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75-7239

RAYMER, Joe Tate, 1935A STUDY TO IDENTIFY MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO
DETERMINE THE CURRENT LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION
OF EIGHTEEN BASIC MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS IN
SELECTED UNITED STATES AND MICHIGAN SCHOOLS.
Michigan State University, Ph.D., 1974
Education, elementary

Xerox University Microfilms,

Ann Arbor, M ic h ig a n 48106

A STUDY TO IDENTIFY MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO DETERMINE THE
CURRENT LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF EIGHTEEN BASIC
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS IN SELECTED
UNITED STATES AND MICHIGAN SCHOOLS
By
Joe T. Raymer

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y
in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f the requirements
f o r the degree o f
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department o f Education
1974

ABSTRACT
A STUDY TO IDENTIFY MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO DETERMINE THE
CURRENT LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF EIGHTEEN BASIC
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS IN SELECTED
UNITED STATES AND MICHIGAN SCHOOLS
By
Joe T. Raymer

The current p o p u l a r i t y o f the middle school movement began
during the 1960s.

P rio r to t h i s date various forms o f grade and

school organizations e x is t e d .

From the h i s t o r i c a l

point o f view, the

beginning o f today's middle school took place over s i x t y years ago.
I t s e a r l y beginning was believed j u s t i f i e d because o f the
changes in the le v e ls o f maturation f o r adolescents, demands o f a
changing s o c ie t y , and in g en e ra l, the d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n o f many parents
and educators with the j u n i o r high school and i t s s i m i l a r i t y to the
senior high school.
This study was designed to i d e n t i f y middle schools in the
United States and to determine the cu rr ent level o f implementation o f
eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

These basic charac­

t e r i s t i c s focus a t t e n t i o n on continuous progress programs, m u lti- m ed ia ,
f l e x i b l e schedules, social experiences, physical experiences,
intramural a c t i v i t i e s , team tea ch ing, planned gradualism, e x p lo ra to r y enrichment experiences, guidance s e rv ic e s , independent study, basic
learn in g s k i l l s , c r e a t i v e experiences, student se c u rity f a c t o r s ,

Joe T. Raymer
evaluation p r a c t i c e s , community r e l a t i o n s , student se rv ices, and
a u x iliary staffing.
A survey questionnaire r e l a t e d to the degree of implementation
o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s was mailed to a sample o f grade 5-8 and 6-8
middle schools in the United States.

For comparative purposes, the

same questionnaire f o r Michigan middle schools 5-8 and 6-8 was tre a t e d
se p ara tely.

Survey forms were returned by 80 percent o f the grade 5-8

sample and 89 percent o f the grade 6 - 8 sample.
P r i o r to mailing the q uesti on n aire , a d ir e c t o r y o f middle
schools in the United States was developed.

The d ir e c t o r y included

schools o f f i c i a l l y named middle school and containing e i t h e r grades
5-8 or 6 - 8 .

When i t was not possible to loc ate the necessary informa­

t i o n to determine the o f f i c i a l name o f the school, the grades contained
in the school became the sole c r i t e r i a f o r the schools inclusion in the
directory.

The s t a t e departments o f education and local school d i s ­

t r i c t s were the prime sources f o r t h i s information.
The r e s u l t s o f the survey questionnaire were programmed and
processed through the Control Data Corporation (CDC) 6500 computer a t
Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y .

The PFCOUNT Program and FINN Program o f the

Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y S t a t System were used to generate d e s c r i p t iv e
s ta tis tic s .
a c teris tics.

Mean scores were calculated on each of the eighteen char­
The .05 le v e l o f confidence was estab lished as the

minimum c r i t e r i o n level f o r accepting mean d if f e re n c e s as being
significant.
Completion o f the d ir e c t o r y produced 1,906 middle schools as
defined by t h i s study.

There are 421 middle schools housing grades 5 - 8 ,

Joe T. Rayme
1,092 middle schools housing grades 6 - 8 , and 393 schools ca lle d
"middle" housing various grade combinations from grade four to grade
nine.

Michigan leads the nation in numbers o f middle schools housing

grades 5-8 and 6-8.
Grade 6-8 middle schools in Michigan employ the implementation
o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g rea ter degree than do the remain
der o f grade 6-8 middle schools in the United States.

However, grade

5-8 middle schools in the United States implement the eighteen charac­
t e r i s t i c s to a g rea ter degree than Michigan middle schools, grades 5-8
Neither o f Michigan's middle school grade combinations achieved a
mean score as high as s i m i l a r middle schools in the United States on
the intramural a c t i v i t y and independent study c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
The t o t a l mean score f o r implementation of the eighteen char­
a c t e r i s t i c s in the United States middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , is higher
than the t o t a l mean score f o r United States middle schools housing
grades 5 - 8 .
The findings o f t h i s study provide evidence t h a t Michigan has
more grade 5-8 and 6-8 middle schools than any other s t a t e .

Likewise

s i g n i f i c a n t is the conclusion t h a t the grade 6-8 middle schools in
Michigan employ the implementation o f the eighteen basic middle
school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g re a t e r degree than do the remainder of
grade 6-8 middle schools in the United State s.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am g r a t e f u l to each person who took o f t h e i r time and
t a l e n t s to a s s i s t me in the completion o f t h i s study.

Without the

help o f these many people t h i s d is s e r t a t i o n could not have become
a reality.
The chairman o f my doctoral committee, Dr. Louis Romano,
deserves an expression o f my deepest g r a t i t u d e .

I t was he who pro­

vided an abundance o f support, s c h o larly advice, and encouragement.
I s in c e re ly ap pre ciate his professional guidance and personal f r i e n d ­
ship.
Formal thanks are also extended to Dr. Alexander K l o s t e r ,
Dr. Dale Alam, and Dr. Justin Kestenbaum, f o r serving on my committee.
T h e ir comments and encouragement were e s p e c ia ll y helpful and g r e a t l y
appreciated.
A special note o f thanks to my two sons, Timothy and J e f f r e y .
T h e ir understanding a t t i t u d e and many s a c r i f i c e s w i l l always be
remembered.
This d i s s e r t a t i o n is dedicated to my w i f e , Marlene Sue.

Her

strong f a i t h , encouragement, patience , confidence, and help have always
been present.

These t r a i t s were so evident during the preparation o f

t h i s study t h a t i t was d i f f i c u l t f o r her to be surprised when i t was
completed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................

v

Chapter
I.

II.

III.

IV.

THE PROBLEM............................................................................................

1

In tro d u c tio n
.....................................................................................
Statement o f the Problem ...........................................................
N e e d .........................................................................................................
D e f i n i t i o n o f T e r m s ........................................................................
Assumptions o f the Study ...........................................................
L im it a t io n s o f the Study ...........................................................
Objectives o f the Study
. . . . .
Procedures f o r Analysis of D a t a ..............................................
Overview o f the S t u d y ..................................................................

1
2
2
4
5
5
6
7
9

REVIEW OF THE RELATED L IT ER A TU R E..............................................

11

A H i s t o r i c a l Review o f the Middle School in the
...............................................................................
United States
The Middle School Student ...........................................................
The Middle School Program ...........................................................
Review of Related Studies ...........................................................
Eighteen C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f the Middle School
. . .
Summary...................................................................................................

11
18
20
25
27
38

DESIGN OF THE S T U D Y ........................................................................

41

In tro d u c tio n
.....................................................................................
Source of the D a t a ........................................................................
Instrument Employed ........................................................................
P r o c e d u r e s ............................................................................................
Objec tives to be M e a s u r e d ...........................................................
Summary...................................................................................................

41
41
42
47
48
49

ANALYSIS OF THE D A T A ........................................................................

50

O bjective I
.....................................................................................
O b jec tive I I .....................................................................................
O bjective I I I .....................................................................................
O b jec tive I V .....................................................................................
O b jec tive V
.....................................................................................
Summary...................................................................................................

50
52
52
58
62
62

iii

Chapter

Page

CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................

70

Summary..................................................................................................
F i n d i n g s ............................................................................................
O bjective I ...................................................................................
O bjec tive I I .............................................................................
O bjective I I I .............................................................................
O bjective I V .............................................................................
O bjective V ...................................................................................
C o n c l u s i o n s .....................................................................................
Recommendations f o r Further Study ........................................
R e f l e c t i o n s .....................................................................................

70
72
72
73
74
75
76
77
79
80

.........................................................................................................

81

APPENDIX......................................................................................................................

93

V.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

iv

LIST OF TABLES

Table
3.1.

3.2.

4.1.

4.2.

4.3.
4.4.
4.5.

4.6.

Page
A l i s t i n g o f the eighteen middle school c h a r a c t e r is ­
t i c s used in t h i s study to measure pra ctices of
middle schools (by Louis G. Romano, Jack
.................................
R i e g l e , and Nicholas P. Georgiady)

44

The number o f middle schools contacted, the grades
and the number o f a f f i r m a t i v e responses, and
percentage o f que stionnaire returns
.................................

47

The t o t a l number o f middle schools in the United
States according to grades inc lu d ed , the s t a t e ,
and the resp ective percentages o f the t o t a l
schools in each s t a t e ..................................................................

53

The c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w it h in the survey instrument
and the numbers of questions included to
c o l l e c t data on each c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .................................

55

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
Michigan middle schools, grades 5-8

56

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
Michigan middle schools, grades 6-8

57

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 ,
but not including Michigan middle schools,
grades 5 - 8 .....................................................................................

59

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6 - 8 ,
but not including Michigan middle schools,
grades 6 - 8 .....................................................................................

60

4.7.

F-Ratio f o r m u l t i v a r i a t e t e s t o f e q u a l i t y o f mean

.

.

61

4.8.

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5-8
.

.

63

The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6-8
.

.

64

4.9.

v

Tab le

4.10.

4.11.

4.12.

Page

A comparison o f the mean scores of selected Michigan
middle schools, grades 5 - 8 , and the remaining
selected middle schools in the United Sta te s ,
grades 5 - 8 ....................................................................................

65

A comparison o f the mean scores o f selected Michigan
middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , and the remaining
selected middle schools in the United Sta te s ,
grades 6 - 8 ....................................................................................

66

A comparison o f the mean scores of selected middle
schools in the United States housing grades 5-8
and grades 6 - 8 ..............................................................................

67

vi

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM
Introduction
The middle school as an element o f school org aniz atio n is
undergoing rapid growth and development.

Even in the midst of changing

social and educational conditions the concept o f the middle school is
emerging.

I t can be distinguish ed as one of the most recent c o n t r i ­

butions to the K-12 grade o rg an iz a tio n al continuum.
This national p r o l i f e r a t i o n is supported by the s i g n i f i c a n t
research find in g s o f several

i n v e s t ig a t o r s .

P e rtin e n t growth informa­

t i o n has been reported by the Educational Research Service of the NEa J
Judith Murphy,^ Pearl Brod,^ William A. C u f f ,^ and W illia m M.
Alexander.

C

The most recent o f the surveys c i t e d would be t h a t o f

W illia m M. Alexander.

I t was he who reported a national

f i g u r e of

^American Association of School Administrators and NEA Research
D iv is io n * "Middle Schools," Educational Research Service C i r c u l a r ,
No. 3, 1965, p. 15.
p

Judith Murphy, Middle Schools (New York:
F a c i l i t i e s L ab o rato ries , I n c . , 1965).

Educational

Pearl Brod, "The Middle School: Trends Toward I t s Adoption,"
Clearing House, XL (February, 1966), 331-33.
^William A. C u f f , "Middle Schools on the March," National Asso­
c i a t i o n o f Secondary School P r in c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , LI (February, 1967),
8P-86.

York:

5W illia m M. Alexander e t a l . , The Emergent Middle School (New
H o l t , Rinehart and Winston, I n c . , 1968), pp. 8-10.
1

2

1,100 middle schools operating during the 1967-68 school ye a r.

At the

time o f the survey, 37 o f the 50 states were involved in the operation
o f these schools.

Thomas E. Gatewood, o f Central Michigan U n i v e r s i t y ,

a t the 1971 Annual Meeting o f the North Central Association in
Chicago, estimated the number o f middle schools in the United States
to be over 2,0 00 .
Growing i n t e r e s t in the middle school concept creates a pro­
fessional o b l i g a t io n to determine the educational pra ctices o f the
middle school.

Enlightenment in t h i s area w i l l

provide needed informa­

t io n toward a continued e f f o r t to understand the status and implic ations
o f the middle school in the American educational system.
Statement of the Problem
The problem presented in t h i s thesis is to i d e n t i f y middle
schools in the United States and then determine the cu rr ent level of
implementation of the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in
these schools.

Furthermore, the degree o f implementation o f the

eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s by Michigan middle
schools w i l l be compared with the degree o f implementation of the
eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s by middle schools in the
remaining 49 s t a t e s .
Need
The National Education Research B u l l e t i n 6 reveals t h a t growth
and development of the middle school concept is hampered by f i n a n c i a l
^National Education Research B u l l e t i n , XLVII (May, 19 69), 49-52.

3

problems, the I n f l e x i b i l i t y o f i n s t r u c t i o n a l

f a c i l i t i e s , lack o f

s p e c ia liz e d teacher preparation and/or o r i e n t a t i o n , and siz e of
school.

This ind ica te s d i f f i c u l t i e s in each middle school according

to the p a r t i c u l a r problem encountered.

Involvement w ith any o f these

reported educational problems may cause a wide v a r i a t i o n o f the
middle school p ra c t ic e s .

Research concerning t h i s f l u c t u a t i o n of

middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in r e l a t i o n to theory and p ra c tic e is
needed.
This ad d itio n a l

information concerning the degree of imple­

mentation o f middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w i l l

serve to provide data

f o r s t a t e departments o f education and schools o f education dealing
with problems o f middle school teacher c e r t i f i c a t i o n and education.
W illia m A. Cuff in d ic a te s t h i s lack o f re co gnition is a noteworthy
problem and issue.

More a v a i l a b l e research data w i l l

increase the

chances f o r a d d it io n a l re cognition o f the middle school.
A continuation o f the middle school depends upon the w i l l i n g ­
ness o f i t s advocates to prepare the research necessary to warrant
its su rvival.

Implementation o f the middle school concept must not

j u s t e x i s t in i d e a l .

Rationale f o r the middle school is v a l i d when

i t is established upon r e a l i t y .

Research designed to c l a r i f y the

degree o f employment o f basic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w i l l

help to v a l i d a t e

or r e f u t e the claims o f the middle school supporters.

^Cuff, "Middle Schools on the March," op, c i t . , pp. 82-86.

4

D e f i n i t i o n o f Terms
The presentation o f the follow ing d e f i n i t i o n o f terms is
intended to aid in the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and understanding o f t h i s study
and to a s s i s t in c l a r i f y i n g terms f o r possible r e p l i c a t i o n s o f t h i s
study.
1.

Middle school:

A school u n i t which includes grades 5-8

or grades 6-8 f o r purposes o f planning and conducting a unique set
of academic, s o c i a l , emotional and physical experiences f o r e a r l y
Q

adolescent students.
2.

Purpose:

Something someone sets before himself as an

o b je c tiv e to be a t t a i n e d ; an end or an aim to be kept in view in
g
any pla n, measure, e x e r t i o n , or o pera tion,
3.

Transescent yo u th :

That period in an i n d i v i d u a l ' s

development beginning p r i o r to the onset of puberty and continuing
through e a r l y adolescence.
physical development, social

I t is chara cterized by changes in
i n t e r a c t i o n , and i n t e l l e c t u a l func-

+
ti o n s. 10
4.

Planned gradualism:

An o rg an iz a tio n al plan to provide

experiences designed to a s s i s t e a r l y adolescents in making the t r a n s i ­
tio n from childhood dependence to a d u lt independence.
g
Nicholas P. Georgiady and Louis G. Romano, "The Middle
School--Is I t a Threat to the Elementary School?" Impact, New York
Association fo r Supervision and Curriculum Development, W in ter,
1967-68, p. 1.
Q

Web s t e r 's Third New I n t e r n a t i o n a l D ictio n a ry of the English
Language (unabridged^, 1962.
10Donald Eichhorn, The Middl e School (New York:
f o r Applied Research in Education, I n c . , 1966), p. 31.

The Center

5

5.

Continuous progress program:

A nongraded program which

permits students to progress a t t h e i r own educational pace regardless
o f t h e i r chronological age.
6.

Team t e a c h in g :

Two or more teachers a d m i n i s t r a t i v e l y

organized to provide opp ortun itie s f o r them to maximize t h e i r teach­
ing t a l e n t s and allow students to i n t e r a c t w ith teachers responsible
f o r a broad range o f subject areas.
7.

