LAST BEST CHANCE

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Middle Grades Task Force spent considerable time discussing a large number of middle level issues, priorities, and challenges that have a profound impact upon the education of young adolescents in our state. Throughout the recommendations, the task force interprets "all young adolescents" to be inclusive—comprising students of diverse ethnicity, race, language, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, regional or geographic origin, culture, family composition, and those with exceptional needs.

From a long list of important topics, consensus was reached on five broad categories that many consider to be the most important issues in middle level education in North Carolina. All possible recommendations were examined through the following filter:

• Does the recommendation advance the improvement of middle level education in North Carolina?
• Does the recommendation offer suggestions that are practical, "do-able," and relevant?
• Does the recommendation support the needs of middle level schools in North Carolina's high-stakes testing environment?

These five topics are presented in alphabetical order though the task force considers them all equally essential and important. There was consideration given to adding "research" as a separate category, but the task force considers research to be an overarching area that is a part of each goal area. As a general recommendation, the task force notes that it is essential to continue the middle level research agenda through higher education institutions, and through collaborative and partnership efforts with schools and other organizations. The expectation of the task force is that schools and districts will incorporate these recommendations into their policies and procedures.

The major topic areas, with a brief description of the focus of that area, are as follows:

Curriculum & Instruction: includes the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, differentiation of instruction, remediation, student-centered learning, best practices, acceleration of high-performing students, pedagogy, assessment, literacy, accountability, testing, electives.

Diversity: includes closing the achievement gap between white and minority students, equity issues, and awareness of cultural differences.

Educator Preparation: includes both pre-service and in-service teacher preparation, licensure issues, hiring and retaining qualified staff, career-long professional development, principal leadership and development.

Organization & Culture: includes school organization, scheduling, class size, transition from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school, student effort, extracurricular, after school, and Saturday activities.

Partnerships: includes reaching out to parents and extended families, local businesses, and the community as well as fostering increased involvement in schools.

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