school. Cites four basic reasons frequently offered
   to support district reorganization. (MLF)

   <p>Descriptors: *Administrator Role; Economic Factors; Elementary
   Education; *Instructional Program Divisions; *Intermediate Grades;
   *Primary Education; Public Schools; *School District Reorganization;
   School District Size; *Transitional Programs
   Identifiers: *Elwood Union Free School District NY
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED327000 EA022588
   <h>Title: Schools in the Middle: Progress 1968-1988. Schools in the
   Middle: A Report on Trends and Practices.
   <h>Author(s): Alexander, William M.; McEwin, C. Kenneth
   <h>Author Affiliation: National Association of Secondary School
   Principals, Reston, VA.(FGK56325)
   <h>Pages: 9
   <h>Publication Date: September 1989
   <h>Notes: Colored print in section headings, on gray paper, may not film
   adequately. For related documents, see EA 022 586-587.
   <h>ISSN: 0276-4482
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from
   EDRS.
   <h>Availability: Publications, National Association of Secondary School
   Principals, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091 ($1.50; quantity
   discounts).
   <h>Document Type: Collected works--Serials (022)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Virginia
   <h>Target Audience: Practitioners; Policymakers

   <p>Designed as an overview of the progress of middle schools in the last
   two decades, this document compares results from a 1968 survey that
   sampled 10 percent of middle schools with at least three, and not more
   than five grades, and including grades 6 and 7, with those of a
   similar 1988 survey. Following a brief summary of the origins of the
   middle school is a discussion of survey results regarding changes in
   rationale and specific preparation undertaken for introducing middle
   school organization and problems perceived in teacher education.
   Finally, conclusions are presented regarding the differences between
   schools containing grades 5-8 or 6-8 and those with grades 7 and 8 or
   7-9. Included are four tables and five graphs. (8 references) (CLA)

   <p>Descriptors: *Educational Development; Graphs; *Instructional Program
   Divisions; Intermediate Grades; Junior High Schools; *Middle Schools;
   School Surveys; Tables (Data)
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED315897 EA021645
   <h>Title: Middle Level Education in California: A Survey of Programs and
   Organization.
   <h>Author(s): Hough, David L.
   <h>Author Affiliation: California Educational Research Cooperative,
   Riverside.(BBB27382)
   <h>Pages: 53
   <h>Publication Date: February 1989
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; California

   <p>The second in a four-phase research project, this report presents data
   from a stratified random sample of California middle schools using
   four grade span configurations (K-8, 6-8, 7-8, and 7-9). This phase, a
   pilot study, is designing a methodology to help researchers
   discriminate among the number, percentage, and types of programs
   offered by the various organizational patterns. The research is
   intended to assist policymakers confronted with implementation
   decisions regarding middle level programs. Future research should
   focus on program effectiveness relative to "transescents'" needs and
   to goals established by the individual school. Policymakers should
   explore various alternative programs and practice modifications,
   regardless of the grade spans adopted. (Eight references) (MLH)

   <p>Descriptors: *Curriculum; *Extracurricular Activities; *Grouping
   (Instructional Purposes); Hidden Curriculum; *Instructional Program
   Divisions; Junior High Schools; *Middle Schools; *Pilot Projects
   Identifiers: *California
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED315896 EA021644
   <h>Title: Vertical Articulation for the Middle Grades.
   <h>Author(s): Hough, David
   <h>Author Affiliation: California Educational Research Cooperative,
   Riverside.(BBB27382)
   <h>Pages: 61
   <h>Publication Date: 1989
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; California

   <p>The junior high school, typically grades 7-8 or 7-9, offers a program
   that is "not-
   quite-yet-but-trying-to-be" a high school. The organization of the
   middle school (commonly the grades 6-8), however, is based on a
   philosophy of education that was specifically designed to meet the
   special needs of a preadolescent learner; middle schools incorporate
   unique curricula to better effect the transition between elementary
   and high school programs, rather than attempt to approximate one or
   the other. Many educators, perceiving junior highs as a "failed"
   promise, have turned to the middle school philosophy as an affirmation
   of a higher level of commitment. Indeed, since 1964, the number of new
   middle schools replacing traditional junior highs has progressively
   increased. A review of research on middle-level education indicates
   that: (1) although primarily an administrative concern driven by
   attendance boundaries, grade level organization had little impact on
   middle-level students' academic achievement; and (2) the terms "junior
   high school" and "middle school" do not define a school's program.
   Additionally, the effective schools research has given rise to
   discriminant analyses of effective middle school variables and allowed
   researchers to identify those characteristics most commonly found
   within "exemplary" middle schools. (159 references) (KM)