Enrichment experiences:

designed to meet the i n d iv id u a l

A v a r i e t y o f e l e c t i v e courses

in t e r e s t s o f students.

Assumptions o f the Study
The study assumes t h a t the questions prepared and organized in
The Riegle study are ap p ro pria te f o r measuring middle school p ractices
on a national l e v e l .

I t f u r t h e r assumes t h a t the Riegle study i n s t r u ­

ment w i l l be presented in a manner t h a t permits middle school p r i n c i ­
pals to re ply with t h e i r tru e perceptions r e l a t i v e to the programs
c u r r e n t l y functio ning w i t h i n t h e i r s c h o o l s . ^
L im it a t io n s o f the Study
The schools studied in t h i s thesis are l i m i t e d to those o f f i ­
c i a l l y named "middle school."

A f u r t h e r l i m i t a t i o n w i l l be t h a t these

"middle schools" house c h ild re n in grades 5-8 or 6 - 8 .

Terms included

^ J a c k D. R i e g l e , "A study o f Middle School Programs to Deter­
mine the Current Level o f Implementation o f Eighteen Basic Middle
School P rin cip le s" {Ph.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , Michigan S tate U n i v e r s i t y ,
1971).

6

in t h i s study have been c a r e f u l l y defined.

However, a lack o f con­

s i s t e n t responses may develop as a r e s u l t of the v a r i e t y o f experiences
and backgrounds o f the respondents.
The R ieg le survey instrument is to be used in t h i s th esis.
I t is considered v a l i d and acceptable to the i n t e n t o f t h i s study.
This survey instrument is l i m i t e d to the measurement o f the degree of
a p p li c a t i o n of middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and does not include a
measurement o f the e ffe c tiv e n e s s o f t h i s a p p l i c a t i o n .
Middle schools r e f e r r e d to in t h i s study are l i m i t e d to the
50 states and include only those schools wholly supported by public
moni e s .
Objectives o f the Study
Objective I :

To determine the number o f middle schools in

the United S t a t e s , grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 , in existence during the
school year 1972-73.
Objective 11:

To measure the degree o f implementation o f the

eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s practiced by selected
middle schools in Michigan.
Objective I I I :

To measure the degree of implementation of the

eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s practiced by selected
middle schools, not including Michigan, in the United Sta te s .
Obje c t ive IV:

To compare the degree o f implementation of the

eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s reported by selected
Michigan middle schools with the r e s u lt s reported by the remaining
selected United States middle schools.

7

Objec tive V :

To compare the degree o f implementation o f the

eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s reported by selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 , with the re s u lts
reported by selected middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6-8 .
Procedures f o r Analysis o f Data
The instrument used is a r e p l i c a t i o n o f the 62 item ques­
t i o n n a i r e developed and used in the 1971 Riegle study.
The instrument i s designed to measure prac tice s in middle
schools.

I t was developed by Jack D. Riegle when he reviewed p e r t i n e n t

l i t e r a t u r e r e l a t i n g d i r e c t l y and i n d i r e c t l y to the middle school.
From t h i s review a l i s t o f basic p r i n c ip l e s r e l a t i n g to middle school
programming were ex tra cte d.

Riegle then reviewed these basic p r i n c i ­

ples w ith well known middle school a u t h o r i t i e s .

Based upon his

find ings and t h e i r c r i t i q u e , a l i s t o f eighteen basic middle school
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s were compiled and agreed upon by the panel of a u t h o r i ­
ties.

This panel o f middle school a u t h o r i t i e s included Dr. Marie E l i ,

Montreal, Canada; Dr. Nicholas Georgiady, Miami U n i v e r s i t y , Oxford,
Ohio; Dr. Ann Grooms, Educational Services I n s t i t u t e , C i n c i n n a t i ,
Ohio; Dr. Louis Romano, Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y , East Lansing,
Michigan; and Dr. Emmett W illia m s , U n i v e r s i t y o f F l o r i d a , G a i n e s v i l l e ,
F lo rid a.
In 1971 the Riegle survey instrument was disseminated to a l l
schools in Michigan housing grades above four but below grade nine.
Mailings were also made to fo u r a r b i t r a r i l y selected exemplary middle
schools outside Michigan.

The purpose of his study was to determine

the cu rren t le v e l o f implementation o f the eighteen basic

8

ch aracteristics.

I t was the general conclusion o f the Riegle study

t h a t the Michigan middle schools did not rank as high in the a p p li c a ­
tion o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s as did the middle schools
included in the exemplary sample.
This current study inv es tig ate s the degree o f implementation
of the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in selected
middle schools in Michigan and the United States.
P r i o r to mailing the questionnaire a d ir e c t o r y o f middle
schools in the United States was developed.

This d i r e c t o r y includes

schools o f f i c i a l l y named middle school and containing e i t h e r grades
5-8 or 6-8 .

In some cases i t was not possible to loc ate the necessary

information to determine the o f f i c i a l

name o f the school.

Therefore,

the grades contained in the school became the sole c r i t e r i a f o r the
school's inclusion in the d i r e c t o r y .

The s ta te departments of educa­

t io n and local school d i s t r i c t s were the prime source o f th is
information.
Upon completion o f the d ir e c t o r y i t was determined t h a t there
were 137 middle schools containing grades 6-8 in Michigan and 47 middle
schools containing grades 5-8 in Michigan.

The remaining middle

schools in the United States containing grades 6-8 t o ta l e d 955 and
those containing grades 5-8 t o ta l e d 374.

The Michigan middle schools

and the remaining United States middle schools together to ta le d
1,092 middle schools containing grades 6-8 and 421 middle schools
containing grades 5 - 8 .
The 1971 Riegle survey instrument was considered appropriate
fo r the purposes o f t h i s study.

I t was reorganized somewhat f o r the

9

convenience o f key punching.

This was a l l accomplished with the

assistance o f the Research Department a t Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y .

12

A packet containing the survey instrument, a cover l e t t e r , and
a stamped return addressed envelope were forwarded to a random sample
o f 100 middle schools containing grades 6-8 and 100 middle schools
containing grades 5-8.

Two weeks l a t e r a fo llow-up l e t t e r was mailed

to each school from whom no re turn re p ly was received.
The data were programed and processed by the Control Data
Corporation (CDC) 6500 computer at Michigan S tate U n i v e r s i t y .

The

PFC0UNT Program and FINN Program of the Michigan State U n iv e rs ity
S t a t System were used to generate d e s c r i p t i v e s t a t i s t i c s .
Overview o f the Study
A reference point f o r the e n t i r e study is contained in
Chapter I .

I t includes a statement o f the problem and presents the

need fo r the study.

Important terms have been i d e n t i f i e d and defined.

Research methods, l i m i t a t i o n s , and objectives o f the study are l i s t e d .
The means o f analyzing the data are also presented.
Chapter I I contains a review o f l i t e r a t u r e r e l a t e d to the
middle school.

The h is t o r y and the current status o f the middle

school are presented.

Research findin gs r e l a t e d to t h i s study are

included along with a review o f the eighteen basic middle school
ch aracteristics.

12

Research co n su lt a tio n and assistance provided by the
Department o f Research Services , College o f Education, Michigan State
U n i v e r s i t y , Dr. Andrew P o r t e r , Chairman.

10
A d e s c rip tio n o f the research design and procedures are
included in Chapter I I I .

Information r e l a t i v e to the samples, the

instrument, the a d m i n is t r a t io n , the c o l l e c t i o n o f data , and the analysis
procedures are covered.
Chapter IV presents an analysis o f the data.

D e s c rip tiv e

s t a t i s t i c s are presented with each o f the o bjec tiv es o f the study.
S i g n i f i c a n t f i n d i n g s , conclusions, and im plications are sum­
marized in Chapter V.
fu tu re studies.

This f i n a l chapter includes suggestions f o r any

CHAPTER I I

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

The review o f the l i t e r a t u r e begins with a h i s t o r i c a l recount
o f the development o f schools f o r students between childhood and ado­
lescence.

This e a r l y educational movement was led by educators who

wanted to provide the best schooling possible f o r the adolescent
student.

Concepts and b e l i e f s o f these men regarding t h is period of

schooling are reviewed.
Schools f o r the American transescents are growing in numbers
yearly.

The special needs and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f the students o f

these schools and the types o f schooling required f o r the education
o f these young people are discussed.
A review o f previous studies having a s i m i l a r i t y to t h is
study re ce ive co n sidera tio n .

Any r e l a t i o n s h i p o f these studies r e l a ­

t i v e to t h i s study are then presented.
A H i s t o r i c a l Review o f the Middle School
in the United States
The present middle school movement began in the e a r l y years
of the tw en tie th century.

However, up to the dawn o f t h i s century

the eig ht-g ra de elementary school and the f o u r -y e a r secondary school
were responsible f o r the education o f the public school students of
America.

11

12

This e i g h t - f o u r plan was c r i t i c i z e d by President Charles W.
E l i o t o f Harvard l a t e in the nineteenth century.

His basis o f d i s s a t i s ­

f a c t io n was the entering age o f freshmen a t Harvard.

He and the

f a c u l t y believed t h a t entering students should not be o ld e r than
eighteen years o f a g e J
In 1888, President E l i o t proposed to the National Education
Association t h a t the period o f elementary and secondary education be
shortened.

This and f u t u r e addresses by E l i o t led to the formation o f

various committee i n v e s t i g a t i o n s .
education was i n e v i t a b l e .

Thus, a re o rg a n iz a tio n o f secondary

2

Higher education was not the only c r i t i c o f the e i g h t - f o u r
plan.

In 1910, Superintendent Frank F. Bunker o f Berkeley, C a l i f o r n i a ,

said:
Of every one hundred ch ildre n annually entering the f i r s t
grade o f our schools, p r a c t i c a l l y a l l reach the end o f the
f i f t h grade.
Between t h i s point and the f i r s t year o f high
school, from 60 to 67 per cent o f those reaching the f i f t h
grade w i l l be l o s t , leaving but from seventeen to t w e n t y - f i v e
o f the o r i g i n a l one hundred pupils who w i l l reach the second
year o f high school. Out o f t h i s number, only from e ig ht to
ten w i l l f i n a l l y complete the high school c o u r s e . - *
This high drop out r a t e provided a d d it io n a l evidence o f the
need f o r re o rg a n iz a tio n o f the upper elementary and high school grades.
* Frank F. Bunker, The Junior High School Movement:
I t s Begin­
nings (Washington, D .C .:
F. W. Roberts Co., 1935).
o
Charles W. E l i o t , Educational Reform: Essays and Addresses
(New York: The Century Co., 1898), pp. 151-76.
Frank F. Bunker, "Reorganization o f the Public School System,"
United States Bureau o f Education B u l l e t i n , No. 8 (Washington, D.C.:
U.S. Government P r i n t in g O f f i c e , 1916), p. 101.

13

General d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n with the e i g h t - f o u r org anization continued to
m u ltiply.

A summary o f fa c t o r s g iv in g r i s e to t h i s movement are:

1.

The lack o f implementation of the e a r l y find ings of
adolescent psychology.

2.

The economic and program d e f i c i e n c i e s o f iso la te d
and small grammar schools.

3.

The e l i m i n a t i o n o f pupils a t the end of the eighth
grade.

4.

Lack o f the infl uence o f male and female teachers
f o r e a r l y adolescents.

5.

Elementary teaching methods too long continued and
too suddenly changed.

6.

A r t i c u l a t i o n with corresponding e l i m i n a t i o n a t the
end or during the ninth grade.

7.

The inadequate provision f o r personal, s o c i a l , edu­
c a t i o n a l , and vocational guidance in the elementary
school and the high school.

8.

The f a c t t h a t the age o f co lle g e entrance was higher than
thought reasonable by c o lle g e a d m i n i s t r a t o r s . 4

The f i r s t known c i t y to depart from the e i g h t - f o u r plan of
t r a d i t i o n a l grade o rg an iz a tio n and place the seventh and eighth grades
in separate buildings was Richmond, Indiana, in 1896.

Other c i t i e s

introducing departures from the e i g h t - f o u r plan were Lawrence, Kansas,
in 1901, and New York C i t y , in 1905.

These schools provided some

experience and background f o r the leaders in the j u n i o r high movement
a f t e r 1910.

There was a tendency f o r these pioneers to consider

grades seven and e i g h t as part o f the secondary school; they
introduced departmentalized tea ching, promoted by subjects, and
Joseph C. DeVita , P h i l i p Pumerantz, and Leighton B. Wilklow,
The E f f e c t i v e Middle School (West Nyack, New York: Parker Publishing
C o . , 19 70 ), p. 16.
~

14

made arrangements f o r the e l e c t i o n o f courses and curriculum below
the n in th grade.

5

The school ye ar 1909-1910 is o r d i n a r i l y considered as the
beginning o f the j u n i o r high school movement.

During t h i s school

year Columbus, Ohio, and Berkeley, C a l i f o r n i a , modified the t r a d i ­
t i o n a l org an ization w ith the s i x - t h r e e - t h r e e plan o f grade s t r u c t u r e .
The reorganiz atio n o f these schools appeared to o f f e r an answer to
C

the problem t h a t had been debated over the past several years.
Regardless o f the name or o rg an iz a tio n al p a t t e r n , there was a
wide-based consensus among i t s e a r l y sponsors t h a t the d i f f e r e n t i a t e d
function o f the new o rg an iz a tio n al u n i t was to provide a s u i t a b le
educational environment f o r e a r l y adole scents.7
The s i x - t h r e e - t h r e e grade org anization gained in p o p u l a r i t y .
I t was g e n e r a lly considered a most d e s ir a b le arrangement and by 1920
i t was an estab lished f a c t .

In 1920 there were 55 j u n i o r high schools
Q

in the United S tate s.

By 1930 t h i s number had increased to 1,842.

Samuel H. Popper presents t h i s school u n i t t h a t has been
described as j u n i o r high to be i n s t i t u t i o n a l l y America's middle
school.

The i n t e n t o f t h i s e a r l y j u n i o r high school was dedicated to
g
the psychological and social conditions facing e a r l y adolescents.

^William T. Gruhn and Harl R. Douglass, The Modern Junior High
School (New York: The Ronald Press Company, 19 47), p. 17.
6 I b i d . , p. 18.
7Samuel H. Popper, The American Middle School: An Organizational
Analysis (Waltham, Mass.: B l a i s d e l l Publishing Company, 1 9 6 7 ) , p. 12.
Q

Gruhn and Douglass, op. c i t . , pp. 18-19.
g
Popper, op. c i t . , pp. x i - x i i .

15

In 1924 a t the North Central Association annual meeting, sup­
port was given f o r a “Standard Junior High School."

The program o f

studies expected o f a "Standard Junior High School" included the
f o llow ing :
The app ropriate subjects to be o ffe re d by the j u n i o r high
school are: En glish , Mathematics, Foreign Language, Histo ry
and C i v i c s , Georgraphy and Vocational Inform ation, and Prac­
t i c a l Arts f o r boys and g i r l s , including commercial subjects.
The program o f studies shall be organized into a sin gle
curriculum with l i m i t e d e l e c t i v e s .
E lec tiv es p r i o r to the second semester o f the 8th year
are considered i l l advised. P r i o r to t h i s semester explo ra ­
t i o n and review o f subject matter should be provided by the
content o f the course and the ad m in is tra tio n o f the c u r r i c u ­
lum, and not by e l e c t i v e s .
In s t r u c t i o n shall be departmentalized.
The school shall p ra c tic e f l e x i b l e promotion r a t h e r
than promotion by subject.
F l e x i b l e promotion means t h a t pupils shall be promoted
when the occasion arise s and without r e s t r i c t i o n o f subject
promotion.
I t means pupil placement.
I t implies the use o f
opportunity classes and coaching teachers.
The school shall provide w it h in the school day f o r pupil
club and social a c t i v i t i e s under the d i r e c t i o n o f the
faculty.
The school shall provide adequately f o r keeping in contact
with the homes and home l i f e of the pupils and introduce only
gra d u a lly the freedom in d i s c i p l i n e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f the
senior high school.
These o r i g i n a l goals and functions o f the j u n i o r high school
provide a type of h i s t o r i c a l basis f o r today's middle school movement.
This reorganized school was Intended to be a school to meet the needs
of the e a r l y adolescent.
However, departure from the t r a d i t i o n a l decreased as the years
increased.

Grades seven through nine 1n the 1930s were a combination

which departed from the t r a d i t i o n a l . ^

The post-World War I I era

^ P o p p e r, op. c i t . , pp. 230-31.
^ S t a n l e y Sanders, "Challenge o f the Middle S c h o o l E d u c a t i o n al
Forum. XXXII (January, 1968), 197.

