The Critical Middle Maryland Middle School 20 Steering Committee A reason for hope JUNE 08 Nancy S. Grasmick State Superintendent of Schools JoAnne L. Carter Deputy State Superintendent Office of Instruction and Academic Acceleration Ronald A. Peiffer Deputy State Superintendent Office of Academic Policy A. Skipp Sanders Deputy State Superintendent Office of Administration Dunbar Brooks President Maryland State Board of Education Martin O’ Malley Governor Maryland State Department of Education 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 www.MarylandPublicSchools.org 410.767.0600 410.333.6442 (TTY) 1.888.246.0016 The Maryland State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, or disability in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. © 2008 Maryland State Department of Education ii The Critical Middle Maryland Middle School 20 Steering Committee A reason for hope JUNE 08 Steering Committee Members* Mary Gable, Co-Chair Pam Edwards Director of Instructional Programs Guidance Counselor, Centreville Middle School Maryland State Department of Education Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Gerald Scarborough, Co-Chair Lorraine Fulton Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Instruction Carroll County Public Schools Harford County Public Schools Keith Gayler Ilene Swirnow, Co-Chair Lead Academic Policy Analyst Director of Elementary and Middle School Initiatives Maryland State Department of Education Maryland State Department of Education Catherine Gilbert Director of Middle Schools Anne Arundel County Public Schools Mita Badshah Principal, Ballenger Creek Middle School Lynne Gilli Frederick County Public Schools Program Manager, Career and Technology Education Kim Bobola Maryland State Department of Education Coordinator, Comprehensive Planning Maryland State Department of Education Ann Glazer Director of School Improvement Initiatives Debra Calvert Maryland State Department of Education Coordinator for Middle School Education Charles County Public Schools Margaret Golibersuch English Language Learner Teacher, Mark Conrad Buck Lodge Middle School Principal, Cross Roads School Prince George’s County Public Schools Baltimore City Public Schools Donna Hanlin Patrick Crain Director of Elementary Education Director, Office of School Innovations Washington County Public Schools Maryland State Department of Education Scott Harrington Carrie Crawford Middle School Head, Friends School of Baltimore Teacher, Walkersville Middle School Association of Independent Maryland Schools Maryland Middle School Association Gemma Hoskins Michelle Dressel Teacher Mentor, Lansdowne Middle School Teacher, Loch Raven Academy Baltimore County Public Schools Baltimore County Public Schools * The positions and affiliations of all Middle School Steering Committee members are as of the convening of the Committee in September 2006. ii Linda Jackson Deborah Montgomery Teacher, Calverton Elementary School Principal, Corkran Middle School Prince George’s County Public Schools Anne Arundel County Public Schools Michael Johnson Jayne Moore Principal, Bennett Middle School Director, Instructional Technology & School Wicomico County Public Schools Library Media Program Maryland State Department of Education Hayley Jones Student, Oklahoma Middle School Pam Morgan Carroll County Public Schools Project Co-Coordinator, E=mc2 Towson University Stacey Kopnitsky Executive Director Anthony Pack Maryland Middle School Association Superintendent Kent County Public Schools Deborah Kraft Director, Education & Social Science Division Dennis Pataniczek Villa Julie College Dean, Seidel School of Education Salisbury University Sheila LoCastro Specialist, Maryland Virtual Learning Marilyn Perez Opportunities Area Academic Officer, Middle School Area Maryland State Department of Education Baltimore City Public Schools Kim Long Dennis Queen Guidance Counselor, Governor Thomas Johnson Principal, Kingsview Middle School Middle School Montgomery County Public Schools Frederick County Public Schools David Reeder Philip Lynch Director of Middle Schools Teacher, Silver Spring International Middle School Washington County Public Schools Montgomery County Public Schools Carl Roberts Maggie Madden Superintendent Specialist, Program Approval & Accreditation Cecil County Public Schools Maryland State Department of Education Kathy Seay Brenda McCartney Deputy Director Assistant Superintendent of Administration & Maryland Business Roundtable for Education Supervisory Staff Garrett County Public Schools Colleen Seremet Assistant State Superintendent for Instruction Mary Ann Mears Maryland State Department of Education Chair, Board of Trustees Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alliance iii