   <p>Descriptors: Age Grade Placement; Classes (Groups of Students);
   Curriculum Enrichment; Educational Development; Educational
   Environment; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Grouping (Instructional
   Purposes); Instructional Program Divisions; Junior High Schools;
   *Middle Schools; *Preadolescents; *School Organization; *Transitional
   Programs
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ466872 EA528302
   <h>Title: When Your K-5 School Changes to 3-5.
   <h>Author(s): Vann, Allan S.
   <h>Source: Principal, v73 n1 p20-22 Sep 1993
   <h>Publication Date: 1993
   <h>ISSN: 0271-6062
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)

   <p>Describes a district's reorganization of 2 K-5 schools into 1 for all
   K-2 grades and 1 for all 3-5 grades for economic reasons. The
   principal of the 3-5 facility views better focus and certain
   innovative initiatives (involving coverage of special topics, a
   whole-language reading program, and a sequential-research-skills
   approach) as advantages. (MLH)

   <p>Descriptors: Elementary Education; *Guidelines; *Instructional
   Innovation; *Principals; *Program Implementation; *School Organization
   Identifiers: *Elwood School District NY
                 __________________________________________

   <h>EJ466851 EA528251
   <h>Title: Elementary School Reorganization: Looking Back One Year Later.
   <h>Author(s): Vann, Allan S.
   <h>Source: ERS Spectrum, v11 n3 p32-37 Sum 1993
   <h>Publication Date: 1993
   <h>ISSN: 0740-7874
   <h>Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)

   <p>Evaluates a small New York school district's efforts to reorganize its
   two K-5 elementary schools into one K-2 primary grade school and one
   3-5 intermediate school, focusing on student, staff, and parent
   reactions. Although the new arrangement created more focused schools,
   the intermediate principal misses the energy deriving from the
   Kindergarten Thanksgiving feast and various primary-grade activities.
   (MLH)

   <p>Descriptors: Elementary Education; *Parent Attitudes; *Principals;
   *Program Evaluation; Program Implementation; *School Organization;
   *Student Reaction; *Teacher Response
   Identifiers: *Elwood Union Free School District NY
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED340604 SE052546
   <h>Title: The Impact of Transition from Junior Highs to Middle Schools on
   Science Programs.
   <h>Author(s): Jones, M. Gail
   <h>Pages: 20
   <h>Publication Date: April 1991
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National
   Association for Research in Science Teaching (Lake Geneva, WI, April
   7-10, 1991).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Speeches/meeting papers (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; North Carolina

   <p>Nationally many middle-level schools are changing from a traditional
   junior high school structure (grades 7-9) to middle schools (grades
   6-8). A case study examined the impact of middle school organizational
   changes that occurred as a large North Carolina school system
   converted from junior high schools to middle schools on science
   teachers and science instruction. The study found: that science
   instruction was enhanced under the new organizational structure;
   teachers had more instructional time; and teachers were supportive
   about the middle school organization. (KR)

   <p>Descriptors: *Case Studies; Elementary School Science; Inservice
   Teacher Education; Interdisciplinary Approach; Intermediate Grades;
   *Junior High Schools; Laboratory Equipment; *Middle Schools;
   Preservice Teacher Education; Program Descriptions; Qualitative
   Research; *School Organization; Science Education; *Secondary School
   Science
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED331157 EA022910
   <h>Title: Middle Level Organization--A Curriculum Policy Analysis.
   <h>Author(s): Hough, David L.
   <h>Pages: 63
   <h>Publication Date: March 1991
   <h>Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National
   Association of Secondary School Principals (Orlando, FL, March 1991).
   <h>Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; California

   <p>Significant differences among school grade-span types regarding the
   level of program implementation are influenced by the level of
   philosophical commitment; as school grade spans include
   lower-lower-grade levels, the level of commitment to the program
   increases. A conceptual model of latent variables that impact the
   middle-level writing curriculum--teacher characteristics,
   philosophical commitment, writing curriculum, policy, and school
   grade-span organization--is developed. Sixteen tables and six figures
   are included. (53 references) (LMI)

   <p>Descriptors: Educational Philosophy; *Elementary School Curriculum;
   *English Curriculum; Intermediate Grades; Junior High Schools;
   *Language Arts; *Middle Schools; Organizational Climate; *School
   Organization; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Characteristics; *Writing
   Instruction
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED301313 PS017585
   <h>Title: Life in the Three Sixth Grades.
   <h>Author(s): Lounsbury, John H.; Johnston, J. Howard
   <h>Author Affiliation: National Association of Secondary School
   Principals, Reston, Va.
   <h>Publication Date: 1988
   <h>Pages: 143p.
   <h>Notes: Report No: ISBN-0-88210-212-5
   <h>Available From: National Association of Secondary School Principals,
   1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091 ($9.00).
   EDRS Price - MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.
   <h>Document Type: RESEARCH REPORT (143); BOOK (010)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Virginia