16

witnessed the p r a c t i c e o f the senior high school to place an increased
number of academics i n t o the j u n i o r high school program.

This led to

a concern t h a t the seven-nine grade arrangement was becoming a terminal type secondary school .

To a g re a t e r and g r e a t e r degree the j u n i o r high

school was becoming a m inia ture senior high school.

The concern of

the j u n i o r high school to care f o r the developmental and educational
requirements o f i t s pupils was missing.

12

Many educators looked at

the j u n i o r high school as no longer a departure from the t r a d i t i o n a l ;
i t was the t r a d i t i o n a l .

13

There were parental complaints t h a t the

j u n i o r high school was f o rcin g t h e i r c h ild re n to grow up too f a s t . ^
This caused educators to look toward other programs and grade organiza­
tions f o r the education of the e a r l y adolescent.
D i s s a t i s f a c t i o n with the j u n i o r high school led to the develop­
ment o f the middle school

concept as an educational a l t e r n a t i v e .

We in American education are witnessing a major reorga­
n i z a t i o n o f the middle years of our educational lad der. The
middle school movement is reaching almost bandwagon propor­
tions and i t seems i n e v i t a b l e t h a t the remaining j u n i o r high
schools soon w i l l be challenged to change to middle schools
or at l e a s t to adopt some o f the middle school concepts

Russel W iley, "The Middle School—A New Plan ," an address
presented a t the National School Boards Association Annual Convention,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, A p ril 23, 1966, p. 2.
(Mimeographed.)
13

Sanders, op, c i t . , p. 197.

^ P a u l Woodring, "The
Foundations o f Education, ed.
Free Press, 1967), p. 235.

New Intermediate School ," in Social
by Dorothy Westly-Gibson (New York:

The

W illia m M. Alexander and Ronald P. Kealy, "From Junior High
School to Middle School," The High School Journal (December, 19 69),
p. 1.

17

There were a few middle schools e x i s t i n g in the 1950s; however,
the bulk o f the growth took place in the 1960s.

William H. Cuff con­

ducted a survey and reported in the 1965-66 school ye ar a t o t a l o f 446
school d i s t r i c t s in 30 states containing 499 middle s c h o o l s . ^
W illia m M. Alexander provides one o f the most recent surveys.

In

1968 he reported a national f i g u r e o f 1,100 middle schools operating
during the 1967-68 school y e a r .

17

Approximately 4 percent o f these

i d e n t i f i e d middle schools belonged to the pre-1955 e r a , and nearly
50 percent o f these schools were organized in 1966 and 1967.

18

These surveys i n d i c a te t h a t the middle school has become
inc re a s in g ly popular in t h is country.

This growth c o n s t it u t e s a major

re o rg a n iz a tio n o f the educational program and grade s t r u c t u r e included
in the school designed f o r the t r a n s i t i o n a l
and adolescence.

period between childhood

Georgiady and Romano i d e n t i f y an important argument

r e l a t i v e to the educational promise o f the middle school.
The e a r l y promise o f the j u n i o r high school has f a i l e d
to m a t e r i a l i z e .
An a c c e le ra tio n o f social and physical
maturation on the part o f c h ild re n in t h is age group and
rapid changes in our society have made necessary a
re-examination o f educational programs a t t h i s l e v e l .
One
area o f promise l i e s in the middle school concept p r e d i ­
cated on a knowledge o f the unique c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of
pre-teenage c h i l d r e n . *9

^ C u f f , op. c i t . , pp. 82-86.
17

Alexander e t a l . , op. c i t .

^ W i l l i a m M. Alexander, "Middle School Movement," Theory Into
P r a c t i c e , V I I {June, 1968), 119.
19

Georgiady and Romano, op. c i t . , p. 3.

18
The Middle School Student
The American middle school youngster o f the 1970s faces many
pressures.

There are the varied pressures o f growing up, le a rn in g to

understand a d u l t s - - p a r t i c u l a r l y parents and teachers, i n t e l l e c t u a l
growth, and g e n e r a lly the g re a t e s t o f a l l
pressures.

pressures, the enormous social

The t r i a l s e x h ib ite d at t h i s age c r e a te a tremendous con­

f r o n t a t i o n f o r the youngster between childhood and adolescence.
This period o f development between childhood and adolescence
i s c a l le d transescence.

I t is defined as t h a t period in an i n d i v i d u a l ' s

development beginning p r i o r to the onset o f puberty and continuing
through e a r l y adolescence.

20

Wattenberg provides a b r i e f summary o f the psychological
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s most l i k e l y to be associated w ith childhood, adoles­
cence, and preadolescence:
A c h i l d can be considered, f o r t h i s purpose, as a young
person who is in almost a l l respects dependent upon a d u l t s ,
whose c h i e f sources o f need g r a t i f i c a t i o n ar e grownups, and
who tends to assume with out struggle the status and roles
accorded ch ild re n in his c u l t u r e .
Preadolescents are young people who, p h y s i c a l l y , are in
a period o f growth spurt which transforms t h e i r builds from
t h a t o f c h ild re n to t h a t o f young adults and which includes
maturation o f the reproductive system. T h e ir a t t i t u d e
towards adults is often one o f open ambivalence.
An adolescent is a young person whose reproductive sys­
tem has matured, who is economically dependent upon a d u l t s ,
whose c h i e f source o f need g r a t i f i c a t i o n is his peers, who
has open i n t e r e s t in the opposite sex, and f o r whom status
and roles as defined f o r ch ild re n and adults in his c u l t u r e
are confused.
He tends to be moving toward adulthood.2 '

20

Eichhorn, op. c i t . , p. 31.

^ W i l l i a m W. Wattenberg, "Preadolescents in the Junior High,"
Educational Leadership, XIV (May, 19 57 ), 473-74.

19

Today's adolescent is on the average s l i g h t l y t a l l e r and
enjoys a b e t t e r n u t r i t i o n a l d i e t .

He is p h y s ic a lly h e a l t h i e r , perhaps
2?
more i n t e l l i g e n t and c e r t a i n l y more s o p h istic ated .
The transescent
youth of the 1970s d i f f e r s from the transescent youth o f the 1920s
and 1930s.

There is an e a r l y d esir e f o r s o p h is t ic a t io n on the part of

today's transescent t h a t did not manifest i t s e l f in the e a r l i e r
counterp ar t.

23

This period o f growth appears to have the d r i v e o f one
strong d e f i n i t e purpose, to get i t over w ith--s chool or c o l le g e , or
l i v i n g a t home— and gain re al autonomy and independence t h a t is now
only spuriously t h e i r s . ^

This condition has been described by Stone

as a f e e l i n g o f being out o f step:
i d e a l s , and with one's own body.

w ith one's peers, with one's

25

A u t h o r i t i e s s t a t e t h a t changes in our s o c ie t y , coupled with
the e a r l i e r maturation o f the transescent p h y s i c a l l y , s o c i a l l y , and
i n t e l l e c t u a l l y , have caused a d d it i o n a l demands to be placed upon the
students and the educators.

This being the case, educators have the

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to provide o p p o rtu n itie s f o r students to come to terms
with themselves.
^ F r a n c i s C. Bauer, M .D ., "Causes o f C o n f l i c t , " National Asso­
c i a t i o n o f Secondary Schools P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , XLIX { A p r i l , 1965JT
1.
23
James S. Coleman, "Social Change:
Impact on the Adolescent,"
National Association o f Secondary School P rin c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , XLIX
(A p ril , 1965)," 14.
24

Margaret Mead, "Early Adolescence in the United S t a t e s , "
National Association o f Secondary School P rin c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , XLIX
( A p r i l , 19 65 ), 7.
25
L. Joseph Stone, Childhood and Adolescence (New York:
Random House, 19 57), p. 302.

20

The Middle School Program
The i n s t i t u t i o n o f the j u n i o r high school has been questioned
by the accelerated growth o f the middle school.

A new school is

required to meet the needs o f today's e a r l y adolescent.

The re fo re ,

more and more educators are looking w ith favor upon the i n t e n t and
purposes o f the school f o r the middle year s.

The evidence o f the

growth o f the middle school has been es tab lis he d.

26

A basic necessity o f the middle school program i s t h a t
emphasis be placed upon i n d i v i d u a l i z e d le a r n in g .

I t must provide a

maximized oppor tunity f o r the in d ividu al student to grow as an i n d i ­
vidual and develop as a l e a r n e r .

Havighurst speaks o f no longer

t r e a t i n g the c h i l d ' s mind as a storehouse o f knowledge but r a t h e r as
an instrument fo r le a rn in g .

27

The middle school program provides an opportunity f o r students
to dis cover, by s e l f - e x p l o r a t i o n , t h e i r f e e l i n g s and ideas.
vidual

An i n d i ­

is not considered j u s t a student but is accepted as a person.

This i n d iv id u a l student is provided the chance to develop responsi­
b i l i t y in an accepting atmosphere.

I t is in t h i s type o f atmosphere,

according to P a r t i n , t h a t he comes to see himself as a t h in k e r of
thoughts, a doer of deeds, a maker o f decis io ns, a f u l l y human person.

28

oc

Alexander e t a l . , op. c i t .
27Robert J. Havighurst, "The Middle School Child in Contemporary
S o ciety ," Theory Into P r a c t i c e , V I I (January, 19 68), 120.
pa

Charles S. P a r t i n , "To Sample--or to Explore," Educational
Leadership, X X I I I (December, 1965), 197.

21

Learning, f o r the most p a r t , is done independently.

The stu­

d en t's inherent d es ir e to learn is accentuated when there is a
non-threatening environment t h a t is f u l l o f s t i m u l a t i o n .

Batezel

promotes the concept t h a t a middle school program, properly conceived,
is not j u s t a series o f hurdles which a c h i l d must jump, but a means
to a f a r nobler end— developing and/or increasing the s e l f concept of
each c h i ld as a valuable human being.

29

Pupil success is considered a v i t a l
middle school program.

in g re d ie n t to the successful

Mel by indicates t h a t in American schools today

perhaps a t h i r d o f the c h ild re n get very l i t t l e

in e f f e c t i v e education.

What is worse, t h e i r experience in school destroys t h e i r s e l f c o n f i dence.

30

School f a i l u r e s can lead to a negative self-imag e and a loss

o f d e s ir e .

The fu nc tio na l middle school program provides s it u a t io n s

f o r each student to r e g u l a r l y fin d some measure o f success.
Through a c t i v e involvement with m a t e r i a l s , methods, and
major ideas o f the d i s c i p l i n e s , the middle school c h i ld can
learn how knowledge is produced as well as how i t is systemat­
i c a l l y organized.
In s h o r t , the middle school s t r i v e s f o r
the i n t e l l e c t u a l development of a l l p u p il s , not j u s t those
who have been e a r l y i d e n t i f i e d as co lle g e bound.
Furthermore,
the goal o f i n t e l l e c t u a l development is not pursued a t the
expense o f the s o c i a l , emotional, and physical development of
the i n d i v i d u a l . ^ '
The content o f the previous statement by Alexander places the
i n t e l l e c t u a l r o l e o f the middle school program in the c o rr e c t per­
spective.

I t also implies the need f o r teachers and ad minis tra tors

pq

George W. B a t e z e l , "The Middle School: Philosophy, Programs,
O rg an iz a tion ," Clearing House, XLII ( A p r i l , 19 68 ), 1.
30Ernest 0. Melby, "Let's Abolish the Marking System," Nation's
Schools (May, 19 66), p. 104.
31

Ale xander e t a l . , op. c i t . , p. 85.

22

who understand i t s s ig n ific a n c e in l i g h t of the many needs of the
middle school student.
A good program f o r students passing from childhood to adoles­
cence contains the opportunity f o r ex ploratory courses.

These may

take the form o f mini-courses, l e i s u r e - t i m e group and ind ividu al
a c t i v i t i e s , and discussion type classes.

DeVita and his colleagues

place the accent o f the ex plora tory program on the "Q" f o r quest.
Each student must be able to f i n d s a t i s f a c t i o n and success, whatever
his a s p ir a t io n s and opp ortun itie s may be.

32

Nearly a l l the educators

who have w r i t t e n m a teria ls about the middle school recommend a broad
ex plo ra tory program.
Atkin s33 w rite s t h a t the middle school should emphasize a
u t i l i z a t i o n o f knowledge r a t h e r than a mastery o f knowledge.

The

middle school should a s s i s t students w ith t h e i r s e l f concept by
grad u ally removing the t y p i c a l school r e s t r a i n t s on movement, use o f
m a te r ia ls and equipment, and behavior.
Certain features must be a p a rt o f a fu nctio ning middle school.
The NEA Research B u l l e t i n describes seven o f these fea tures as follows;
1.
2.
3.

A span of a t l e a s t th ree grades between 5 and 8 to allow
f o r the gradual t r a n s i t i o n from elementary to high school
i n s t r u c t i o n a l p r a c t ic e s .
Emerging departmental s t r u c t u r e in each higher grade to
e f f e c t gradual t r a n s i t i o n from the s e lf-c o n ta in e d class­
room to the departmentalized high school.
F l e x i b l e approaches to i n s t r u c t i o n — team teaching,
f l e x i b l e scheduling, i n d i v i d u a l i z e d i n s t r u c t i o n , inde­
pendent study, t u t o r i a l programs— and other approaches
aimed a t stim u lati ng c h ild re n to lea rn how to lea rn .
3^De vita , Pumerantz, and Wilkow, op. c i t . , p. 31.

33Ne il P. A tk in s, “Rethinking Education in the Middle," Theory
I n t o P ra c tic e (June, 1968), 118-19.

23

4.
5.
6.
7.

Required special courses, taught in departmentalized form
and f r e q u e n t l y with an i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y or m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y approach.
Guidance programs as a d i s t i n c t e n t i t y to f i l l the special
needs o f t h i s age group.
Faculty with both elementary and secondary c e r t i f i c a t i o n ,
or some teachers with each type ( u n t i l special t r a i n i n g
and c e r t i f i c a t i o n are a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e v e l ) .
Limited a t t e n t i o n to interschool sports and social
a c t i v i t i e s .34
Others have defined t h e i r concept of the middle school.

Probably the most f re q u e n t ly re f e r r e d to middle school concept is t h a t
o f Alexander.
1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

The follow ing items represent his middle school aims:

To serve the educational needs o f the "In-between-ages"
( o ld e r c h i l d r e n , preadolescents, and e a r l y adolescents)
in a school bridging the elementary school f o r childhood
and the high school f o r adolescence.
To provide optimum i n d i v i d u a l i z a t i o n o f curriculum and
i n s t r u c t i o n f o r a population characterized by great
v a ria b ility .
In r e l a t i o n to the foregoing aims, to pla n, implement,
evaluate and modify, in a continuing curriculum develop­
ment program, a curriculum which includes provision f o r :
(a) a planned sequence o f concepts in the general educa­
t i o n area s, (b) major emphasis on the in t e r e s t s and s k i l l s
f o r continued l e a r n in g , (c) a balanced program o f explo ra ­
t o r y experiences and o ther a c t i v i t i e s and services f o r
personal development, and (d) app ropriate a t t e n t i o n to the
development o f values.
To promote continuous progress through and smooth a r t i c u ­
l a t i o n between the several phases and le v e ls o f the t o t a l
educational program.
To f a c i l i t a t e the optimum use o f personnel and f a c i l i t i e s
a v a i l a b l e f o r continuing improvement o f s c h oo lin g.35
Pearl Brod has compiled a generalized l i s t of advantages

claimed f o r the middle school:
1.

I t gives t h i s u n i t a status o f i t s own, ra th e r than a
" ju n io r " c l a s s i f i c a t i o n .
34

National Education Association Research B u l l e t i n , X L V II,
op. c i t . , 49-52.
35
Ale xander e t a l . , op. c i t . , p. 19.

24

2.
3.

4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

14.

15.
16.

