Book:
(05V18) Rigor, Relevance and Relationships Matter in Improving Student Achievement in Rural High Schools
Special Reports:
(04V49) Essential Competencies for Middle Grades Mathematics Teachers
(04V50) 10 Strategies for Raising Achievement and Improving High School Completion Rates
(05T01) Technology Use in Rural High Schools Improves Opportunities for Student Achievement
(05V02) The Principal Internship: How Can We Get It Right?
Site Development Guides:
(05V01) Site Guide # 2: Developing Effective Leadership Teams
(05V13) Site Development Guide # 14: Students Will Take the Right Courses When Principals Lead
Research Briefs:
(05V06) Well-qualified Teachers and High Quality Teaching: Are They the Same?
(05V08) Project Lead The Way: a New Design for High School Career/Technical Students
(05V10) High Schools That Work Follow-up Study of 2002 High School Graduates
(05V14) Raising Achievement and Improving Graduation Rates: How Nine High Schools That Work Sites Are Doing It
Case Studies:
(04V41) Swain County High School, Bryson City, North Carolina
(04V46) Stemmers Run Middle School, Baltimore County, Maryland
(04V47) Paint Valley Middle School and High Schools, Bainbridge, Ohio
(04V55) EHOVE Career Center, Milan, Ohio
(05V05) LEAD Case Study: The Providence School Department and the University of Rhode Island Partnership
(05V09) Garden City High School, Garden City, Kansas
This is available in hard copy only.
(05V16c);
2005;
$10
Making High Schools and Middle Grades Schools Work
(2005)
This report discusses the findings of a five-year research project assessing the effectiveness in raising student achievement of the High Schools That Work (HSTW) and Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) school improvement models. Included in the study were 75 clusters (64 rural high schools plus their feeder middle grades schools) in 16 states. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, the study concluded that from 1999 to 2004 the high schools with the greatest success in raising student achievement had more deeply implemented the HSTW school improvement design.
By Gene Bottoms, Caro Feagin and Lingling Han
(05V12W);
28 pages;
2005;
This publication is available only online.
Well-qualified Teachers and High Quality Teaching: Are They the Same?
(2005)
Using data from SREB’s Middle Grades Assessment, four factors that measure teacher quality were found to be significantly and positively related to student achievement in the middle grades. This research brief describes those factors as they relate to teacher quality and the quality of instruction. Implications for future actions and further research are discussed.
(05V06);
8 pages;
2005;
$2;
$1 each for 10 or more
#2 Developing Effective Leadership Teams –– Implementing the High Schools That Work School Improvement Design
(2005)
Setting up operational school leadership teams is essential to the implementation of the HSTW and MMGW school improvement designs. This revision of School Site Teams (93V03) explains how working in teams makes school count for all students. Five essential leadership teams and their composition, structure and duties are described. Additional information is provided on the challenges of teamwork and how to work with ineffective team members. Site Development Guide #2.
(05V01);
28 pages;
2005;
$2
Site Guidelines for a Making Middle Grades Work Technical Review Visit
(2004)
The purpose of the Technical Review Visit is to review the progress a site has made in implementing the MMGW framework for school improvement. Specifically, this follow-up visit assesses how the school has addressed the challenges identified during the Technical Assistance Visit and outlined in the Technical Assistance Visit report. This guide gives schools a step-by-step process to prepare for the Technical Review Visit and includes forms, checklists and sample agendas. (Note: Available online only.)
(04V51);
26 pages;
2004;
This publication is available only online.
Essential Competencies for Middle Grades Mathematics Teachers
(2004)
Many middle grades mathematics teachers do not have the content expertise necessary to prepare their students for rigorous mathematics courses in high school. This publication outlines the content, process and instructional competencies needed by these teachers. Approved by mathematics content experts in all 16 SREB state education agencies, it can be used by schools and districts to design professional development for middle grades mathematics teachers and help them meet the "highly qualified" designation required by the No Child Left Behind Act.
By Kathleen Carpenter and Gene Bottoms
(04V49);
20 pages;
2004;
$2;
$1 each for 10 or more
Paint Valley Middle and High Schools, Bainbridge, Ohio
(2004)
Paint Valley Middle and High Schools, housed in a single complex with 660 students in rural southern Ohio, have implemented significant school reform since adopting the HSTW and MMGW Goals and Key Practices. Their success is the result of a decision by administrators, teachers and the board of education to establish a culture of high expectations. They recognized that the best way to improve the economy of the community, the 16th poorest in the state, was to improve its educational system. High school graduation requirements were raised and low-level courses eliminated, boosting student achievement. Eighth-graders and seniors made significant gains in achievement on the HSTW Assessment between 2001 and 2003.
(04V47);
18 pages;
2004;
This publication is available only online.
