Both the junior high school and the middle school were established specifically to meet the unique physical and intellectual needs of preadolescents and early adolescents. The ability of these types of schools to accomplish that goal, as measured by the research, is the basic subject of this report. Each of the report's five parts begins with an…

The author focuses on some of the research needs for early adolescents (ages 10 to 15). It highlights areas in which federal policy concerns intersect with developmental research, and discusses six areas: social equity, basic skills, school discipline, parent participation, and school effectiveness. (Author/KC)