   <p>In its six chapters, this report assesses the status of the sixth
   grade. The shadow study technique was employed to address three
   specific questions: (1) What is a sixth grader's day in school really
   like? (2) In what ways do the programs provided for sixth graders
   differ, depending on where the grade is located in the school system?
   and (3) How does knowledge of the nature and needs of sixth graders
   match up with the program actually provided? Sixth grades studied were
   initial, middle, or terminal grades. Conclusions and recommendations
   make up chapter 6. In appendices, related research is cited,
   methodology is described, and listings of observers, schools, and
   analysts are provided. (RH)

   <p>Descriptors: Comparative Analysis; *Educational Experience;
   *Elementary School Students; *Grade 6; *Instructional Program
   Divisions; Intermediate Grades; Profiles
   Identifiers: *Program Characteristics; *Shadow Studies
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED297417 EA019797
   <h>Title: The Effects of Various Middle-Grade Configurations.
   <h>Author(s): Sailor, Perry
   <h>Author Affiliation: Austin Independent School District, Tex. 1986
   <h>Pages: 15p.
   <h>Notes: Report No: AISD-85-20
   EDRS Price - MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: REVIEW LITERATURE (070)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; Texas

   <p>This paper summarizes research relevant to the Austin Independent
   School District's proposal to move sixth graders from an elementary
   school (K-6 or K,4-6) to a middle school (6-8) grade grouping. A
   summary of the evolution of middle-grade education is presented. Three
   areas affected by grade organization are discussed: academic
   achievement, nonacademic outcomes (self-concept and anxiety), and
   homogeneous grade groups. The grade organization studies of various
   middle grade configurations did not show any consistent effects one
   way or the other. References to 36 studies are included. (SI)

   <p>Descriptors: Academic Achievement; Behavior Change; Elementary School
   Students; *Grade 6; *Instructional Program Divisions; Intermediate
   Grades; *Middle Schools
   Identifiers: *Austin Independent School District TX
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED270404 SP027606
   <h>Title: Grade Organization in Secondary Schools, with Particular
   Reference to the Junior-Senior High School Model (Grades 7-12 or
   6-12).
   <h>Author(s): Lake, Sara
   <h>Author Affiliation: San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood
   City, CA. SMERC Information Center. Jun 1985
   <h>Pages: 22p.
   EDRS Price - MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: REVIEW LITERATURE (070)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; California

   <p>In the United States, a "two-tiered" school system--elementary and
   secondary education--is often spoken of, yet throughout this century
   the trend has been toward a "three tiered" system--elementary, junior
   high/intermediate/middle school, and high school. This paper reviews
   literature and research regarding these trends, the advantages and
   disadvantages of both systems, and the effects of grade organization
   patterns on students. Particular emphasis is given to the
   middle/junior high school system. The paper concludes with suggestions
   for changing grade organization patterns. Appendixes include
   references, a chart showing secondary grade organization patterns, and
   an outline of advantages and disadvantages in the systems. (CB)

   <p>Descriptors: Educational Trends; *Elementary Secondary Education;
   *Instructional Program Divisions; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools;
   *School Organization; *Secondary Schools
                 __________________________________________

   <h>ED252928 EA017415
   <h>Title: Primary and Intermediate Grade Configurations: A Review of the
   Literature.
   <h>Author(s): Raze, Nasus
   <h>Author Affiliation: San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood
   City, CA. SMERC Information Center. Jan 1985
   <h>Pages: 9p.
   EDRS Price - MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
   <h>Document Type: REVIEW LITERATURE (070); EVALUATIVE REPORT (142)
   <h>Geographic Source: U.S.; California
   <h>Target Audience: Researchers

   <p>This literature review concerns the concept of alternative grade
   configurations at the elementary level, in which elementary schools
   are subdivided into primary (K-2) and intermediate (3-5) units.
   Because of the paucity of literature on this concept, the major part
   of the report focuses on the reorganization of the elementary schools
   of the South Allegheny (Pennsylvania) school district. Although the
   K-2, 3-5 structure is often implemented in response to declining
   enrollment, other educational benefits cited may include better
   concentration on the educational and psychological needs of children
   in the two age groups, though one research study showed no significant
   differences in student achievement, attitude toward school,
   extracurricular participation, or career aspiration. The goals of the
   South Allegheny reorganization (in response to declining enrollment)
   were to equalize class sizes to facilitate multilevel instruction in
   reading and math, and to make better use of staff, school buildings,
   and instructional resources. Each of these objectives is described in
   detail, along with perceived disadvantages. An evaluative report
   revealed that the new grade structure saved money and resulted in
   improved discipline, student attitudes, and student interaction.
   Finally, literature on the implementation process is briefly reviewed,
   emphasizing the need for clear articulation between grade levels.
   Notes and references are included. (TE)

   <p>Descriptors: Age Grade Placement; *Class Organization; Developmental
   Stages; Educational Environment; Elementary Education; *Grouping
   (Instructional Purposes); *Homogeneous Grouping; *Instructional
   Program Divisions; *School Organization; Student Placement
   Identifiers: *South Allegheny School District PA