Stemmers Run Middle School, Baltimore County, Maryland
(2004)
This case study describes the remarkable strides in school improvement that Stemmers Run Middle School has made since joining the Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) initiative in 2000. The school once faced takeover by the state. With a new principal; a new commitment from teachers, administrators and staff; and guidance from MMGW, the school turned things around. Student mean scores on the 2002 Middle Grades Assessment showed gains of 26 points in reading and 19 points in mathematics and science, compared with the 2000 Assessment. The keys to its success include investing in professional development; raising student achievement; eliminating general mathematics; involving parents, students and the community; and strengthening guidance and mentoring.
(04V46);
12 pages;
2004;
$1
Getting Students Ready for High School Series (set)
(2004)
The High Schools That Work Getting Students Ready for High School series provides examples of course syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, assessments and professional development activities for preparing middle grades students for rigorous college-preparatory high school courses in three core subject areas. This three-guide set includes Getting Students Ready for College-preparatory/Honors Science: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do; Getting Students Ready for College-preparatory/Honors English: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do; and Getting Students Ready for Algebra I: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do. A compilation of additional support materials and model lesson videos for the Algebra I guide is available in compact disk (05V04) or VHS (05V03) format. Price is $100 each, either format.
This is available in hard copy only.
(04V43);
2004;
$15;
$12 each for 10 or more
Getting Students Ready for College-preparatory/Honors Science: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do
(2004)
When students leave the middle grades, they need to have the knowledge and skills to succeed in college-preparatory/honors science. This report provides guidance for a rigorous science curriculum in the middle grades that is based on a solid set of standards. Educators can use this framework in developing course syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, assessments and professional development activities that prepare students for this level of work.
By Gene Bottoms, Betty Harbin and Bob Moore
(04V04);
64 pages;
2004;
$7.50;
$5 each for 10 or more
#13 Ten Strategies for Creating a Classroom Culture of High Expectations
(2004)
Motivation and classroom management skills are essential to creating and sustaining an environment of high expectations and improvement in today's schools. This guide is designed to help teachers and school administrators assess their practices and plan strategies for improvement. The 10 strategies include tips on developing plans for classroom and school management, organizing classrooms, communicating with and involving parents, improving homework, using teaching strategies that engage students, and dealing with chronic disruptions and complaints. Site Development Guide #13.
By Myra Cloer Reynolds
(04V03);
8 pages;
2004;
$2;
$1 each for 10 or more
Getting the Mission Right in the Middle Grades
(2004)
This report, a part of the Challenge to Lead education goals series, documents SREB states' progress in getting middle grades students ready for high school. The analyses are based on scores and standards of state achievement tests and on results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The report also describes promising practices for preparing middle grades students for high school, based on technology applications that have been implemented in SREB states and on the work of SREB's Making Middle Grades Work.
By Joan Lord
(04E05);
28 pages;
2004;
$5
Making Middle Grades Work: School and Classroom Practices That Improve Student Achievement
(2003)
In 1997 SREB launched Making Middle Grades Work, a comprehensive effort to improve the middle grades. This research brief summarizes the results of a research study of 52 middle grades schools in 16 states. The study revealed improvement in both reading and mathematics. This report also recommends actions that states, districts and schools can take to improve achievement.
By Sondra Cooney and Gene Bottoms
(03V65);
4 pages;
2003;
$1.50
What Works to Improve Student Achievement in the Middle Grades: A Making Middle Grades Work Research Report
(2003)
In 1997 SREB launched a comprehensive middle grades improvement effort, Making Middle Grades Work. This research report examines the design and implementation of this comprehensive improvement effort in 52 middle grades schools in 16 states. The study addresses four basic questions: 1) Is student achievement higher for eighth-graders in the network than for other eighth-graders? 2) Why do schools with similar demographics perform differently? 3) Why is achievement higher for students in schools that have implemented the design more fully? 4) What can states, districts and schools do to improve middle grades achievement? The report includes a summary of findings and recommendations for states, districts and schools.
By Sondra Cooney and Gene Bottoms
(03V64);
36 pages;
2003;
$5;
$2.50 each for 10 or more
#12 Literacy Across the Curriculum: Setting and Implementing Goals for Grades Six through 12
(2003)
This volume is essential for state, district and school leaders who plan to implement schoolwide literacy programs. It provides concrete, research-based steps not only to raise reading and writing achievement but also to help students learn more in every class by using literacy skills. The guide focuses on five literacy goals: reading 25 books across the curriculum; writing weekly in all classes; using reading and writing strategies; writing research papers; and taking rigorous language arts classes. Site Development Guide #12.