I t f a c i l i t a t e s the intr od uc tio n in grades 5 and 6 o f some
s p e c i a l i z a t i o n and team teaching in s t a f f patterns.
I t also f a c i l i t a t e s the reorganiz ation o f teacher educa­
ti o n which is so rely needed to provide teachers competent
f o r the middle school; since e x i s t i n g patterns o f n e i t h e r
the elementary nor the secondary teacher t r a i n i n g programs
would s u f f i c e , a new patter n must be developed.
Developmental!y, ch ild re n in grades 6 - 8 are probably more
a l i k e than c h ild re n in grades 7 - 9 .
Since they are undergoing the common experience of adoles­
cence, 6 th -8 th grades should have special a t t e n t i o n ,
special tea ch ers, and special programs, which the middle
school permits.
I t provides an opportunity f o r gradual change from the
s e lf -c o n t a in e d classroom to complete d ep a rtm e n ta liz a tio n .
Additional f a c i l i t i e s and s p e c i a l i s t s can be made a v a i l a ­
ble to a l l c h ild re n one year e a r l i e r .
I t permits the org anization o f a program with emphasis
upon a continuation and enrichment of basic education in
the fundamentals.
I t f a c i l i t a t e s extending guidance services into the
elementary grades.
I t helps to slow down the "growing up" process from K-8
because the o ld es t group is removed from each l e v e l .
I t puts ch ild re n from the e n t i r e d i s t r i c t together one
year e a r l i e r , aiding s o c i o l o g i c a l l y .
Physical u n i f i c a t i o n o f grades 9-12 permits b e t t e r coordina­
tio n o f courses from the senior high school.
I t elim in ates the p o s s i b i l i t y o f some students and parents
not being aware o f the importance of the ninth grade as
p art o f the senior high school record, p a r t i c u l a r l y in
terms o f colle ge admission.
I t elim in ates the need f o r special programs and f a c i l i t i e s
f o r one grade, and elim in a te s the problems created by the
f a c t t h a t the nin th grade is f u n c t i o n a l l y a part o f the
senior high school.
I t reduces d u p li c a t i o n o f expensive equipment and f a c i l i ­
t i e s f o r one grade. The funds can be spent on f a c i l i t i e s
b e n e f i c i a l to a l l grades.
I t provides both present and f u tu re f l e x i b i l i t y in b u i l d ­
ing planning, p a r t i c u l a r l y when i t comes to changing
school population.
I n d i v i d u a l i z a t i o n and f l e x i b i l i t y command the a t t e n t i o n o f the

proponents of the middle school.

A program c a r e f u l l y designed f o r

t h i s period o f education w i l l a s s i s t the c h i ld in making the d i f f i c u l t
36

Brod, op. c i t . , pp. 331 -3 3 .

25

t r a n s i t i o n from the s e lf-c o n ta in e d elementary classroom to the dep art­
mentaliz ed, su bject-centered senior high school.

Every e f f o r t must be

exercised to accommodate the wide range o f a b i l i t i e s and i n t e r e s t s o f
the tra ns es ce nts.

The middle school seems to assure the best promise

f o r a t t a i n i n g t h i s goal.
Review o f Related Studies
In 1970-71 Jack D. Riegle conducted a study designed to iden­
t i f y basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

His source f o r these basic

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s was the middle school l i t e r a t u r e .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic s

t h a t were f re q u e n t ly mentioned in the l i t e r a t u r e were i d e n t i f i e d as
s i g n i f i c a n t to the study.

The degree o f a p p li c a t i o n of these charac­

t e r i s t i c s in middle schools in Michigan and in a selected national
sample became the focus o f the i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
These c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s were extracted from the l i t e r a t u r e and
sent to f i v e noted a u t h o r i t i e s in the area o f middle school education
for v a lid a tio n .
compiled.

Eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s were

They gave a t t e n t i o n t o :

( 1 ) continuous progress programs,

(2) multi-media use, (3 ) f l e x i b l e schedules, (4) social experiences,
( 5 ) physical experiences, ( 6 ) intramural a c t i v i t y , (7) team tea ch ing,
(8 ) planned gradualism, (9) exploratory-enrichment experiences,
(10) guidance s e rv ic e s , (11) independent study, (12) basic lea rn ing
s k ills ,

(13) c r e a t i v e learning experiences, (14) student s e c u rit y

f a c t o r s , (15) ev aluati on p r a c t i c e s , (16 ) community r e l a t i o n s ,
(17 ) student s e rv ic e s , and (18) a u x i l i a r y s t a f f i n g .
The degree o f a p p li c a t i o n o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s was d e t e r ­
mined by the use o f a survey instrument designed to measure data

26

r e l a t e d to the incorporation o f the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s by selected middle
schools.

The survey instrument was mailed to a l l

housing grades above four but below n in e.

schools in Michigan

I t was also mailed to four

middle schools a r b i t r a r i l y selected on a national basis because of
t h e i r exemplary middle school re pu tatio ns .
The findin gs and conclusions o f the Riegle study are:
(1) The rapid increase in the number o f schools labeled as
middle schools has not been accompanied by a high degree o f a p p lic a t io n
o f those c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s considered by a u t h o r i t i e s in the f i e l d to
be basic to middle school education.
(2) There was an o v e ra ll 46.94 percent a p p li c a t i o n by middle
schools in Michigan as measured by the survey instrument used in t h i s
study and a 64.9 percent a p p li c a t i o n by the national sample when measured
on the same basis.
( 3 ) The number o f grades housed in a middle school was not a
s i g n i f i c a n t f a c t o r in determining a p p li c a t i o n o f the basic middle
school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

I t should be noted t h a t g e n e r a lly both th re e -

grade and four-grade middle schools in Michigan applied the middle
school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a l im it e d degree.
(4) While a high degree o f agreement e x i s t s among a u t h o r i t i e s
in the f i e l d regarding what co n s titu te s basic middle school charac­
t e r i s t i c s , the degree of a p p li c a t i o n o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and the
wide v a r i a t i o n in le v e l s of a p p li c a t i o n provide evidence o f a f a i l u r e
by the leadership o f the Michigan middle schools to implement the
valid ated c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

27

( 5 ) A l im it e d number o f Michigan middle schools demonstrated
a p p lic a t io n o f the basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a degree
equal to t h a t level achieved by the four selected exemplary middle
schools included in t h i s study.
A complete l i s t i n g o f these eighteen basic middle school
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s are presented.

The o r i g i n a l development o f these

eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s was by R ieg le.

37

However, the l i s t i n g con­

tained in t h i s study are those prepared in more d e t a i l through the
combined e f f o r t s o f Georgiady, R ie g le , and Romano.
Eighteen C h a r a c t e r is t ic s o f the Middle School
C h a r a c t e r is t ic s

What and Why

1. Continuous Progress

The middle school program should fe a t u r e
a nongraded org an ization t h a t allows
students to progress a t t h e i r own i n d i ­
vidual r a t e regardless o f chronological
age.
Individual d if f e re n c e s are a t the
most pronounced stage during the t r a n s ­
escent years o f human development.
Chronological groups tend to ignore the
span of individual d if f e r e n c e s .
Explanation
The curriculum b u i l t on continuous progress
is t y p i c a l l y composed of sequenced
achievement le v e l s or u nits o f work. As
a student completes a u n i t o f work in a
subject he moves on to the next u n i t .
This plan u t i l i z e s programmed and semiprogrammed i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s , along
with teacher-made u n it s .

37

Rie g le , op. c i t . , pp. 60-68.

38Lou 1s G. Romano, Nicholas P. Georgiady, and James E. Heald,
The Middle School: Selected Readings on an Emerging School Program
(Chicago, I l l i n o i s :
Nelson-Hall Co., 1973), pp. 73-84.

28
Characteristics

What and Why

2. M u l t i - m a t e r i a l
Approach

The middle school program should o f f e r
to students a wide range o f easy acessi b l e i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s , a number
o f explanations and a choice o f approaches
to a t o p i c .
Classroom a c t i v i t i e s should
be planned around a m u l t i- m a t e r i a l
approach r a t h e r than a basic textbook
o rg an iz a tio n .
Explanation
M a t u rit y l e v e l s , i n t e r e s t areas, and stu­
dent backgrounds vary g r e a t l y at t h is
age and these varia bles need to be con­
sidered when m a te r ia ls are se lected. The
middle school age youngster has a range
b i o l o g i c a l l y and p h y s i o l o g i c a l ly anywhere
from seven years old to 19 years old.
T h e ir co g n itive development, according to
Piaget, progresses through d i f f e r e n t
l e v e l s , too.
{L imitin g fa c t o r s include
environment, physical development, e x p e ri­
ences, and emotions.) The middle school
youngster is one o f two stages:
prepara­
t i o n f o r and organization o f concrete
operations and the period of formal opera­
ti o n s .
These students have short a t t e n t i o n
spans. V a ria tio n in approach and v a ria b le
m a teria ls should be a v a i l a b l e in the school
program to meet the various needs and
a b i l i t i e s o f the youngsters and to help
the teachers r e t a i n the i n t e r e s t of the
youngsters.

3. F l e x i b l e Schedules

What and Why
The middle school should provide a schedule
th at encourages the investment of time
based on educational needs ra th e r than
standardized time periods. The schedule
should be employed as a teaching aid ra the r
than a control device. The r i g i d block
schedule provides l i t t l e opportunity to
develop a program to a special s i t u a t i o n
or to a p a r t i c u l a r student.
Explanation
Movement should be permissive and fre e
r a th e r than dominated by the teacher.

29
C haracteristics

Exp lanation

V a r i a t i o n o f classes and the length of
class time as well as v a r i e t y of group
size w i l l help a student become capable
o f assuming r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r his own
l e a rn in g .
4. Social Experiences

What and Why
The program should provide experiences
appropriate f o r the transescent youth and
should not emulate the social experiences
o f the senior high school.
Social a c t i v i ­
t i e s th at emulate high school programs are
inappro pri ate f o r middle school students.
The stages o f t h e i r social development are
diverse and the question o f immaturity is
p e r t i n e n t in the planning o f a c t i v i t i e s
f o r t h i s age l e v e l .
Explanation
The preadolescent and e a r l y adolescent
undergo changes which a f f e c t the s e l f concept. The youngster is in an i n between world , separate from the f am ily
and the r e s t of the adult world. This is
a time o f s e n s i t i v i t y and acute perception,
a cru c ia l time in preparation f o r adulthood.
This is the age o f se x -r o le i d e n t i f i c a t i o n .
The youngsters model themselves a f t e r a
same-sex a d u lt and seek support from the
same-sex peer group. The a t t i t u d e s o f the
group a f f e c t the judgment o f the in d ividu al
c h ild .
There is the necessity f o r develop­
ing many social s k i l 1s - - e s p e c i a l l y those
regarding the opposite sex. There are
dramatic changes in a c t i v i t y ; dancing,
slang, kidding, p r a c t i c a l joke give and
take, etc.
Common areas should be provided
in the building f o r social i n t e r a c t i o n
among smal1 groups.

5 and 6. Physical
Experiences and
Intramural
A c tiv itie s

What and Why
The middle school c u r r i c u l a r and coc u r r i c u l a r programs should provide physical
a c t i v i t i e s based s o l e l y on the needs of the
students.
Involvement in the program as a
p a r t i c i p a n t ra th e r than as a spectator is

30
Characteristics

What and Why

c r i t i c a l f o r students. A broad range of
intramural experiences t h a t provide physical
a c t i v i t y f o r a l l students should be provided
to supplement the physical education
classes* which should center t h e i r a c t i v i t y
upon helping students understand and use
t h e i r bodies. The middle school should
f e a t u r e intramural a c t i v i t i e s r a t h e r than
interscholastic a c t i v i t i e s .
Explanation
A c t i v i t i e s t h a t emulate the high school
program are inappro pri ate f o r the middle
school. The stages o f t h e i r physical
development are diverse and the question
o f immaturity is p e r t i n e n t in planning
a c t i v i t i e s f o r t h i s age l e v e l .
The wide
range o f p hy sica l, emotional, social d ev el­
opment found in youngsters o f middle school
age strongly suggests a diverse program.
The c h i l d ' s body is r a p i d l y developing.
The r e l a t i o n s h i p o f a t t i t u d e and physical
s k i l l must be considered in planning
physical a c t i v i t i e s consistent with the
concern f o r growth toward independence in
l e a rn in g .
The emphasis should be upon
the development of fundamental s k i l l s as
well as using these s k i l l s in a v a r i e t y of
a c tiv itie s .
Intramural a c t i v i t y involves
maximum p a r t i c i p a t i o n , whereas i n t e r ­
sch olastic a c t i v i t y provides minimum
involvement. There is no sound educational
reason f o r i n t e r s c h o l a s t i c a t h l e t i c s .
Too
o ften they serve merely as public e n t e r t a i n ­
ment and encourage an overemphasis on
s p e c i a l i z a t i o n a t the expense o f the
m a j o r it y o f the student body.
7. Team Teaching

What and Why
The middle school program should be orga­
nized in p a rt around team teaching patterns
t h a t allow students to i n t e r a c t w ith a
v a r i e t y of teachers in a wide range of
subject areas.
Team teaching is intended
to bring to students a v a r i e t y of resource
persons.

31
Characteristics

Explana tion

Team teaching provides an opportunity f o r
teacher t a l e n t s to reach g rea ter numbers
o f students and f o r teacher weaknesses to
be minimized. This org aniz ational pattern
requires teacher planning time and an
i n d i v i d u a l i z e d student program i f i t is
to function most e f f e c t i v e l y .
8. Planned Gradualism

What and Why
The middle school should provide experiences
t h a t a s s i s t e a r l y adolescents in making the
t r a n s i t i o n from childhood dependence to
a d u lt independence, thereby helping them
to bridge the gap between elementary school
and high school.
Explanation
The t r a n s i t i o n period is marked by new
physical phenomena in boys and g i r l s which
bring about the need f o r learning to manage
t h e i r bodies and e r o t i c sensations without
embarrassment. Awareness o f new concepts
o f s e l f and new problems of social behavior
and the need f o r developing many social
s k i l l s is r e l e v a n t .
There is a responsi­
b i l i t y to help the r a p i d l y developing
person as se rt his r i g h t to make many more
decisions about his own behavior, his social
l i f e , management o f money, choice of
f r i e n d s , in g e n e ra l, to make a d u l t , inde­
pendent dec isions.
The t r a n s i t i o n involves
a movement away from a dependence upon what
can be perceived in the immediate environ­
ment to a lev el o f hypothesizing and dealing
with a b s tr a c t io n s .
There is an e s t a b l i s h ­
ment of a lev e l o f a d u l t - l i k e thought and a
d esire to t e s t ideas in school as well as
social s i t u a t i o n s .

9. Exploratory and
Enrichment Studies

What and Why
The program should be broad enough to meet
the ind ividu al i n t e r e s t s of the students f o r
which i t was designed.
I t should widen the
range of educational t r a i n i n g a student
experiences r a t h e r than s p e c i a l i z e his
train ing .
There is a need f o r v a r i e t y in

32
Characteristics

What and Why

the curriculum.
E l e c t i v e courses should
be a p a rt o f the program o f every student
during his years in the middle school.
Expl anati on
Levels o f r e t e n t io n are increased when
students learn by "doing*' and understanding
is more complete when viewed from a wide
range o f experiences.
Time should be
spent enric hing the student's concept of
himself and the world around him, ra t h e r
than le a rn in g subject matter in the t r a d i ­
t i o n a l form. A student should be allowed
to i n v e s t ig a t e his i n t e r e s t s on school
tim e, and to progress on his own as he is
ready.
10. Guidance Services

What and Why
The middle school program
both group and i n d iv id u a l
f o r a l l students.
Highly
help t h a t i s o f a personal

should include
guidance services
individualized
nature is needed.

Explanation
The middle school c h i ld needs and should
rece ive counseling on many matters.
Each
teacher should ''counsel" the c h i ld regard­
ing his le a rn in g o p p o r tu n itie s and progress
in re sp ec tive areas.
Each c h i l d should
perhaps be a member o f a home-base group
led by a tea ch er -co unselor, someone who
watches out f o r his w e l f a r e .
Puberty and
i t s many problems re q u ire expert guidance
f o r the youngster, so a professional coun­
selor should be a v a i l a b l e to the in d ividu al
youngster.
11.

Independent Study

What and Why
The program should provide an opportunity
f o r students to spend time studying i n d i ­
vidual in t e r e s t s or needs t h a t do not appear
in the organized c u r r i c u l a r o f f e r i n g s .

33
C haracteristics

Exp la na tion

A c h i l d ' s own i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r i o s i t y moti­
vates him to carry on independently o f the
group, with the teacher serving as a
resource person.
Independent study may be
used in connection with organized knowledge,
or with some special i n t e r e s t or hobby.
The student pursues his work, a f t e r i t has
been d efined, and uses his tea chers, various
m a te r ia ls a v a i l a b l e in the school, and per­
haps even other students, as his sources.
He grows in s e l f - d i r e c t i o n through various
a c t i v i t i e s and use o f m a t e r ia l s .
12. Basic S k i l l Repair
and Extension

What and Why
The middle school program should provide
opp ortun itie s f o r students to receive
c l i n i c a l help in learn in g basic s k i l l s .
The basic education program foster ed in
the elementary school should be extended
in the middle school.
Explanation
Because o f in d ividu al d iffe re n c e s some
youngsters have not e n t i r e l y mastered the
basic s k i l l s .
These students should be
provided organized o pp ortun itie s to improve
th eir s k ills .
Learning must be made
a t t r a c t i v e and many o pp ortun itie s to prac­
t i c e reading, l i s t e n i n g , asking questions,
e t c . , must be planned in every classroom.
Formal spe cialized i n s t r u c t i o n in the
basic s k i l l s may be necessary and should
be a v a i l a b l e .

