What is Making Middle Grades Work?

A national comprehensive results based middle grades improvement model design by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), whose region encompasses 16 states.  SREB believes that a partnership with state and local leaders can accelerate change in middle grades education through the establishment of a consortium of state leaders and the development of a comprehensive improvement framework.  SREB promotes this collaboration with each participating state and school site agreeing to implement a comprehensive improvement framework for advancing student achievement.

What are the Major Goals of Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW)?

The major goals of MMGW are to:

• ensure middle schools have a concrete measurable mission;
• increase the percentages of eighth-graders who perform at the proficient levels in academic subjects;
• provide educational experiences that increase students’ knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, language arts, science and social studies; and
• provide students with opportunities to apply their skills in the fine arts and to explore careers and new technology.

What does MMGW recommend for increasing student achievement?

Schools implementing MMGW use a variety of school and classroom practices for increasing the achievement of all students.  The identified focus for attaining these goals is having all students successfully complete a challenging program of studies to prepare them for readiness for high school.  Schools implementing MMGW use a variety of school and classroom practices for increasing the achievement of all students.  The identified focus for attaining these goals is having all students successfully complete a challenging program of studies to prepare them for readiness for high school.  As a support to assist MMGW schools in school improvement framework the SREB will:

• provide resources and professional development for state, school and district leaders;
• coordinate activities, networking and visits to states and school sites;
• analyze and report on the progress of states and sites in improving student learning; and,
• develop written materials to support the implementation of the comprehensive improvement framework.

What is MMGW’s assessment?

MMGW schools participate every other year in assessments based upon the schools date of entry.  The MMGW assessment is based upon items produced by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).  It consists of four sections; reading, mathematics, science and student survey.  A faculty survey, principal’s survey and a transcript analysis of student’s course taking patterns in middle and high school are included.

Technical Assistance Visits (TAV’s) are conducted to help school leaders and teachers identify changes needed to improve student achievement.  SREB in partnership with the state conducts a three-day visit with each school as they join the network.  The TAV team includes representatives from elementary schools and high schools associated with the middle grades school.  After the visit, SREB produces a report recognizing the schools strength and identifies challenges and recommended actions the schools should consider.  A technical review visit is made about 18 months after the initial visit to assess the school’s progress.

How is the MMGW implemented?

Schools participating in the MMGW agree to:

• support a rigorous and challenging academic core for all students;
• participate in the NAEP-based assessment and use all available data to develop solutions to identified needs;
• conduct an orientation for school staff that documents the need for change and invites broad participation in planning and implementing changes;
• develop a three-year action plan that details specific steps and key conditions that lead to accelerated student achievement;
• provide professional development for teachers and staff and provide time and opportunity to work together to implement the comprehensive improvement framework; and ,
• appoint a school site coordinator.

To assist schools and districts, each state agrees to:

• designate a state middle grades coordinator to represent the state at semi-annual meetings of the middle grades board;
• create a network of middle grades schools that work together, share resources and solve common problems;
• assist middle grades schools through technical assistance visits, regular discussions of progress and barriers, and annual reviews of action plans;
• support schools’ improvement efforts by identifying professional-development experiences that address specific needs; and,
• attend SREB’s annual staff-development conference and other middle grades conferences and workshops.

For more information about Making Middle Grades Work in Maryland, contact the Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning at (410) 767-0172 or visit the Southern Region Education Board website at:  www.sreb.org