(03V63);
224 pages;
2003;
$10;
$6.50 each for 10 or more
Getting Students Ready for College-preparatory/Honors English: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do
(2003)
This curriculum framework is an effort to ensure that students leave the middle grades with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college-preparatory/honors English. Educators can use this framework in developing course syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, assessments and professional development activities that will prepare students for rigorous English classes in high school.
By Renee Murray and Gene Bottoms
(03V61);
56 pages;
2003;
$7.50;
$5 each for 10 or more
Update Newsletter Fall 2003: Positive School Culture
(2003)
This issue of the High Schools That Work newsletter offers a framework for evaluating school culture and making necessary changes to improve student achievement. The lead article examines the male versus female culture in our nation's high schools and how this gender gap affects achievement. Several articles provide school leaders and teachers with experienced practioners' insights on effective ways to assess school culture and transform it into one in which all students can succeed.
(03V58);
40 pages;
2003;
free
Improving the Middle Grades: Actions That Can Be Taken Now
(2003)
This publication describes six steps that states can take immediately to strengthen middle grades education.
- Get the mission right. Set out to prepare students for challenging work in high school.
- Define what students need to know and be able to do to be ready for high school.
- Set high but reasonable standards for student performance.
- Provide lagging students with extra time and extra help.
- Get more good principals, in part by changing the focus of existing programs for preparing principals.
- Get more good teachers, in part by changing licensure rules to require all middle grades teachers to have a solid grounding in the subjects they will teach.
By Gene Bottoms, Sondra Cooney and Kathleen Carpenter
(03V02);
8 pages;
2003;
$1
A Highly Qualified Teacher in Every Middle Grades Classroom: What States, Districts and Schools Can Do
(2002)
Teacher quality is one of the most critical issues facing the middle grades. SREB recommends seven key practices for increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the middle grades: 1) require every new teacher to have a content major or minor in a content area; 2) establish subject-specific certificates for middle grades teachers and eliminate certificates that overlap grade levels; 3) encourage pre-teaching experiences that start early and that lead to at least 18 weeks of supervised teaching; 4) require mentoring programs for teachers with less than three years of experience; 5) offer incentives to highly qualified teachers in the middle grades; 6) require ongoing professional development in subject areas; and 7) evaluate professional development by its effects on student achievement.
By Sondra Cooney and Gene Bottoms
(02V56);
16 pages;
2002;
$2.50
Update Newsletter Fall 2002: Quality Professional Development
(2002)
This issue of the High Schools That Work newsletter examines strategies for improving the quality of professional development in the middle grades and high schools. It offers valuable information about the role leadership can play in high-quality professional development, the latest research and outstanding practices in the field, ways to conduct meaningful on-site professional development, and opportunities offered through SREB.
(02V54);
40 pages;
2002;
free
Getting Students Ready for Algebra I: What Middle Grades Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do
(2002)
This curriculum framework is an effort to ensure that students leave the middle grades with the mathematics knowledge and competencies to succeed in Algebra I. Educators can use this framework in developing course syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, assessments and professional development activities that will prepare students for high-level mathematics classes in high school.
By Gene Bottoms
(02V52);
44 pages;
2002;
$7.50;
$5 each for 10 or more
Academic Achievement in the Middle Grades: What Does Research Tell Us?
(2002)
This literature review surveys contemporary scholarship on academic achievement in the middle grades to assess the state of middle grades education and determine what led to reform.
By Rafael Heller, Sarah Calderon and Elliott Medrich of MPR Associates Inc. and Gene Bottoms, Sondra Cooney and Caro Feagin of SREB
(02V47);
20 pages;
2002;
$2;
$1 each for 10 or more
Opening Doors to the Future: Preparing Low-achieving Middle Grades Students to Succeed in High School
(2002)
Many students find the journey from the middle grades to high school difficult. They lack the knowledge and skills necessary for doing high school-level work, and they do not have the study skills needed to meet higher standards in ninth grade and beyond. Middle grades schools and high schools increasingly are creating safety nets — special programs to help students make the transition to grade nine. This publication contains 15 examples of transition programs that work in raising achievement and keeping students in school.
(02V41);
72 pages;
2002;
$5;
$2 each for 10 or more
Making Middle Grades Work Technical Assistance Guide for Team Members and Leaders
(2002)
SREB's Making Middle Grades Work initiative aims to increase the percentages of eighth-graders who perform at the proficient level in core academic subjects and who leave eighth grade ready for college-preparatory work in high school. Technical Assistance Visits help school leaders and teachers identify changes needed to improve student achievement in the middle grades. This guide is designed to help team members and leaders conduct successful, productive Technical Assistance Visits.
By Barbara Moore
(02V38);
20 pages;
2002;
This publication is available only online.