13. Crea tiv e
Experiences

What and Why
The middle school program should include
op p o rtu n itie s f o r students to express
themselves in c r e a t i v e ways.
Student news­
papers, dramatic c r e a t io n s , musical programs,
and other student-centered , studentd i r e c t e d , student-developed a c t i v i t i e s
should be encouraged.

34
Characteristics

Exp lanation

Students should be f r e e to do some divergent
th in king and explore various avenues to
possible answers. There should be time
allowed f o r t h in kin g without pressure, and
a place f o r unusual ideas and unusual
questions to be considered with respect.
Media f o r expressing the inner f e e l in g s
should be provided. A r t , music, and drama
provide o p p o rtu n itie s f o r expression o f
personal f e e l i n g s .
14. S e cu rity Factor

What and Why
The program should provide every student
with a s e c u rit y group: a teacher who
knows him well and whom he r e l a t e s to in
a p o s it i v e manner; a peer group t h a t meets
r e g u l a r l y and represents more than admin­
i s t r a t i v e convenience in i t s use o f time.
Explanation
Teachers need time to give the in d ividu al
student the a t t e n t i o n he needs, to help
in counseling and curriculum s i t u a t i o n s .
The student needs someone in school t h a t
he can be comfortable w ith .

15. Evaluation

What and Why
The middle school program should provide
an ev aluation o f a student's work t h a t is
personal, p o s i t i v e in n atu re , non­
th r e a t e n i n g , and s t r i c t l y i n d i v i d u a l i z e d .
The student should be allowed to assess
his own progress and plan f o r f u tu re
progress.
Explanation
A student needs more information than a
l e t t e r grade provides and he needs more
s e c u r i t y than the t r a d i t i o n a l evaluation
system o f f e r s .
T r a d i t i o n a l systems seem
to be p u n i t i v e . The middle school young­
s t e r needs a supportive atmosphere t h a t
helps to generate confidence and a w i l l ­
ingness to explore new areas of le a rn in g .
Student-teacher planning helps to encourage

35
Characteristics

Exp la na tion

the students to seek new areas.
Studentteacher evaluation sessions can help to
crea te a mutual understanding o f problems
and also to provide a more meaningful
re po rt f o r parents.
Parent-tea ch er -student
conferences on a scheduled and unscheduled
basis should be the basic reporting method.
Competitive l e t t e r grade ev aluation should
be replaced with open p u p il- t e a c h e r- p a re n t
communications.
16. Community
Relations

Hhat and Why
The middle school should develop and main­
t a i n a varied program of community r e l a t i o n s .
Programs to inform, to e n t e r t a i n , to edu­
c a t e , and to understand the conmunity, as
well as other a c t i v i t i e s , should be a part
of the basic operation of the school.
Explanation
The middle school houses students a t a
time when they are eager to be involved in
a c t i v i t i e s w ith t h e i r parents.
The school
should encourage t h i s natural a t t i t u d e .
The middle school has f a c i l i t i e s t h a t can
be used to good advantage by community
groups.

17. Student Services

What and Why
The middle school should provide a broad
spectrum o f sp e c ia lize d services f o r stu ­
dents. Community, county, and s t a t e
agencies should be u t i l i z e d to expand the
range of s p e c i a l i s t s to i t s broadest pos­
s i b l e ex ten t.
Explanation
Health s e rv ic e s , counseling s e rv ices ,
t e s t i n g , o p p o rtu n itie s f o r individual
development ( c u r r i c u l a r and c o - c u r r i c u l a r )
meeting the in t e r e s t s and needs o f each
c h i l d should be provided.

36
C haracteristics

What and Why

18. A u x i l i a r y S t a f f i n g

The middle school should u t i l i z e hig hly
d i v e r s i f i e d personnel such as volunteer
parents, teacher aid es , c l e r i c a l aides,
student volunteers , and other s i m i l a r
types o f support s t a f f i n g t h a t help to
f a c i l i t a t e the teaching s t a f f .
Explanation
A u x i l i a r y s t a f f i n g is needed to provide
the in d ividu al help students re q u i r e . A
v a r i e t y o f teacher aides or paraprofessionals may be used to extend the t a l e n t s
o f the professional s t a f f .

An extension o f the Riegle study was completed in 1972 by
Hawkins.

His purpose was to in v e s t ig a t e the r e l a t i o n s h i p between

p r i n c ip a ls and teachers in selected Michigan middle schools and four
n a t i o n a l l y prominent middle schools regarding t h e i r perceptions of
t h e i r school p r a c t ic e s .
Riegle had previously i d e n t i f i e d and va lid a te d the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

Survey questionnaires seeking

data r e l a t e d to the cu rren t prac tice s of middle schools were mailed to
the p rin c ip a l of each school in Michigan i d e n t i f i e d as a "middle
school" with a 6-8 grade o rg a n iz a tio n .

The survey questionnaires

were also mailed to four a r b i t r a r i l y selected exemplary middle schools
in the United S ta tes.
A f t e r an analysis o f the d a ta , i t was apparent the exemplary
middle schools in the national sample were applying the eighteen basic
middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g rea ter degree than were the middle
schools in Michigan.

39

__

James Hawkins, "A Study to Ascertain Actual Middle School
Practices as Compared to Reported Middle School Practices in Selected
Michigan Schools and N a t io n a l ly Prominent Schools as Perceived by

37

In 1972, B. M. Gross attempted to i d e n t i f y and analyze the
present and perceived purposes fu n c tio n s , and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f the
middle school.
1.
2.

3.
4.

5.
6.

Some o f the find ings are:

Both the middle school p r i n c ip a ls and informed educators
surveyed in t h i s study have perceived the 6-8 age-grade
o rg an iz a tio n al pattern as the most d e s ir a b le u n i t .
The findin gs have revealed t h a t the number of middle
schools has increased; the f a c t t h a t 15.5 per cent of
the schools surveyed were organized as 7-9 j u n i o r high
schools p r i o r to the 1958 to 1959 school year would
suggest t h a t the number of j u n i o r high schools is
decreasing.
Expediency was a prime f a c t o r in the establishment o f
80 per cent o f the middle school programs.
In n ea rly every instance where the middle school p r i n c i ­
pals and informed educators did not agree on a purpose
or function o f the middle school, i t was the informed
educator who demurred or gave the most comprehensive
response; i . e . , perceived the purpose as being more
doubtful or not v a l i d .
The middle schools surveyed f o r the most p a r t , have taken
advantage o f team teaching; however, special services and
special personnel were sparsely used.
There was agreement t h a t the middle school program should
be increased in complexity or s o p h is tic a tio n over t h a t o f
the elementary s c h o o l .
The research o f Gross in the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of expediency as a

prime f a c t o r in the establishment of the middle school is supported by
the findin gs o f Walker and Gatewood in t h e i r Michigan survey.

41

The 138 Michigan middle schools re porting in the Walker and
Gatewood study were i d e n t i f i e d as schools housing grades 5 - 8 , 6 - 8 , and
Teachers and P rin c ip a ls "
s i t y , 1972), pp. 73-86.

(Ph.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , Michigan State Univer­

^Bern ard M. Gross, "An Analysis of the Present and Perceived
Purposes, Functions, and C h a r a c t e r is t ic s of the Middle School" (Ph.D.
d i s s e r t a t i o n , Temple U n i v e r s i t y , 1972), pp. 168-86.
41
George H, Walker, J r . , and Thomas E. Gatewood, "The Status
of Middle Schools in Michigan," Michi gan Journal of Secondary Education
(Sumner, 19 72 ), pp. 11-15,

38

6-9.

Of the 94 percent o f re po rtin g Michigan middle schools, 76

percent were organized on a grade 6-8 basis , 18 percent on a 5-8
bas is, and the remaining 6 percent were organized as grades 6 -9 .
They reported t h a t the primary reason f o r the reorganizatio n
was "to reduce overcrowded conditions in o ther schools."

In c o n t r a s t ,

they found the primary reason f o r the re te n tio n of the grade and agelevel org an ization o f the j u n i o r high school to be "to provide a
b e t t e r educational program f o r the age group served."
From the research o f Gross, and along with t h a t o f Gatewood
and Walker, i t seems q u it e conclusive t h a t middle schools in general
are organized f o r reasons more a d m i n is t r a t iv e than f o r educational
reform.

In any case, according to the Riegle and Hawkins s tu d ie s ,

the Gross study, and the Gatewood and Walker study, the middle schools
in Michigan i n d ic a te a d esire to provide schools f o r the transes ce nt,
but seem to f a l l

short in the area o f the basic reason f o r the estab­

lishment o f these schools.
Summary
Higher education, under the leadership o f Harvard's Charles
E l i o t , and public school education, through the e f f o r t s of Frank
Bunker o f Berkeley, C a l i f o r n i a , began the 1888-1910 push to transform
the e i g h t - f o u r plan o f public school o rg a n iz a tio n .
The large number o f secondary students leaving public school
before graduating caused a general d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n with the e i g h t four patter n o f o rg a n iz a tio n .

The other primary point o f concern was

voiced by co lle g e f a c u l t y over the entering age of students.

I t was

desired entering students not be o ld er than eighteen years o f age.

39

However, the school ye ar 1909-1910 brought about the s i x t h r e e - t h r e e plan o f grade s t r u c t u r e in the c i t i e s of Columbus, Ohio,
and Berkeley, C a l i f o r n i a .

By t h i s time o f o rg a n iz a tio n a l development

there was a wide-based consensus t h a t the functio n o f the new organiza­
t i o n a l u n i t was to provide a s u i t a b le educational environment f o r
e a r l y adolescents.
t h a t he c a l l s i t

Samuel Popper is so convinced of t h i s e a r l y i n t e n t

i n s t i t u t i o n a l l y America's middle school.

By 1930 the number of j u n i o r high schools, grades 7 - 9 ,
increased to 1 ,842.

From 1910-1930 there was a gradual departure

from the t r a d i t i o n a l goals o f the e a r l y pioneers.

The post-World

War I I era saw the 7-9 grade arrangement become considered a t e r m i n a l type secondary school.

The o r i g i n a l

1910 purpose of o rg an iz a tio n was

missing.
This led to the redevelopment o f the middle school concept in
1950.

I t is the i n t e n t of the advocates of t h i s curren t middle

school t h a t programs be designed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the student in t h a t
period of development between childhood and adolescence c a l l e d tra n s escence.

The l a t e s t

survey by W illia m M. Alexander places the number

of middle schools in the United States in 1968 a t 1,100.
This transescent youth o f the 1970s d i f f e r s from his counter­
part o f the 1920s and 30s.

Today he is t a l l e r , b e t t e r f e d , p h y s ic a lly

h e a l t h i e r , probably more i n t e l l i g e n t , and more s o p histic ated .
changes make the middle school concept even more meaningful.

These
I t is in

the accepting surroundings o f the middle school that the transescent
youth receives an opportunity for s o c i a l , emotional, p h y s ic a l, and
i n t e l l e c t u a l development.

40

R ie g le 's development o f the eighteen basic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f
the middle school from a review of the l i t e r a t u r e exemplify the growth
and status o f today's middle school concept.
include:

These c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

( 1 ) continuous progress, (2) m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , (3) f l e x i b l e

schedules, (4) social experiences, (5) physical experiences, (6) i n t r a ­
mural a c t i v i t i e s ,

(7) team tea ching, (8) planned gradualism,

(9) ex p lo ra to r y and enrichment s tu d ie s , (10) guidance s e rv ices ,
(11 ) independent study, (12) basic s k i l l

r e p a i r and extension,

(13) c r e a t i v e experiences, (14) s e c u r i t y f a c t o r , (15) e v a lu a t io n ,
(16) corrmunity r e l a t i o n s ,

(17) student se rv ices , and (18 ) a u x i l i a r y

services.
The l i t e r a t u r e supports the growth f a c t o r of the numbers o f
middle schools.

I t also provides enough basic information to guide

educators toward t h a t u lt i m a t e middle school purpose— the education
o f transescent youth.
goal.

Numbers alone w i l l not help to achieve t h i s

There must be an understanding and incorporation o f the

a v a i l a b l e knowledge o f the transescent into the middle school pro­
grams .

CHAPTER I I I

DESIGN OF THE STUDY
Introduction
The basic o b j e c t iv e o f t h i s study was to i d e n t i f y the middle
schools in the United States and then determine the le v e l of imple­
mentation o f the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

The

eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i e s were p reviously developed by Jack R i e g l e J
He ex tra cted them from the l i t e r a t u r e and had them v a lid a t e d by middle
school a u t h o r i t i e s in the f i e l d .
I t is the primary concern o f t h i s chapter to look a t the compo­
s i t i o n of the sample, the se le c tio n o f the appro priate s t a t i s t i c a l
programs, the methods used to c o l l e c t the d a t a , and the procedures
used fo r analysis o f the data*
Source o f the Data
A l i s t o f middle schools in the United States was compiled.
This was accomplished by contacting each s ta te department of education.
The i n d iv id u a l departments were asked f o r the names o f middle schools
in t h e i r s t a t e , the grades housed in these middle schools, the mailing
address o f each middle school, and the name o f the p rin c ip a l o f each
middle school.
^Riegle, op. c i t .

41

42

In many cases, the requested information was e a s i l y known by
the departments and was supplied r a t h e r q u ic k ly .

When information was

not known or complete, a s t a t e d ir e c t o r y of schools was u su ally f o r ­
warded.

An e f f o r t was made to include only those schools o f f i c i a l l y

named "middle school."

A f u r t h e r requirement f o r inc lusion was t h a t

these "middle schools" house c h ild re n in grades 5-8 or 6 - 8 .

There

were a few instances when i t was not possible to determine the o f f i c i a l
name o f the school.

In s i t u a t i o n s o f t h i s nature the grades contained

in the school became the sole c r i t e r i a f o r the determination o f whether
or not the school would be c l a s s i f i e d as a middle school.
Upon completion o f the l i s t i n g o f middle schools in the United
S t a t e s , i t was determined t h a t there were 137 middle schools containing
grades 6-8 in Michigan and 47 middle schools containing grades 5-8 in
Michigan.

The remaining middle schools in the United States co ntain­

ing grades 6-8 t o ta l e d 955 and those containing grades 5-8 t o t a l e d
374.

The middle schools in the United States t o t a l e d 1,092 middle

schools containing grades 6-8 and 421 middle schools containing
grades 5 - 8 .
A packed containing the survey instrument, a cover l e t t e r , and
a stamped return addressed envelope was forwarded to a random sample
o f 100 middle schools containing grades 6-8 and 100 middle schools
containing grades 5-8 .
Instrument Employed
R i e g l e , in his 1971 study, developed eighteen basic middle
school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s by reviewing the l i t e r a t u r e d i r e c t l y and

43

i n d i r e c t l y re l a t e d to the middle school.

From t h i s review a l i s t o f

basic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s r e l a t e d to the middle school was e x tra c te d .
Riegle reviewed the l i s t with acknowledged a u t h o r i t i e s on the middle
school.

Based upon t h e i r c r i t i q u e , a l i s t o f eighteen basic charac­

t e r i s t i c s were compiled and agreed upon by the panel o f a u t h o r i t i e s
in the f i e l d

(see Table 3 . 1 ) .

A questionnaire was developed by Riegle

to serve as a survey instrument to measure the degree of a p p li c a t i o n
of these eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
The 1971 Riegle survey instrument was used in t h i s study to
measure the current level o f implementation o f the eighteen basic
middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

The o r i g i n a l survey instrument was

reviewed and revised with the guidance o f Dr. Louis G. Romano and
research consultants in the Department o f Research Services , Michigan
State U n i v e r s i t y .
The revised questionnaire employed in t h i s study contains 62
questions and is divided into two sections according to the manner
o f response ind icated f o r the question.

The f i r s t section of the

questionnaire contains m u l t i p l e choice questions with mutually exclu­
sive and exhaustive responses th at seek a s in gle answer per question.
In the second section of the questionnaire m u l t i p l e choice questions
seeking m u l t i p l e responses are presented.
sections was a t i t l e

Preceding the questionnaire

page including the d i r e c t i o n s f o r completion of

the questionnaire and a page devoted to obtaining general

information

from the respondents.
A cover l e t t e r was prepared and mailed with the questionnaire
and stamped re turn envelope on A p ril 24, 1974.

