Middle School Matters initiative to prepare students for high school
2/17/2011
Nearly one-third of America’s young people fail to graduate from high school in four years. To address that need, the George W. Bush Institute has launched the Middle School Matters education initiative to increase the number of children who complete middle school at grade level and go on to graduate from high school ready for college or a career. The program was announced by former first lady Mrs. Laura W. Bush at Stovall Middle School of the Aldine Independent School District in Houston.
"Middle school is the last and best chance to prepare students for a successful high school career,” Mrs. Bush said to a crowd of 400 students, teachers, parents, education policy experts and city and school leaders. “Research shows with systematic, intensive interventions that students who started middle school behind can catch up."
The Institute has partnered with the nation’s top researchers to integrate, for the first time, proven practices that yield significant advances in middle school student achievement and readiness for high school. Implemented as a total package, Middle School Matters provides the proven mix of interventions to guarantee success.
Researchers developing Middle School Matters have identified 11 elements as critical for middle school success. These elements include concepts such as “school leadership” and “reading and reading interventions.” Middle School Matters incorporates key benchmarks, such as the ability to read for learning, write to communicate and perform complex math equations at grade level. Under each of the 11 elements, a research team convened by the Bush Institute prescribes five to eight data-driven specifications that include practical examples of how to best implement the research in the classroom.
“At the Bush Institute, we think big, work together, and get results,” said James K. Glassman, executive director of the Bush Institute. “Middle School Matters will dramatically transform our partner middle schools and create an environment where students enter high school ready to do the work.”
Middle School Matters will be implemented in three phases. The program is currently in Phase One, which includes building the platform and ensuring that all components work together cohesively. Phase Two will pilot the program in 10-15 schools. Each pilot school will undergo a tailored needs assessment and will be matched with a support team to assist in the implementation of the Middle School Matters specifications over two years. Phase Three will evaluate the pilot programs and scale the initiative to engage more schools.
Initial funding for Middle School Matters was provided by a $500,000 donation from the Meadows Foundation. Other collaborators include America’s Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises, Southern Regional Education Board, Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas, Dallas, and Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University.
"America's Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University are excited about partnering with the Bush Institute,” said John Bridgeland, president and CEO of Civic Enterprises. “Middle School Matters is addressing a very critical part of the pipeline in helping students stay in school and be successful once they leave. The Institute's focus on research-based strategies is an excellent one and we look forward to working in tandem with this initiative.”
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For more information on Middle School Matters, and to learn more about the education reform initiatives at the George W. Bush Institute, please visit
www.georgewbushcenter.com
.