Margaret Sherrod Sharon West Teacher, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School Section Chief, Program Administration & Staff Charles County Public Schools Development Maryland State Department of Education John Smeallie Assistant State Superintendent for Marian White-Hood Certification & Accreditation Principal, Dr. Ernest Everett Just Middle School Maryland State Department of Education Prince George’s County Public Schools Scott Smith Kenneth Witmer Director of Secondary Schools Dean of Education St. Mary’s County Public Schools Frostburg University Debra J. Speed Assistant Vice President Verizon Kate Stephansky Teacher and Learning Center Coordinator, John F. Kennedy High School Montgomery County Public Schools The Steering Committee thanks the Mid-Atlantic Richard Streeter Comprehensive Center and facilitators Carolyn Parent Parker, Elizabeth Powers, and Trenace Richardson, Anne Arundel County Public Schools who developed and maintained the Middle School Steering Committee web site, posted research, Eric Sullivan gathered a representative selection of research into a Chair, Citizen Advisory Committee crosswalk, assisted with planning, and compiled the Anne Arundel County Public Schools bibliography. Ron Thomas Executive Director Maryland Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Steering Committee Members, Cont. Members, Committee Steering Andrew Todd Teacher, Somerset 6–7 Intermediate School Somerset County Public Schools Betty Weller Vice President Maryland State Teachers Association iv Acknowledgements The Steering Committee wishes to thank Maryland State Department of Education staff who contributed to this report. Nancy Carey Jeanne Paynter Teacher Professional Development Gifted and Talented Programs Division of Instruction Division of Instruction Mary Cary Bonnie Schmeltz Division for Leadership Development Reading & English/Language Arts Programs Division of Instruction Sylvia Edwards Reading & English/Language Arts Programs Lynette Sledge Division of Instruction Reading & English/Language Arts Programs Division of Instruction Marquita Friday Career and Technology Education Instructional Susan Spinnato Branch World Languages Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning Division of Instruction Brian Griffith Dixie Stack Health Education Curriculum Division of Instruction Division of Instruction Patricia Jones Marcie Taylor-Thoma Succession Initiatives Social Studies Programs Division for Leadership Development Division of Instruction Susan Laber Mary Thurlow Middle School Initiatives Science Programs Division for Leadership Development Division of Instruction Kathy Marzola Jay Tucker Instructional Programs Fine Arts Programs Division of Instruction Division of Instruction Michael Mason Donna Watts Physical Education Mathematics Programs Division of Instruction Division of Instruction Mary McGowan Career and Technology Education Instructional The Steering Committee is indebted to editor Nan Mulqueen Branch for the extraordinary amount of work she put into making this Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning report what it is. Her enormous talent and dedication are greatly appreciated. The Committee also thanks Jenna Frye for her Bonnie Naef striking publication design. English Language Learner Programs Division of Instruction v vi Table of Contents Introduction 1 Background 4 Goal 7 Executive Summary 11 Recommendations Overview 21 Instructional Time 22 Algebra 24 Integrated STEM Instruction 26 World Languages 27 Disciplinary Literacy 29 Fine Arts 30 Technology & Information Literacy 31 Skills for Lifelong Success 32 Advanced Learners 33 Teacher Preparation 35 Professional Development 36 School Leadership 38 Assessment & Feedback 39 Skill Mastery 41 Parent & Student Partnerships 43 Organizational Structures 44 Conclusion 46 References 47 vii Introduction The Middle School Challenge middle grades than most states. Maryland is #1 in the nation for improving 8th-graders’ NAEP In Maryland and across the country, it is in reading scores, and #4 in improving their math middle school that students’ progress slows, scores.5 a But as the statistics indicate, we have performance declines, and gaps persist. On the come so far in middle school precisely because 2007 National Assessment of Educational Prog- that is where we have the farthest to go. ress (NAEP), just 34 percent of U.S. 8th-graders were proficient or better in reading, 7 percent- The Critical Middle age points below the 4th-grade average. Thirty- nine percent were proficient or better in math, a Decades after the high school reform movement 6-point drop from 4th grade. Across the board, was launched—a movement to increase course poor and minority 8th-graders do worse than rigor