I t was mailed to middle

44

TABLE 3 . 1 . - - A l i s t i n g o f the eighteen middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s used
in t h is study to measure prac tice s o f middle schools (by
Louis G. Romano, Jack R ie g le , and Nicholas P. Georgiady).
C h a r a c t e r is t ic I
Continuous progress: The middle school program should f e a t u r e a non­
graded org anization t h a t allows students to progress a t t h e i r own
i n d iv id u a l r a t e regardless o f chronological age.
In d ividu al d iffere nces
are a t the most pronounced stage during the transescent years of human
development. Chronological groups tend to ignore the span o f ind ividu al
d if f e r e n c e s .
C h a r a c t e r is t ic I I
M u l t i - m a t e r i a l approach: The middle school program should o f f e r to stu ­
dents a wide range o f easy accessible i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s , a number
o f explanations and a choice of approaches to a t o p i c .
Classroom
a c t i v i t i e s should be planned around a m u l t i - m a t e r i a l approach ra t h e r
than a basic textbook o rg an iz a tio n .
C h a r a c t e r is t ic I I I
F le x i b l e schedules: The middle school should provide a schedule th at
encourages the investment o f time based on educational needs r a t h e r than
standardized time periods. The schedule should be employed as a teaching
aid r a t h e r than a control device. The r i g i d block schedule provides
l i t t l e opportunity to develop a program to a special s i t u a t i o n or to a
p a r t i c u l a r student.
C h a r a c t e r is t ic IV
Social experiences: The program should provide experiences app ropriate
f o r the transescent youth and should not emulate the social experiences
of the senior high school.
Social a c t i v i t i e s t h a t emulate high school
programs are inappro priate f o r middle school students. The stages of
t h e i r social development are diverse and the question o f imniaturity is
p e r t i n e n t in the planning o f a c t i v i t i e s f o r t h i s age l e v e l .
C h a r a c t e r is t ic s V and VI
Physical experiences and intramural a c t i v i t i e s : The middle school cur­
r i c u l a r and c o - c u r r i c u l a r programs should provide physical a c t i v i t i e s
based s o l e l y on the needs o f the students.
Involvement in the program
as a p a r t i c i p a n t ra t h e r than as a spectator is c r i t i c a l f o r students.
A broad range of intramural experiences t h a t provide physical a c t i v i t y
f o r a l l students should be provided to supplement the physical education
classes, which should center t h e i r a c t i v i t y upon helping students under­
stand and use t h e i r bodies. The middle school should fe a tu r e intramural
a c t i v i t i e s r a t h e r than i n t e r s c h o l a s t i c a c t i v i t i e s .

45

Table 3 , 1 . — Continued.

C haracteristic V II
Team te a c h in g : The middle school program should be organized in part
around team teaching patterns t h a t allow students to i n t e r a c t w ith a
v a r i e t y o f teachers in a wide range o f subject areas.
Team teaching
is intended to bring to students a v a r i e t y o f resource persons.
Characteristic V I I I
Planned gradualism: The middle school should provide experiences t h a t
a s s i s t e a r l y adolescents in making the t r a n s i t i o n from childhood
dependence to a d u lt independence, thereby helping them to bridge the
gap between elementary school and high school.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c IX
Exploratory and enrichment s t u d i e s : The program should be broad enough
to meet the in d iv id u a l i n t e r e s t s o f the students f o r which i t was
designed.
I t should widen the range o f educational t r a i n i n g a student
experiences r a t h e r than s p e c i a l i z e his t r a i n i n g .
There is a need f o r
v a r i e t y in the curriculum.
E l e c t i v e courses should be a p art o f the
program o f every student during his years in the middle school.
C haracteristic X
Guidance s e r v i c e s : The middle school program should include both group
and i n d iv id u a l guidance services f o r a l l students.
Highly i n d i v i d u ­
a l i z e d help t h a t is o f a personal nature is needed.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c XI
Independent study: The program should provide an opportunity f o r
students to spend time studying ind iv id u a l i n t e r e s t s or needs th at do
not appear in the organized c u r r i c u l a r o f f e r i n g s .
C h a r a c t e r i s t ic XI I
Das 1c ski 11 _rojia_1r and exjteniyon: The middle school program should
provide opportuniVfeV f o r students to re ce ive c l i n i c a l help in learning
basic s k i l l s .
The basic education program fostered in the elementary
school should bo extended in the middle school.

46
Tab le 3 . 1 . — Continued.

C haracteristic X I I I
Crea tiv e ex perienc es: The middle school program should include oppor­
t u n i t i e s f o r students to express themselves in c r e a t i v e ways. Student
newspapers, student dramatic c r e a t io n s , student o r a t o r i c a l c r e a t io n s ,
musical programs, and other student-centered, s t u d e n t - d i r e c t e d ,
student-developed a c t i v i t i e s should be encouraged.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c XIV
Se cu rity f a c t o r : The program should
se c u rity group: a teacher who knows
a p o s it i v e manner; a peer group t h a t
more than a d m i n is t r a t iv e convenience

provide every student w ith a
him well and whom he r e l a t e s to in
meets r e g u l a r l y and represents
in i t s use o f time.

C h a r a c t e r i s t i c XV
E v a lu a t io n : The middle school program should provide an ev aluati on o f
a student's work t h a t is personal, p o s i t i v e in n a tu re , nonthreatening,
and s t r i c t l y i n d i v i d u a l i z e d .
The student should be allowed to assess
his own progress and plan f o r fu tu re progress.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c XVI
Community r e l a t i o n s : The middle school should develop and maintain a
varied program o f community r e l a t i o n s .
Programs to inform, to e n t e r ­
t a i n , to educate, and to understand the community as w ell as other
a c t i v i t i e s should be a p art o f the basic operation o f the school.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c XVII
Student s e r v i c e s : The middle school should provide a broad spectrum
of sp e c ia lize d services f o r students.
Community, county, and sta te
agencies should be u t i l i z e d to expand the range of s p e c i a l i s t s to i t s
broadest possible e x t e n t .
Ch a r a c t e r i s t 1c X V i i i
A uxiliary staffin g :
The middle school should u t i l i z e a highly d i v e r s i ­
f i e d array o f personnel such as volunteer pare nts , teacher aid e s ,
c l e r i c a l a id e s , student volun tee rs , and other s i m i l a r types o f support
s t a f f i n g th at help to f a c i l i t a t e the teaching s t a f f .

47

schools throughout the United States and included 100 middle schools
containing grades 6-8 and 100 middle schools containing grades 5 -8 .
Answers to each question contained in the questionnaire were
assigned a numerical value.

These assigned values were weighted to

provide a p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between large scores and a high degree
o f a p p l i c a t i o n o f the p r i n c i p l e being measured.
Procedures
By May 3, 1974, a t o t a l o f 67 questionnaires had been returned.
On May 6 , 1974, a l e t t e r was sent to a l l middle school p r i n c ip a ls
from whom there was no response.

The f i n a l number o f questionnaires

by May 22, 1974, were 89 fo r grades 6-8 and 80 f o r grades 5-8 .
As the questionnaires were returned from the various schools
the responses were coded and the coding was v e r i f i e d f o r each response.
The coding forms were divided into two sample groups.
The data f o r t h i s research p r o je c t were programmed f o r computer
an a ly sis.

The raw scores from the questionnaires were keypunched.

Each set o f keypunched questionnaire cards were coded f o r in d ividu al

TABLE 3 . 2 . --The number o f middle schools contacted, the grades and
the number of a f f i r m a t i v e responses, and percentage of
q uestionnaire re turns .
Percentage of
Schools Responding
to Questionnaire

Grade

Number of
Schools
Contacted

Number of
Responses
Recei ved

6-8

100

89

89%

5-8

100

00

80%

48

questionnaire number, ar ea, grade, and questions.

The data were then

processed by the Control Data Corporation (CDC) 6500 computer a t
Michigan S tate U n i v e r s i t y .

The PFCOUNT Program and FINN Program o f

the Michigan S tate U n iv e rs it y Stat System were used to generate
descriptive s t a t is t i c s .
Objectives to Be Measured
The f i r s t o b j e c t iv e o f t h is study was designed to determine
the number o f middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6-8 and
grades 5 - 8 , in existence during the 1972-73 school ye ar.
The second o b j e c t iv e o f t h i s study was designed to provide a
measurement r e l a t i v e to the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in Michigan as reported by the
Riegle survey instrument.
The t h i r d o b j e c t iv e o f the study was designed to provide a
measurement r e l a t i v e to the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in the United S t a t e s , not including
Michigan, as reported by the Riegle survey instrument.
Conditions o f o b j e c t i v e four were met in a s i m i l a r fashion as
o b jec tiv es two and th re e.

This o b j e c t iv e was devoted to making a

comparison study o f the degree of implementation of the eighteen basic
middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s reported by the Michigan middle schools
sample with the r e s u l t s reported by the remaining United States
middle schools sample.
I t was the purpose o f o b j e c t iv e f i v e to compare the degree of
implementation of the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
reported by the middle schools in the United States sample, grades 5 - 8 ,

49

with the r e s u l t s reported by the middle school in the United States
sample, grades 6-8.
The Riegle survey instrument was employed to measure the
degree o f implementation f o r the comparisons c a l le d f o r in these
stated o b je c t iv e s .
Summary
The Riegle study o f 1972 produced eighteen basic middle school
characteristics.
instrument.

From these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s he developed a survey

The instrument was v a lid a te d by f i v e experts in the

middle school f i e l d .
R i e g l e 's que stionnaire type survey instrument was r e p lic a t e d
f o r use in t h i s study and sent to a random sample of middle schools
throughout the United States.
responses.

Out of 200 mailings there were 169

A d es crip tio n o f the instrument and the data gained from

t h i s survey is summarized in t h i s study.
The PFCOUNT Program and FINN Program o f the Michigan State
U n i v e r s i t y S t a t System were used to generate d e s c r i p t i v e s t a t i s t i c s .

CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA

An an alysis o f the d a t a , and the find ings r e s u l t i n g from t h is
a n a ly s is , are presented in t h i s chapter.

Each o b je c t iv e is s t a t e d .

Following each statement o f the o b je c t iv e is a presentation o f the
s t a t i s t i c a l f in d in g s .
/

The data presented in Chapter IV were c o lle c t e d from the
re s u lts o f survey questionnaires returned by 169 middle schools in
the United States.

The PFCOUNT Program and FINN Program o f the

Michigan S tate U n i v e r s i t y St at System were used to generate d e s c rip t iv e
s ta tis tic s .
Objec tive I
To determine the number of middle schools
in the United S t a t e s , grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 ,
in existence during the school ye ar 1972-73.
Each s t a t e department o f education was contacted.

Information

was supplied to meet the requirements o f t h i s f i r s t o b je c t iv e o f the
study.

Only those schools o f f i c i a l l y named "middle school" and

containing a combination o f grades 5-8 or 6-8 were considered.
some cases the o f f i c i a l name was not a v a i l a b l e .

In

I f th is was the case,

the combination o f grades housed in the school became the determining
f a c t o r f o r inc lusion or exclusion.

50

51

A lack o f a v a i l a b l e grade combination information necessitated
an estimation o f the grades included in the schools in the states o f
Maryland and Oregon.
was a v a i l a b l e .

Information r e l a t i v e to the number o f schools

However, the reported fig u re s regarding grade combina­

tions was not a v a i l a b l e and is an estimation a r r i v e d a t through the
perusal o f other studies.
The category o f "other combinations" was included i f the s t a t e
o f f i c i a l l y c a l le d t h i s combination "middle school."

Combinations

included in t h i s category are varied and range anywhere from grade
four to grade nine.
There were ten states t h a t had a notable number o f schools
housing grades 5-8 or 6-8 but o f f i c i a l l y labeled these schools j u n i o r
high, elementary, graded inte rm e d ia te, upper school, or grammar
school.

These schools were not included in t h i s study because o f the

c r i t e r i a stated in the i n i t i a l o b j e c t iv e .

However, i t is not intended

to imply t h a t these schools are not middle schools because o f t h e i r
school names.

Schools o f t h i s d es crip tio n were excluded from t h is

study only because o f the o b j e c t iv e of the study to i d e n t i f y and
survey schools o f f i c i a l l y named "middle" or including grades 5-8 and
6-8 i f the o f f i c i a l name was not r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e .
States and the numbers o f grade 5-8 and 6-8 schools e x p e r i ­
encing t h i s exclusion ar e:

Alabama, 29; C a l i f o r n i a , 146; Connecticut,

42; I l l i n o i s , 88; M iss ou ri, 29; New Jersey, 75; New York, 70; Ohio,
70; Texas, 283; and Wisconsin, 154.

These states and the numbers o f

schools l i s t e d are not included in the ta b le o f middle schools found
in t h i s study.

52

Table 4.1 reports the findin gs o f t h i s study concerning the
existence o f middle schools in the United States during the 1972-73
school year.
Objec tive I I
To measure the degree o f implementation of
the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
practiced by selected middle schools in Michigan.
Before measuring the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
basic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s i t is necessary to review a l i s t i n g of the
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s included in the survey instrument and the corresponding
numbers o f questions used to c o l l e c t data on each c h a r a c t e r i s t i c .

See

Table 4 . 2 on page 55 f o r a l i s t i n g o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and the
r e l a t e d question number.
In s a t i s f y i n g Objec tive I , the selected middle schools in
Michigan were divided into two samples.

One sample contained middle

schools housing grades 5-8 and the other contained middle schools
housing grades 6-8 .

Table 4 . 3 {on page 56) and Table 4 . 4 (on page 57)

represent the mean scores achieved by each o f these middle school
grade combinations.
O bjec tive I I I
To measure the degree o f implementation o f
the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
practiced by selected middle schools* not in c lu d ­
ing Michigan, 1n the United States.
As in O bjec tive I I ,

the selected middle schools in the United

S t a t e s , except Michigan middle schools,were divided into two samples.
One sample contained middle schools housing grades 5-8 and the other

53
TABLE 4 . 1 . — The t o t a l number o f middle schools in the U n it e d Sta tes
according t o grades i n c lu d e d , the s t a t e , and the r e s p e c t iv e
percentages o f the t o t a l schools in each s t a t e .

State

Alabama

6-8

%

5-8

%

17

1.55

7

1 .66

Other
Combi­
nations

2

.18

2

.47

Total

%

17

4.32

41

2.15

3

.76

3

.15

—

4

.20

Alaska
Arizona

%

—

Arkansas

19

1.7

11

2.61

11

2.79

41

2.15

C alifo rn ia

23

2.1

3

.71

3

.76

29

1.52

6

.5

10

2.37

1

.25

17

.89

22

2 .0

5

1 .18

11

2.79

38

1 .99

20

4 .7 5

—

21

1.10

Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware

1

.09

—

F lo rid a

93

8 .5

12

2.85

18

4 .5 8

123

6.45

Georgia

32

2.9

4

.95

13

3.3

49

2.57

—

1

.05

Hawai i

1

.09

Idaho

5

.45

—

—

1

.23

1

.25

7

.36

111inois

24

2 .0

7

1 .66

17

4.32

48

2.51

Indiana

48

4 .3

6

1 .42

7

1.78

61

3.20

Iowa

13

1.1

2

.47

1

.25

16

.83

6

1.42

5

1 .27

14

.73

Kansas

3

.27

Kentucky

25

2.2

6

1 .42

35

8.9

66

3.46

Louisiana

26

2.38

8

1 .9

31

7.8

65

3.41

3

2.7

4

1 .7

14

.73

Maryland

36*

3 .2

18*

4.27

7
__ *

—

54

2.83

Massachusetts

18

1 .6

13

3.08

9

2.29

40

2.09

137

12.54

47

11 .16

22

5.59

206

10.80

Minnesota

8

.73

10

2.37

3

.76

21

1.10

M issis sippi

4

.36

7

1 .66

6

1.52

17

.89

Maine

Michigan

.95

Missouri
Montana

2

.18

---

---

—

—

- -

—

—
2

.10

54
TABLE 4 . 1 - - - C o n t i n u e d .

State

6-8

%

5-8

%

Nebraska

4

.36

2

.47

Nevada

Other
Combi­
nations
6

%

1.52

Total

12

%

.62

—

—

11

.57

55

2.88

7

.36

4

.36

7

1 .66

—

New Jersey

38

3.47

14

3.32

3

New Mexico

6

.54

1

.23

New York

40

3.66

21

4 .9 8

11

2.79

72

3.77

North Carolina

19

1 .73

19

4.51

15

53

2.78

1

.23

3.81
—

1

.05

18

4 .5 8

116

6.08

-w_*

--

32

1 .67

—

12

.62

New Hampshire

North Dakota

.76
—

—

Ohio

63

5.76

35

Oklahoma

32

2.93

--

Oregon

10*

Pennsylvania

64

5.86

33

7.83

7

1.78

104

5.45

Rhode Island

7

.64

3

.71

9

2.29

19

.99

49

4.48

18

4.27

40

10.17

107

5.60

8

.73

5

1 .18

13

.68

8

1.9

10

.52

106

5.56

3

.15

7

.36

South Carolina
South Dakota

.91

Tennessee

—

Texas

67

6.13

Utah

3

.27

Vermont

1

.09

Virginia

12

1.09

Washington

32

2.93

2*

11
4
3

8.3
.47

2.61

28

.95

.5
7.12

2

.5

10

2.54

22

1.15

2

.5

37

1.94

—

—

.71

Washington, D.C.

