This fifth annual update on America's high school dropout crisis shows that, for the first time in history, the nation has crossed the 80 percent high school graduation rate threshold and remains on pace, for the second year in a row, to meet the goal of a 90 percent high school graduation rate by the Class of 2020. This report highlights key…

Describes the scheduling changes that allowed for program improvement at the New Platz, New York, Middle School. (DS)

The purpose of this practicum was to develop and implement a new middle school teacher assignment and pupil class schedule. The need for the new schedule was identified by both parents and staff during a series of meetings designed to identify major problems facing the district. The schedule that was developed, with extensive input from the toatl…

Details steps for implementing a site-based scheduling model for middle schools. Six steps are: forming the scheduling committee, conducting a needs assessment, setting and prioritizing goals, examining other working schedules, developing the master schedule, and adjusting the master schedule. (KB)

In this paper, educators in a suburban middle school promote the positive educational outcomes from an alternating-day block schedule at their middle school. Comparisons are cited in student achievement and school climate indicators between the block schedule and the eight-period day with shorter classes. The paper cites several advantages of the…

The Lewisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Middle School has successfully implemented an alternating-day block schedule that has yielded improved academic performance. The positive effect may derive from administrative support, teacher empowerment, and community agreement. The culture of the traditional schedule and school year remains essentially intact,…

Describes a middle school science programs in which the administrative organization permits flexible scheduling, interdisciplinary team teaching, and individualized instruction. (JR)

This report describes the flexible scheduling practices of Kennedy Middle School in Aiken, South Carolina and its Interdisciplinary Middle School Program for Advisement, Counseling, and Teaming (IMPACT). The school is organized into 2 sixth-grade, 2 seventh-grade, and 2 eighth-grade teams, each of which contains 6 teachers and 90 to 150 students.…

Using the recommendations in "Turning Points 2000" as a point for comparison, this study examined how middle level instruction was being implemented in over 50 middle schools in 10 states, focusing on the balance between equity and excellence. Middle schools participating in the study were located mainly in suburbs of Minneapolis and St.…

Examines the implementation of an alternating day schedule in middle school. It is suggested that block scheduling provides an effective instructional alternative to the traditional six- or seven-period format, creating a relaxed atmosphere while decreasing stress and improving attitudes of both students and teachers. Blocks provide a gradual…

This resource guide deals with open education at the secondary level. It concentrates on open education schools and programs in the Boston area, as its intended audience is Massachusetts Educators. The "open" concept in education is discussed, and a scale designed to measure the extent to which a given program embodies the open school…

Because of the high number of at-risk students at Carver Middle School (Meridian, Mississippi), the principal developed several programs to bring student achievement to the level commensurate with other students around the nation. The Early Bird Program is a Chapter One program of individualized work in math, reading, and language arts classes to…

This document consists of the three issues of the journal "Learning Languages" published during volume year 2. These issues contain the following major articles: "Minneapolis and Brittany: Children Bridge Geographical and Social Differences Through Technology" (Janine Onffroy Shelley); "Student Reasons for Studying…