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In The Middle

Spanish Translation

-- By Kathryn Satterfield

Kennedy Frank likes being a sixth grader. And why wouldn't she? "I have the privilege of changing classes," she told TFK, "and I'm getting new experiences by not having the same teacher all day." But she still takes comfort in being with old friends and seeing familiar teachers from years past.

Kennedy, 11, goes to Humboldt Park Kn8 School, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Humboldt Park is one of 54 Kn8 (kindergarten through eighth grade) schools in the area. The school is part of a growing movement to change the way kids ages 10n15 are educated. More and more educators are turning away from middle schools for grades 6n8 in favor of Kn8 schools. School districts from California to New York are opening more Kn8 schools while doing away with many middle schools.

Learning From the Past

Middle schools were created in the 1970s to fix flaws in traditional junior high schools, which housed grades 7n9. Some educators said that a too-strict junior high curriculum wasn't a good match for the physical and emotional needs of kids just entering their teens. By contrast, middle schools were supposed to ease kids into the rigors of high school with a curriculum tailored to fit their changing lives. The middle school model added sixth graders, in part to help ease overcrowding in elementary schools.

Recent studies suggest that middle schools aren't faring any better than junior highs were. Psychologist Jaana Juvonen worked on a 2004 report that reviewed 20 years of educational research. She says sixth grade is a poor time to switch schools. Kids' minds and bodies are going through so many changes that they need "more stability in terms of relationships with teachers and their peers."

The move to middle school also seems to have an effect on classroom performance. Between 1999 and 2004, the nation's elementary school students saw increased test scores in reading and math. Middle school students made smaller gains in math but made no progress in reading. And in New York State, grade-by-grade testing in 2006 showed that students' reading scores dropped between the fifth and sixth grades.

Still, some argue that test scores can't tell the whole story. Barry Fein, principal of Seth Low Intermediate School, in New York City, says that the move from elementary to middle school is "a very hard transition." But the adjustment is well worth it, he says, because middle schools offer students more classes, team sports and clubs. Ryan Pallas, a seventh grader at Las Flores Middle School, in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, agrees. He points to his school's three music programs and leadership programs. "I like being challenged," he says. "It's more like real life."

No Easy Answers

Education officials, teachers and students have their reasons for favoring one kind of school over the other. But all agree that having the best possible learning environment for each kid is most important.

In California's Capistrano Unified School District, parents and students now have the option of choosing either a Kn8 school or a middle school. "Kn8 isn't a (magic) bullet," says Lois Anderson, a Capistrano assistant superintendent. "It won't make other challenges go away."

At Humboldt Park, Kennedy doesn't worry whether her Kn8 school is better for her than a middle school. What would she change about her school if she could? "I haven't thought about that," she says. Fortunately, a lot of concerned people have.

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