—

5

.45

7

1 .66

57

5.21
.27

4.27
--

19
--

4.83

3

18
---

1 ,092

57.30

421

22.08

393

20.61

West V i r g i n i a
Wisconsin
Wyomi ng
Total

2

*Estimate.

—

12

.62

94

4.93

3

.15

1,096

100.

55

TABLE 4 . 2 . — The c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w it h i n the survey instrument and the
numbers o f questions included to c o l l e c t data on each
ch aracteristic.
C haracteristic*

Survey Question Numbers

1.

Continuous progress

1,2

2.

M ulti-m aterial

3, 4 , 5, 6, 46

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

7, 8 , 38

4.

Social experiences

9, 10, 47 , 48, 60

5.

Physical experiences

11 , 41 , 4 2 , 61

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

12, 13, 49, 62

7.

Team teaching

14, 15, 16, 17

8.

Planned gradualism

18

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

19, 20, 21 , 50, 51

10.

Guidance services

22, 23, 24 , 43

11.

Independent study

39, 44, 52

12.

Basic learn in g experiences

25, 26, 45, 53

13.

C r e a tiv e experiences

27, 28, 29 , 30, 31, 54

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

32, 33, 34

15.

Evaluation p ractices

35, 40

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

36, 37, 55, 56

17.

Student services

57

18.

Auxiliary sta ffin g

58, 59

* C h a r a c t e r i s t i e s are designated by numbers. A complete
questionnaire may be found in the appendix m a t e r i a l s .

56
TABLE 4 . 3 . — The mean and standard d e v i a t i o n scores f o r s e le c te d
Michigan middle scho ols, grades 5 - 8 .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

Standard
Deviation

8

2.27

2.82

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

20.81

6.41

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

4.54

3.65

4.

Social experiences

22

12.55

6.10

5.

Physical experiences

15

11 .99

3.02

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

19

6.18

7.35

7.

Team teaching

18

4.09

6 .3 8

8.

Planned gradualism

3

1 .82

1 .25

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

24

12.63

7.65

10.

Guidance services

13

8.54

5.06

11 .

Independent study

8

2.91

2.84

12.

Basic learn in g experiences

15

8.45

4.4 0

13.

C r eative experiences

15

5.55

4.96

14.

Student s e c u r i ty f a c t o r

7

4.09

2.31

15.

Evaluation practices

8

4.09

1.81

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

4.10

3.09

17.

Student services

10

7.18

1 .54

18.

A uxiliary staffin g

10

3.18

2.16

Total Scores

254

124.97 (49%)

72.80

57

TABLE 4 . 4 . - - T h e mean and standard d e v i a t i o n scores f o r s e le c te d
Michigan middle schools, grades 6 - 8 .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

8

4.18

3,08

Standard
Deviation

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

24.91

4.89

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

3.63

3.70

4.

Social experiences

19

13.73

5.02

5.

Physical experiences

14

9.08

2.78

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

17

9.55

7.36

7.

Team teaching

18

6.00

6.81

8.

Planned gradualism

3

1.45

.93

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

23

13.26

7.12

10.

Guidance services

13

9.54

4.82

11.

Independent study

8

4.09

2.54

12.

Basic .1 earning experiences

15

7.91

4.95

13.

C r eative experiences

15

5.64

5.47

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

7

4.28

2.20

15.

Evaluation p ractices

8

4.09

1 .55

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

6.00

3.03

17.

Student services

10

7.09

1 .97

18.

Auxiliary sta ffin g

10

3.54

2.51

Total scores

247

137.97 (55%)

70.73

58
contained middle schools housing grades 6 - 8 .

Table 4 . 5 (on page 59)

and Table 4 . 6 (on page 60) represent the mean scores achieved by each
o f these middle school grade combinations.
O bjec tive IV
To compare the degree o f implementation of
the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
reported by selected Michigan middle schools with
the r e s u lt s reported by selected United States
middle schools.
A comparison to s a t i s f y the requirements of t h i s o b je c tiv e
was achieved by performing the F-Ratio f o r m u l t i v a r i a t e t e s t of
e q u a l i t y o f mean.

The FINN Program o f the Michigan S tate U n iv e rs it y

State System was used to generate the comparative s t a t i s t i c s .

A

comparison o f the area was accomplished by programming the r e s u lt s of
selected Michigan middle schools and the r e s u l t s o f the remaining
selected middle schools in the United S tates.

A comparison o f the

grade was accomplished by programming the r e s u l t s of the selected
Michigan middle schools, grades 5-8 and 6 - 8 , and the r e s u l t s o f the
remaining selected middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5-8 and
6-8.

Through the computer services o f the FINN Program the t e s t of

s i g n if ic a n c e was ca lc u la te d and the findin gs reported in Table 4.7 on
page 61.

59

TABLE 4 . 5 . — The mean and standard d e v i a t i o n scores f o r s e le c te d middle
schools i n the United S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 , but not in c l u d i n g
Michigan middle scho ols, grades 5 - 8 .

C haracteristic

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

Standard
Deviation

8

3.73

3.03

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

24.51

6.79

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

5.92

3.94

4.

Social experiences

22

13.50

7.38

5.

Physical experiences

15

10.87

3.80

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

19

10.73

7.81

7.

Team teaching

18

7.03

6.88

8.

Planned gradualism

3

1 .10

.90

9.

Explor atory and enrichment
programs

24

10.90

8.11

10.

Guidance services

13

8.26

5.39

11.

Independent study

8

4.61

3.00

12.

Basic learning experiences

15

8.61

4.61

13.

Crea tive experiences

15

6.39

5.53

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

7

4.64

2.71

15.

Evaluation p ractices

8

3.76

2.48

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

5.78

3.37

17.

Student services

10

6.06

2.04

18.

A u xiliary staffing

10

4.19

2.57

Total scores

254

140.59 (55%)

80.34

60

TABLE 4 . 6 . — The mean and standard d e v i a t i o n scores f o r s e le c t e d middle
schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6 - 8 , but not i n c l u d in g
Michigan middle scho ols, grades 6 - 8 .

Characteri s t i c

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

8

3.01

2.88

Standard
Deviation

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

23.76

7.27

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

5.64

3.63

4.

Social experiences

19

10.94

7.04

5.

Physical experiences

14

9.45

3.63

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

17

10.50

6.84

7.

Team teaching

18

7.61

6.90

8.

Planned gradualism

3

1 .08

.77

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

23

12.47

7.58

10.

Guidance services

13

8.80

4.72

11 .

Independent study

8

4.75

3.09

12.

Basic learning experiences

15

7.77

4.81

13.

C rea tiv e experiences

15

6.54

5.90

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

7

4.29

2.45

15.

Evaluation p ractice s

8

3.22

2.16

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

5.35

3.33

17.

Student services

10

6.14

1 .86

18.

A u xiliary staffing

10

3.91

2.27

Total scores

247

135.23 (55%)

77.13

61
TABLE 4 . 7 . — F- Ra ti o f o r m u l t i v a r i a t e t e s t o f e q u a l i t y of mean,
Characteristic
Area/Grade
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.

8.
9.

10.

11.
12.

13.

14.

15.
16.

17.

IB.

H
Q

Continuous progress
Area
Grade
Multi-material
Area
Grade
F l e x i b l e schedule
Area
Grade
Social experiences
Area
Grade
Phys ic al
Area
Grade

,
‘

7

'

M ultivariate
F
P

2,164
2,164

. 09
1 .86

.916
.159

NS
NS

5 ,1 61
5,161

2.66
2.90

. 0 24
. 0 16

S*
s*

3,163
3,163

2.36
.36

. 074
.781

NS

5 , 16 1
5 , 16 1

5.75
7.04

. 0001
.0001

S*
S*

4,1 62
4,162

2.50
34.48

.0444
.0001

S*
S*

4,162
4,162

1 . 67
3.30

.160
.013

NS
S*

4 ;162
4,162

.88
.35

.477
.843

NS
NS

1 , 1 65
1 , 1 65

7.51
. 25

. 0 06
. 6 22

S*
NS

5 , 16 1
5, 161

. 67
2.98

.649
. 0 14

NS
S*

4,162
4.162

.80
.88

. 529
.480

NS
NS

3,163
3,163

2.99
1 . 39

. 0 32 7
. 2 49

S*
NS

4,162
4,162

1 .66
1 .77

. 1 62
.138

NS
NS

6.160
6,160

1 . 06

.93

. 3 86
.475

NS
NS

3,163
3,163

. 55
.72

.650
.543

NS
NS

2,164
2,1 64

1 . 82
4.52

. 1 65

NS
S*

4,162
4,162

2. 31
1 .30

.060

1 ,165
1 ,165

5.50
.05

. 8 33

S*
NS

2,164

1 .88
.188

.156
.829

NS
NS

NS

e x p er i en c es

Intramural a c t i v i t y

*

Area
Grade
Team t e a c h e r
Area
Grade
Planned g r a du al i sm
Area
Grade
E x p l o r a t o r y and enr ichment
Area
Grade
Guidance s e r v i c e s
Area
Grade
Independent study
Area
Grade
Basic l e a r n i n g e xpe ri en ce s
Area
Grade
C r e a t i v e e xpe ri en ce s
Area
Grade
Student s e c u r i t y f a c t o r
Area
Grade
Evaluation practices
Area
Grade
Community r e l a t i o n s
Area
Grade
Student s e r v i c e s
Area
Grade
A uxiliary s taffing
Area
Grade
‘ S i g n i f i c a n t at

the

. 05 l e v e l

2 ,1 6 4

.

.012

.273

.020

NS
NS

62

O bjec tive V
To compare th e degree o f implementation o f
the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
reported by selected middle schools in the United
S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 , with the r e s u l t s reported by
selected middle schools in the United States,
grades 6 -8 .
This o b j e c t iv e was accomplished by averaging together the
find in g s o f Tables 4 .3 and 4 . 5 to a r r i v e at a mean f o r United States
middle schools, grades 5-8 .

An averaging together o f the findings

reported in Tables 4 .4 and 4 .6 produced a mean f o r United States
middle schools, grades 6 - 8 .

The re s u lts o f t h is procedure are reported

in Tables 4 . 8 and 4 . 9 .
Tables 4 .1 0 and 4.11

(on pages 65 and 66) represent a compari­

son o f the mean scores o f selected Michigan middle schools housing
grades 5-8 and 6 - 8 , and the mean scores o f the remaining selected
United States middle

schools housing grades 5-8 and 6 - 8 .

i s t i c s s i g n i f i c a n t a t the .05 level are noted.
of this significance
The contents

Character­

A f u r t h e r discussion

is p art o f Chapter V.
o f Table 4.12 (on page 67) represent a comparison

o f the mean scores o f the middle schools in the United States housing
grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 .
level are noted.

C h a r a c t e r is t ic s s i g n i f i c a n t a t the .05

A f u r t h e r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h i s s i g n if ic a n c e is

part o f Chapter V.
Summary
There were several s i g n i f i c a n t d iffe re n c e s re g is tere d in the
categories o f area and grade.

Area has two d iv is i o n s :

and (2) the United S t a t e s , but not including Michigan.

( 1 ) Michigan,
There are

63

TABLE 4 . 8 . — The mean and standard d e v ia tio n scores f o r selected middle
schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5-8 .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

Standard
Deviation

8

3.00

2.92

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

22.66

6.60

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

5.23

3.79

4.

Social experiences

22

13.02

6.74

5.

Physical experiences

15

11 .43

3.41

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

19

8.45

7.58

7.

Team teaching

18

5.56

6.63

8.

Planned gradualism

3

1.46

1 .07

9.

Exploratory and enrichement
programs

24

11 .76

7.88

10.

Guidance services

13

8.40

5.22

11.

Independent study

8

3.76

2.92

12.

Basic learning experiences

15

8.53

4.50

13.

Crea tiv e experiences

15

5.97

5.24

14.

Student se c u rity f a c t o r

7

4.36

2.51

15.

Evaluation practices

8

3.92

2.14

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

4.94

3.23

17.

Student services

10

6.62

1 .79

18.

Auxiliary staffing

10

3.68

2.36

Total scores

254

132.75 (52%)

76.57

64

TABLE 4 . 9 . — The mean and standard d e v i a t i o n scores f o r s e le c te d middle
schools in the Un ited S t a t e s , grades 6 - 8 .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic

Maximum
Possible
Score

Mean

Standard
Deviation

8

3.59

2.98

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

33

24.33

6.08

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

12

4 .6 3

3.66

4.

Social experiences

19

12.33

6.03

5.

Physical experiences

14

9.26

3.20

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

17

10.02

7.10

7.

Team teaching

18

6.80

6.85

8.

PIanned gradualism

3

1.26

.85

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

23

12.86

7.35

10.

Guidance services

13

9.17

4.77

11 .

Independent study

8

4.42

2.81

12.

Basic learn ing experiences

15

7.84

4.88

13.

C rea tive experiences

15

6.09

5.68

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

7

4 .2 8

2.32

15.

Evaluation p ractice s

8

3.65

1.85

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

14

5.67

3.18

17.

Student services

10

6.61

1 .91

18.

Auxiliary staffing

10

3.72

2.39

Total scores

247

136.53 (55%)

73.89

65

TABLE 4 . 1 0 . - - A comparison of the mean scores o f selected Michigan
middle schools, grades 5 - 8 , and the remaining selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 .
Characteristic

Michigan
Mean

Remaining
U.S. Mean

D ifferen ce

1.

Continuous progress

2.

Multi-m aterial

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

4.54

4.

Social experiences

12.55

13.50 S*

5.

Physical experiences

11.99 S*

10.87

1 .12

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

6.18

10.73 S*

4.55

7.

Team teaching

4.09

7.03

2.94

8.

Planned gradualism

1.82 S*

1.10

.72

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

12.63 S*

10.90

1.73
.28

2.27
20.81

3.73
24.51 S*
5.92

1 .46
3.70
1.38
.95

10.

Guidance services

8.54

8.26

11.

Independent study

2.91

4.61 S*

12.

Ba sic. learn in g experience

8.45

8,61

.16

13.

Crea tive experiences

5.55

6.39

.84

14.

Student s e c u r i t y f a c t o r

4.09

4.64

.55

15.

Evaluation p ractices

4.0 9 S*

3.76

.33

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

4 .1 0

5.78

1.68

17.

Student services

7.1 8 S*

6.06

1.12

18.

Auxiliary staffing

3.18

4.19

1.01

Total scores

124.97(49%)

S* = S i g n i f i c a n t a t the .05 l e v e l .

140.59(55%)

1 .70

15.62

66

TABLE 4 . 1 1 . — A comparison o f the mean scores o f selected Michigan
middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , and the remaining selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 6-8.
Characteristic

Michigan
Mean

Remaining
U.S. Mean

Di ffer en ce

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

4.

Social experiences

5.

Physical experiences

9 .0 8

9.45 S*

.37

6.

Intramural a c t i v i t y

9.55

10.50 S*

.95

7.

Team teaching

6.00

7.61

1.61

8.

Planned gradualism

1.45 S*

1.08

.37

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

13.26 S*

12.47

.79

4 .1 8
24.91 S*
3.63
13.73 S*

3.01

1.17

23.76

1.15

5.64

2.01

10.94

2.79

10.

Guidance services

9.54

8 .8 0

.74

11.

Independent study

4.09

4 .7 5 S*

.66

12.

Basic learn ing experiences

7.91

7.77

.14

13.

Crea tiv e experiences

5.64

6.54

.90

14.

Student s e c u rit y f a c t o r

4.28

4.29

.01

15.

Evaluation practices

4 .0 9 S*

3.22

.87

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

6.00

5.35

.65

17.

Student services

7.0 9 S*

6.14

.95

18.

A u xiliary staffing

3.54

3.91

.37

Total scores

137.97(56%)

S* = S i g n i f i c a n t a t the .05 l e v e l .

135.23(55%)

2.74

67

TABLE 4 . 1 2 . — A comparison o f the mean scores o f s e le c te d middle schools
in the United S t a t e s housing grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 .

