Advocacy Activities: Helping Build Understanding of the Middle Level
Robert C. Spear, Executive Director, NELMS

NELMS has been, and continues to be, heavily involved in advocacy work in the region. From time to time I will report on our activities to make you aware of what we are engaged in as we continue our work to build understanding and knock down barriers to effective practices.

National Policy Symposium on Middle-Level Education: Washington DC, Wednesday, September 20, 2006

I attended this day long event entitled "National Policy Symposium on Middle-Level Education: Where Do We Go From Here?" This event was sponsored by National Middle School Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and The Alliance for Excellent Education.  Three panels were convened and two general sessions were presented.  The symposium examined research, best practices, and policy to help answer these questions and more:

Ø      How can educators and policymakers ensure that students in grades five through eight stay engaged in a challenging, standards-based curricula and begin to get the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century?

Ø      What supports should be in place to help all students reach higher levels of achievement in literacy, math, and science?

Ø      What is a highly-qualified, middle-level teacher?

Ø      How do we ensure that every student has a graduation plan and an adult advocate to help them succeed?

Ø      What kind of organizational structures, including extending the school day, have been used to ensure that students master “the basics” without narrowing the curriculum and eliminating physical education, exposure to foreign languages, the arts, and other exploratory courses?

This experience will enable NELMS to better frame conversations and understand the divergent views of policy makers. The general consensus is that the middle level will be generating more attention in the future.  Therefore we need to be prepared to educate and inform others of the research and best practices that help our students achieve at high levels.

Commissioners Meetings:

I have been meeting with the Commissioner in each state.  My goal is to discuss middle level education and listen to their concerns to better understand initiatives within each state. I am also asking for their ideas for the second annual Symposium on Middle Level Education to be held in NH, January 2007.

Last year the first Symposium was a successful event that brought together middle level leaders from each state and policy makers for all six Departments of Education.  It was a wonderful chance to talk and learn about a variety of research findings and effective practices. NMSA joined us at this event and provided a national perspective.

I have discovered that commissioners are interested and eager to listen and learn about the research and practices that work best for young adolescents. 

 
NELMS Invited to Join Two MA Task Forces:
21st Century High Schools and Adolescent Literacy Task Forces

21^st Century High Schools will provide the opportunity for key stakeholders in the Commonwealth to engage in conversation about a long-term commitment to redesigning Massachusetts high schools.  The event is coordinated by MASCD and will advocate for a systemic approach to high school reform driven by a vision of the possibilities for learning and the skills students need for the 21st century.  MASCD is committed to leading the effort to redesign the Commonwealth’s high schools as it supports ASCD’s legislative agenda for high school reform.

The two-day kickoff event is funded by Microsoft’s Partners in Learning, ASCD, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Massachusetts ASCD.

Adolescent Literacy Task Force is being sponsored and facilitated by the Massachusetts Department of Education. As the name implies, this group is looking at adolescent Literacy Issues. We have a representative at the table for all the meetings to bring understanding to the nature of how young adolescents learn to apply reading skills to improve learning. This Task Force will continue into the coming year.

Policy Statement from NMSA: Success in the Middle
As the school year kicks into gear it's time to develop a shared vision amongst educators, families, community members, and policymakers. Success in the Middle: A Policymaker's Guide to Achieving Quality Middle Level Education shows what it takes to implement a coordinated and strategic plan to raise academic achievement and what each level of education (local, state, and national) can do to speak and act with a clear message and voice. Success in the Middle shows the steps necessary to implement a coordinated and strategic plan to raise academic achievement and support 10- to 15-year-olds as they move through the exciting but challenging transitions of early adolescence. Unless we take action now, millions of young adolescents will be unable to compete in the world they will encounter in high school and beyond.   

Success in the Middle has been recognized by a variety of state and national organizations. 

These are just a few ways that NELMS is working for you, all middle level educators and students to help develop the policies and practices that will make a difference!

Web Resources - Strategies That Work

http://snipurl.com/STWresources

New England League of Middle Schools, 460 Boston Street, Suite 4, Topsfield, MA 01983; Email: nelms@nelms.org