For children, change can be frightening, and the middle school years are a time of dramatic change for them. Young adolescents are grappling with confusing and often difficult changes in their emotions, their bodies, their schools, their schedules, and the social and academic expectations placed upon them. Middle school administrators, teachers,…

Despite widespread support for early education among policymakers and business and community leaders, the most frequently cited obstacle to expanding quality or access is fiscal constraints. Thus, in an attempt to accommodate these publicly supported programs within the confines of limited state budgets, policymakers leverage states' general…