MASSP News Center

From the Middle
Diane McMillan, Associate Director

Another school year has come and gone and this year has seen many serious conversations about the importance of middle level education. From what I’ve heard as I’ve traveled in different circles, I’d like to share some predictions about what middle level educators might expect to be hot topics in the coming 2007-2008 school year:

College credit while still in high school: One of Superintendent Flanagan’s major goals for next year is to continue the expansion of college credit opportunities for high school students. “How does this affect me, the middle level educator,” you may ask?

In the June 2006 State Board of Education report on College Credit Opportunities, it was acknowledged that high school students must get started in middle school to be prepared to take full advantage of college credit opportunities. Middle level educators would do well to familiarize themselves with college awareness programs like pre-AP, pre-IB, AVID, GEAR UP and TRIO programs. Copy and paste the URL below into your browser for a detailed explanation of these programs and the SBE recommendation (on page six). www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Memo_to_supts_re_early_college_credit__AP_189154_7.pdf - 2007-03-06

Excerpt from the Document:

III. Recommendations - Student Support
1. Recommendation: All students, beginning in the sixth grade, should have access to early student preparation for college credit opportunities. The educational development plan begun in the seventh grade should ensure that every middle and high school student can acquire the skills, habits of mind, and concepts they need to succeed in college and the workforce. Some examples of these early student preparations could include:

• Field trips (live and virtual) to college campuses
• Pre-AP and pre-IB programs
• The Career Education In A Global Economy on-line course. This on-line course will be made available free to all Michigan students.
• CollegeEdâ„¢ and SpringBoardâ„¢programs from the College Boardâ„¢EPASâ„¢ (Educational Planning and Assessment System) and Discover® program from ACT®
  College Attendance and Awareness programs

cFWD and EDPs

MASSP will be working with MDE to help inform and offer incentives to middle level schools and ninth grade programs that incorporate the online cFWD curriculum into their school offerings. The Michigan Merit Curriculum assigns the task of developing educational development plans that includes career study and information for all students beginning in the 7th grade and completed in the 8th grade. Students can fulfill the online learning experience graduation requirement at the same time that they complete their plans using the FREE cFWD curriculum. Expect to see guidelines developed for the EDP and information about the implementation of the c FWD curriculum early next school year.

Breaking Ranks in the Middle Seminars

Breaking Ranks in the Middle™ Seminars are coming to Michigan next year. NASSP’s Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform™ (BRIM) is recognized nationally for its comprehensive and coherent framework for middle grades reform.

A three-day Training of Trainers Workshop will be held July 24-26 2007 here at the MELG Building in Lansing.  Macomb ISD will host a training on November 7-8, 2007. Details are on the MASSP website.

Michigan Schools to Watch

“Schools to Watch” is an initiative launched by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999. The National Forum is an alliance of more than 60 educators, researchers, and officers of national associations and foundations dedicated to improving schools for young adolescents across the country.

Through the Schools to Watch initiative, the National Forum identified four schools across the United States that were well on their way to meeting the Forum’s criteria for high performance. Forum members believe that three things are true of high-performing middle-grades schools:

• They are academically excellent – these schools challenge all students to use their minds well.
• They are developmentally responsive – these schools are sensitive to the unique developmental challenges of early adolescence.
• They are socially equitable – these schools are democratic and fair, providing every student with high-quality teachers, resources, and supports.

Designated Michigan Schools to Watch:

• Oakview Middle School
• Saline Middle School
• White Pine Middle School

The application window opens up in the fall.

So it looks like a busy school year next year for reform-minded middle school level educators.  We at at MASSP will continue to bring you information as new initiatives unfold.