Making Middle Grades Work Technical Assistance Guide for Site Coordinators
(2002)
Technical Assistance Visits help school leaders and teachers identify changes needed to improve student achievement in the middle grades and to implement the comprehensive improvement framework. This guide provides detailed information to help schools plan effective Technical Assistance Visits. It describes team members' roles and includes forms, checklists, and sample agendas and correspondence.
By Sondra Cooney and Barbara Moore
(02V05);
28 pages;
2002;
This publication is available only online.
Summer School: Unfulfilled Promise
(2002)
Summer school can be the last chance for low-performing students to avoid repeating a grade. Quality summer school has been proven to help low-performing students narrow the achievement gap between them and more successful students. Without summer school, the gap widens. Unfortunately, few states provide either adequate funding or program standards to ensure that quality summer school is available to all students. This report looks at state policies on summer school, summarizes the research on what makes a quality summer school, and makes recommendations for state policies.
By David R. Denton
(02H02);
20 pages;
2002;
$5
Influence of School Practices on Students’ Academic Choices
(2002)
This report looks at the relationship between students' academic choices and the extent to which guidance counselors and teachers help students plan their high school programs. It also examines how guidance counselors' and teachers' encouragement affects students' academic choices.
();
32 pages;
2002;
This publication is available only online.
The SREB-State Middle Grades Consortium: Making Middle
Grades Work
Making
Middle Grades Work: Raising the Achievement of All Middle Grades Students (September
2001)
This publication addresses the Making Middle Grades Work goals of raising the
academic achievement of all students in the middle grades and increasing the
percentages of students at the "basic" and "proficient"
levels as defined by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. It also
highlights some related objectives: developing a challenging, coherent academic
core curriculum; setting high expectations for all students; providing teachers
with the necessary professional development; and implementing a guidance and
support system for students and families.
(01V58); 12 pages; 2001; This
publication is available only online.
Making
Middle Grades Matter: A Planning Guide for School Improvement (April
2000)
This publication provides a process for schools to follow in organizing for
whole school improvement. Steps for establishing school improvement teams,
documenting need and identifying changes required, addressing resistance among
stakeholder groups, developing and implementing a plan for school improvement,
and creating a climate of continuous improvement are outlined.
(00V08); 20 pages; 2000; $2.50
Closing
the Gaps in the Middle Grades
(September 2001)
The middle grades have long been identified as the "weak link" in
education. Making Middle Grades Work seeks to accelerate academic achievement by
changing what students are taught; how they are taught; when they are taught
certain subjects; how teachers relate to students, other teachers and parents;
and how teachers receive support. This guide explains how teachers, school and
district leaders, and the community can work together to design improvement
strategies.
By Sondra Cooney
(01V53); 12 pages; 2001; $1
A
Middle Grades Message: A well-qualified teacher in every classroom matters.
(September 2000)
Are middle grades teachers prepared to teach the depth of content necessary
to prepare students for high school in the 21st century? This report addresses
that question and includes a rating instrument that states and districts can use
to gauge their commitment to having a well-qualified teacher in every middle
grades classroom.
By Sondra Cooney
(00V39); 8 pages; 2000; $5
SREB's Middle Grades Initiative:
A Collection of Four Reports
Education's Weak Link: Student Performance
in the Middle Grades (March 1998) paints a picture of middle schools
that are not preparing students for the challenges that lie ahead in high school
courses. The educational gains that are made in elementary school stall when
children enter the middle grades, where they are not being held to high
standards or challenged intellectually, according to the report.
By Sondra Cooney
(98E02); 20 pages; 1998; $5
Raising the Bar in the Middle Grades:
Readiness for Success (June 1998) outlines some strategies that have
been effective and offers suggestions for how states and schools can take
children to the next level and ease their transition into more challenging
courses in high school.
By Sondra Cooney
(98E05); 20 pages; 1998; $5
Improving Teaching in the Middle
Grades: Higher Standards for Students Aren't Enough (December 1998)
addresses the need for states to examine closely their requirements for teacher
certification and to review the educational backgrounds of middle grades
teachers. The report includes a list of recommended actions that states can take
to improve teaching in the middle grades.
By Sondra Cooney
(98E13); 20 pages; 1998; $5
Leading the Way: State Actions to
Improve Student Achievement in the Middle Grades (June 1999) helps
states take control of efforts to improve the middle grades and gives them
several suggestions for how to achieve success. The report reviews the
predicament that exists in the middle grades and advises states of their
responsibilities in spearheading changes in middle grades education.
By Sondra Cooney
(99E18); 20 pages; 1999; $5
Many publications are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. A free download is
available here.
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For more information on Making Middle Grades Work, e-mail mmgw@sreb.org.
For more information on SREB publications, e-mail publications@sreb.org
or call (404) 875-9211, Ext. 236.
Copyright © 1999-2008 Southern Regional Education Board. All rights
reserved. Terms and Conditions
