Middle Grades

Having reviewed all of the information on this project I am 
embarrassed and outraged that no one working on this project has 
bothered to consider the failure in the state of California to 
deal effectively with the neglect of early adolescent students 
and middle grade schools.  Despite years of trying to get the 
state legislature, the governor and the state board of education 
to recognize the special needs of early adolescents, the need for 
specific training of middle level teachers and administrators; 
despite the development of 2 middle grade state reform documents 
(Caught in the Middle and Taking Center Stage), no one in our 
state government seems too concerned about the failure to support 
middle schools and middle school students.  

National research continues to point to early adolescents being 
the group greatest at risk for failure and dropping out of school 
if their needs are not met, yet this state fails to offer 
specific teacher preparation for middle school teachers including 
no required coursework in adoledcent psychology or development, 
no required coursework in middle school theory, foundations or 
basic principles, no specific training in instructional 
strategies which motivate the early adolescent learner.  Fact: 
Teaching in a middle grade school requires special skills and 
knowledge and preparation for elementary or high school teaching 
does NOT adequately prepare an individual to teach in a middle 
grade school.  Thirty-six states require certification of middle 
grade teachers and 8 additional states requires additional 
coursework prior to teaching in middle grade schools, however in 
California 98% of candidates receiving a teaching credential from 
a CSU or UC campus will never have visited a middle school during 
their preparation nor will they have heard anything about 
adolescent development, the needs of adolescent learners, the 
philosophy or foundations of middle school education, or the 
basics of middle school theory (research by Howard, CSUSB, 1998).

It does absolutely no good to undertake a major project such as 
this one and discuss early interventions for pre-school and early 
elementary schools, and to further discuss high expectations and 
improved technology and challenging coursework at the high school 
if you fail to address the needs of middle grade students, 
teachers and their parents.  

Irvin Howard, Past-President, California League of Middle 
Schools,Professor of Education, Californ