This volume of The Handbook of Research in Middle Level Education is a significant contribution to the literature on middle level schools because it is written specifically with policymakers in mind. Middle level scholars have illuminated the most important issues concerning the education of young adolescents of which policymakers must be knowledgeable. It is only by having informed policymakers that middle level schools can truly thrive and provide the kind of education that every young adolescent deserves. The future of our country depends on it.

Many contemporary American middle schools are stuck in a state of "arrested development," failing to implement the original concept of middle schools to a varying, though equally corruptive degrees. The individual chapters of the book outline in detail how to counter this dangerous trend, offering guidance to those who seek immediate, significant, internal reforms before we lose the unique value of middle schools for our nation's adolescents.

Young teens undergo multiple changes that seem to set them apart from other students. But do middle schools actually meet their special needs? The authors describe some of the challenges and offer ways to tackle them, such as reassessing the organization of grades K-12; specifically assisting the students most in need; finding ways to prevent disciplinary problems; and helping parents understand how they can help their children learn at home.

Urban school reformers for decades have tried to improve educational outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged students, with the assistance of constantly evolving federal and state policies. In recent years, education policies have shifted from targeting individual students to developing universal standards for teaching and learning, and comprehensive school reform (CSR) has emerged as an effective key model. The federal CSR program seeks to support the implementation of comprehensive school reform, especially in high-poverty schools, and to improve efforts to help all children meet challenging academic standards. Schools that receive federal CSR funds must adopt approaches that comply with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This book provides a series of studies and reflections on CSR by leading experts in the field.

The International Handbook of Middle Level Education Theory, Research, and Policy is a landmark resource for researchers, graduate students, policy makers, and practitioners who work in middle level education and associated fields of study. The volume provides an overview of the current state of middle level education theory, research, and policy; offers analysis and critique of the extant literature in the field; and maps new directions for research and theory development in middle level education. The handbook meets a pressing need in the field for a resource that is comprehensive in its treatment of middle level research and international in scope. Chapter authors provide rationales for middle level education research and definitions of the field; discuss philosophical approaches and underpinnings for middle level education research; describe and critique frameworks for quality in middle level education; review research about young adolescent learners, middle level school programming, and educator preparation; and analyze public policies affecting middle level education at national, regional, and local levels.

Twenty-two principles of middle grade education are addressed in this report, which is intended for those who have the authority to give meaning and substance to the reform of middle grade education in California's public schools. Each principle is developed through a discussion that concludes with specific recommendations that have implications for legislative initiatives, educational policies, administrative guidelines, and professional practices. Part One, "Curriculum and Instruction: Achieving Academic Excellence," provides recommendations in the areas of core curriculum, knowledge, thinking and communication, character development, learning to learn, and instructional practice. Part Two, entitled "Student Potential: Realizing the 'Highest and Best' Intellectual, Social, Emotional, and Physical Development," covers academic counseling, equal access, student diversity and underrepresented minorities, at-risk students, and physical and emotional development. Part Three, "Organization and Structure: Creating New Learning Environments," addresses school culture, extracurricular and intramural activities, student accountability, transition, structure, scheduling, and assessment. Part Four, "Teaching and Administration: Preparing for Exemplary Performance," focuses on professional preparation and staff development. Part Five, entitled "Leadership and Partnership: Defining the Catalysts for Middle Grade Educational Reform," focuses on sharing accountability for educational reform among parents, communities, and school boards, and concludes with a proposal for a partnership to create 100 state-of-the-art middle schools. Appended are (1) an outline of middle-grade student characteristics; (2) a tabular "accountability matrix" for the recommendations as a whole; and (3) a selected bibliography of books and articles on middle grade education. (TE)