C h a r a c t e r is t ic

5-8 Mean

6 - 8 Mean

Differen ce

1.

Continuous progress

2.

M ulti-m aterial

3.

F l e x i b l e schedule

4.

Social experiences

5.

Physical experiences

6.

Intramural A c t i v i t y

8.45

7.

Team t"-'. ;;Mng

5.56

6.80

1.24

8.

Planned gradual ism

1.46 S*

1 .26

.20

9.

Exploratory and enrichment
programs

3.00
22.66
5.23

3.59
24.33 S*

.59
1.67

4.63

.60

13.02 S*

12.33

.69

11.43 S*

9.26

2.17

11 .76

10.02 S*

12.86 S*

1 .57

1 .10

10.

Guidance services

8 .4 0

9.17

.77

11 .

Independent study

3.76

4.42 S*

.66

12.

Basic learn in g experiences

8 .5 3

7.84

.69

13.

C r e a tiv e experiences

5.97

6.09

.12

14.

Student s e c u r i t y f a c t o r

4.36

4.28

.08^

15.

Evaluation p ractices

3.92 S*

3.65

.27

16.

Community r e l a t i o n s

4.94

5.67

.73

17.

Student services

6.62 S*

6.61

.01

18.

A u xiliary staffing

3.68

3.72

.04

Total scores

132.75(52%)

S* = S i g n i f i c a n t a t the .05 l e v e l .

136.53(55%)

3.78

68

also two c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s f o r grade:

( 1 ) middle schools housing

grades 5 - 8 , and ( 2 ) middle schools housing grades 6-8 .
F i f t y percent o f the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s represent a s i g n i f i c a n t
d i f f e r e n c e a t the .0 5 l e v e l .

In r e l a t i o n to t h i s f i f t y percent f i g u r e

there are three c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t i n d i c a te a sig n ific a n c e in area
and grade, namely:

m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences, and physical

experiences; three c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t i n d i c a te a s ig n if ic a n c e in
grade o n ly , namely:

intramural a c t i v i t y , explora tory and enrichment

programs, and ev aluati on p ra c tic e s ; and th re e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t
i n d i c a t e a s i g n i f i c a n c e in area o n ly , namely:

planned gradualism,

independent study, and student services.
In the United S t a t e s , grade 5-8 middle schools achieved a
higher mean score on the implementation o f the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
than did grade 6-8 :

social experiences, physical experiences, planned

gradualism, ev aluation p r a c t i c e s , and student se rv ices.

The grade 6-8

middle schools in the United States achieved a higher mean score on
the implementation o f the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s than did grade
5-8:

m ulti-m aterial,

intramural a c t i v i t y , exp lo ra tory and enrichment

programs, and independent study.
The grade 6-8 middle schools in the United States achieved a
mean score o f 13 6.53, or 55 percent o f a possible 247 points*

The

grade 5-8 middle schools in the United States achieved a mean score
o f 132.75, or 52 percent o f a possible 254 p o in ts .

These findings

i n d i c a te t h a t the grade 6 - 8 middle school combination in the United
States is implementing the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g re a t e r
degree than the grade 5-8 United States middle school.

69

The degree o f implementation o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
was higher f o r Michigan grade 6-8 middle schools than i t was f o r the
remainder o f 6-8 middle schools in the country.

Michigan grade 6-8

middle schools achieved a mean score o f 137.97 out o f a possible 247
points.

This represents

remainder o f the schools

56 percent o f the possible score.

The

scored a mean o f 135.23 out o f the possible

247 and represents 56 percent o f the possible score.

T here fo re , the

grade 6-8 middle school in Michigan is implementing the eighteen
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a higher degree than other 6-8 grade middle
schools in the United States.
The grade 5-8 Michigan middle schools are not implementing the
eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to the degree t h a t other grade 5-8 middle
schools in the United States in d ic a te d .

The United States grade 5-8

middle schools achieved a mean score o f 140.59 out of a possible 254
p oints.

This represents

55 percent o f the possible score.

Michigan 5-8 middle schools

The

had a mean score o f 124.97 out o f the

possible 254 points and t h i s represents 49 percent of the possible
score.

The re fo re , the grade 5-8 middle schools in the United States

are implementing the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a higher degree
than the Michigan 5-8 grade middle school.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS
Summary
The cu rren t p o p u la rit y o f the middle school movement began
during the 1960s.

P r i o r to t h i s date various forms o f grade and

school org an iz atio n ex is te d .

From the h i s t o r i c a l

point o f view, the

beginning o f today's middle school took place over 60 years ago.
I t s e a r l y beginning was believed j u s t i f i e d because o f the
changes in the le v e ls o f maturation f o r adolescents, demands of a
changing s o c ie t y , and in general , the d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n o f many parents
and educators w ith the j u n i o r high school and i t s s i m i l a r i t y to the
senior high school.
This study was designed to i d e n t i f y middle schools in the
United States and determine the current level o f implementation of
eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
Jack D. R i e g l e , from a review of the l i t e r a t u r e , had previously
ex tra cted from the l i t e r a t u r e a l i s t o f eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
Noted a u t h o r i t i e s in the area o f middle school education v a lid a te d
these eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

These eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s focused

a t t e n t i o n on continuous progress programs, m u lti-m e d ia , f l e x i b l e sched­
u le s , social experiences, physical experiences, intramural a c t i v i t i e s ,
team teaching, planned gradualism, exploratory-enrichment experiences,
guidance se rv ices , independent study, basic lea rning s k i l l s , c r e a t i v e
70

71

experiences, student s e c u rit y f a c t o r s , ev aluation p ra c t i c e s , community
r e l a t i o n s , student s e rv ic e s , and a u x i l i a r y s t a f f i n g . ^
A survey que stionnaire r e l a t e d to the degree o f implementa­
t i o n o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s was mailed to a sample o f grade 5-8 and
6 - 8 middle schools in the United States.

For comparative purposes,

the same questionnaire f o r Michigan middle schools 5-8 and 6-8 was
t r e a t e d s e p ara tely.

Survey forms were returned by 80 percent o f the

grade 5-8 sample and 89 percent of the grade 6-8 sample.
P r i o r to m a ilin g the questionnaire a d ir e c t o r y o f middle
schools in the United States was developed.

The d ir e c t o r y included

schools o f f i c i a l l y named middle school and containing e i t h e r grades
5 -8 or 6 - 8 .

When i t was not possible to locate the necessary informa­

t i o n to determine the o f f i c i a l

name of the school the grades contained

in the school became the sole c r i t e r i a f o r the school's inc lusion in
the d i r e c t o r y .

The s t a t e departments o f education and local school

d i s t r i c t s were the prime sources f o r t h i s inform ation.
The re su lts o f the survey questionnaire were programed and
processed through the Control Data Corporation (CDC) 6500 computer a t
Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y .

The PFCOUNT Program and FINN Program o f

the Michigan State U n i v e r s i t y Stat System were used to generate
descriptive s t a t is t i c s .
eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

Mean scores were c a lcu la ted on each o f the
The .05 level of confidence was established

as the minimum c r i t e r i o n le v e l f o r accepting mean d if fe ren c es as being
significant.
^ R i e g l e , op. c i t .

72

Completion o f the d i r e c t o r y produced 1,906 middle schools as
defined by t h i s study.

There are 421 middle schools housing grades

5 - 8 ; 1,092 middle schools housing grades 6 - 8 ; and 393 schools c a l le d
"middle" housing various grade combinations from grade four to grade
nine.

Michigan leads the nation in numbers of middle schools housing

grades 5-8 and 6-8 .
Grade 6-8 middle schools in Michigan employ the implementation
o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g r e a t e r degree than do the
remainder of grade 6-8 middle schools in the United States.

However,

grade 5-8 middle schools in the United States implement the eighteen
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g r e a t e r degree than Michigan middle schools,
grades 5 - 8 .
The t o t a l mean score f o r implementation o f the eighteen char­
a c t e r i s t i c s in the United States middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , is higher
than the t o t a l mean score f o r United States middle schools housing
grades 5-8 .
Findings
O bjec tive I
To determine the number o f middle schools in the United
S t a t e s , grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 , in existence during
the school year 1972-73.
According to the d e f i n i t i o n stated in t h i s study, there are
421 middle schools in the United States housing grades 5-8 and 1,092
middle schools in the United States housing grades 6 -8 .

Also, there

are 393 schools c a l le d "middle" t h a t house various grade combinations
from grade four to grade nine.

73

The middle school movement in Michigan is growing in numbers.
There are 137 grade 6-8 middle schools in Michigan.

This number

co n s titu te s 12.54 percent o f the grade 6-8 middle schools in the
United S tate s.

The grade 5-8 combination in Michigan is not as popular.

There are 47 grade 5-8 middle schools in Michigan.

This f i g u r e repre­

sents 11.16 percent o f the grade 5-8 middle schools in the United
States.

These are impressive findin gs and place Michigan as the

lea der in the United States f o r both middle school grade combinations.
However, Michigan is also one o f the top contenders f o r f i r s t
place in the "other combinations" category w ith 5.59 percent o f the
t o t a l schools l i s t e d .

Only Ohio, w ith 8 . 3 perc ent, and Pennsylvania,

w ith 7.83 percent, rank higher.
The United States has 1,906 schools c a l le d middle or containing
grades 5-8 or grades 6-8 .

There are 1,0 92 , or 57.30 percent, housing

grades 6-8 and 421, or 22.08 percent, housing grades 5-8.

In the

other combinations category there are 393, or 20.61 percent o f the
1,906.
Objective I I
To measure the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s practiced by selected
middle schools in Michigan.
The grade 6-8 middle schools in Michigan apply the following
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences,

planned gradualism, ex p lo ra to ry and enrichment programs, evaluation
p r a c t i c e s , and student se rv ices .

These same schools apply the f o l l o w ­

ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a le s s e r degree:

physical experiences,

intramural a c t i v i t y , and independent study.

74

The grade 5-8 middle schools in Michigan apply the follow ing
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

physical experiences, planned

gradualism, ex p lo ra to r y enrichment programs, ev aluation p ra c t i c e s ,
and student se rv ices .

These same schools apply the following charac­

t e r i s t i c s to a les se r degree:

m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences,

intramural a c t i v i t y , and independent study.
The Michigan mean score f o r grade 5-8 on the degree o f imple­
mentation o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s is 124.97 out o f a possible
254 points.

This represents 49 percent of the possible score.

The

mean score f o r Michigan middle schools grade 6-8 on the degree o f
implementation o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s is 137.97 out o f a
possible 247 points.

This represents 56 percent of the possible

score.
The Michigan middle schools grade 6-8 apply the eighteen char­
a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree.

The 5-8 middle schools in Michigan

apply the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a lesse r degree.
O bjective I I I
To measure the degree o f implementation of the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s practiced by selected
middle schools, not including Michigan, in the United
States.
The grade 6 - 8 middle schools in the United S t a t e s , not including
Michigan, apply the f o llo w in g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:
physical experiences, intramural a c t i v i t y , and independent study.
These same schools apply the fo llo w in g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a lesse r
degree:

m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences, planned gradualism,

75

ex p lo ra to ry and enrichment programs, evalu ation p r a c t i c e s , and stu ­
dent services .
The grade 5-8 middle schools in the United S t a t e s , not in c lu d ­
ing Michigan, apply the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:
m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences, intramural a c t i v i t y , and independent
study.

These same schools apply the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a

lesse r degree:

physical experiences, planned gradualism, ex plora tory

and enrichment programs, evalu ation p r a c t i c e s , and student services .
The mean score f o r the United States 5-8 grade middle schools,
not including Michigan, on the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s is 140.59 out o f a possible 254 points .
sents 55 percent o f the possible score.

This re p re­

The mean score f o r the United

States grade 6-8 middle schools, not including Michigan, on the
degree o f implementation of the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s is 135.23 out
o f a possible 247 points.

This represents 55 percent o f the possible

score.
The United States middle schools grades 5 - 8 , not including
Michigan, apply the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree.

The

6-8 middle schools in the United S t a t e s , not including Michigan, apply
the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a les se r degree.
Objec tive IV
To compare the degree o f implementation of the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s reported by selected
Michigan middle schools with the r e s u l t s reported by
selected United States middle schools.
The Michigan grade 5-8 middle schools achieved a mean score
o f 124.97, or 49 percent, o f 254 possible p o in t s , on the implementation

76

of the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

The 5-8 middle schools in the

United States achieved a mean score o f 140.59, or 55 percent o f 254
possible p o in t s , on the implementation o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
In a comparison with the middle schools, grades 5 - 8 , in the
United S t a t e s , Michigan middle schools, grades 5 - 8 , do not apply the
eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to the degree established by other 5-8 grade
middle schools.
The Michigan grades 6-8 middle schools achieved a mean score
of 137.97, or 56 percent, o f 247 possible p o in t s , on the implementation
o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .

The 6-8 middle schjols in the

United States achieved a mean score o f 135.23, or 55 percent o f 247
possible p o in ts , on the implementation o f these c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
In a comparison with the middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , in the
United S t a t e s , Michigan middle scho'ols, grades 6 - 8 , apply the
eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a g re a t e r degree than s i m i l a r middle
schools.
Objective V
To compare the degree o f implementation o f the eighteen
basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s reported by selected
middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grades 5 - 8 , with
the r e s u lt s reported by selected middle schools in the
United S t a t e s , grades 6 - 8 .
The t o t a l mean score f o r implementation o f the eighteen
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in grade 6-8 middle schools is 136.53, or 55 percent,
o f the t o t a l 247 possible points.

The t o t a l mean score f o r implementa­

t i o n o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in grade 5-8 middle schools is
1 3 2 .7 5 , or 52 percent, o f the t o t a l 254 possible points.

77

Grade 5-8 middle schools in the United States implement the
f ollow ing o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

social

experiences, physical experiences, planned gradualism, evaluation
p r a c t i c e s , and student se rv ices.

These same schools implemented to

a le s s e r degree the fo llo w in g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s :

m ulti-m aterial ,

intramural a c t i v i t y , ex p lo ra tory and enrichment programs, and inde­
pendent study.
Grade 6-8 middle schools in the United States implement the
follow ing o f the eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

m ulti­

m a t e r i a l , intramural a c t i v i t y , ex p lo ra to ry and enrichment programs,
and independent study.

These same schools implement to a lesser

degree the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s :

social experiences, physical

experiences, planned gradualism, ev aluation p r a c t i c e s , and student
se rv ices.
The grade 6 - 8 middle schools in the United States apply the
eighteen c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a higher degree than do the 5-8 middle
schools.
Conclusions
1.

There are 1,906 middle schools in the United States as

defined in t h i s study.

There are 421 middle schools housing grades

5-8; 1,092 middle schools housing grades 6 - 8 ; and 393 schools ca lle d
"middle" housing various grade combinations from grade fo u r to
grade nine.
2.

Michigan leads the nation in numbers o f middle schools

housing grades 5-8 and 6-8 as defined in t h i s study.

78

3.

The grade 6-8 middle schools

in Michigan apply the f o l ­

lowing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree: m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social
experiences, planned gradualism, explora tory and enrichment programs,
evaluation
4.

p r a c t i c e s , and student services.
The grade 5-8 middle schools

ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

in Michigan apply the f o l l o w ­

physical experiences, planned

gradualism, ex p lo ra tory enrichment programs, evalu ation p r a c t i c e s ,
and student services .
5.

The grade 6-8 middle schools in the United S t a t e s , not

including Michigan, apply the fo llo w in g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high
degree:

physical experiences, intramurai a c t i v i t y , and independent

study.
6.

The grade 5-8 middle schools in the United S t a t e s , not

including Michigan, apply the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high
degree:

m u l t i - m a t e r i a l , social experiences, intramural a c t i v i t y , and

independent study.
7.

Michigan middle schools, grades 6 - 8 , apply the eighteen

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a higher degree than s i m i l a r middle schools in
the United States.
8.

Grade 5-8 middle schools in the United States implement

the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

social experiences,

physical experiences, planned gradualism, ev aluation p r a c t i c e s , and
student services .
9.

Grade 6-8 middle schools in the United States implement

the follow ing c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a high degree:

m u lti-m aterial,

79

intramural a c t i v i t y , ex p lo ra tory and enrichment programs, and inde­
pendent study.
10.

The t o t a l mean score f o r implementation o f the eighteen

basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in the United States middle
schools, grades 6 - 8 , is higher than the t o t a l mean score f o r United
States middle schools housing grades 5-8 .
11.

Middle schools in the United States housing grades 5-8

implement the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to a
g rea ter degree than Michigan middle schools, grades 5-8.
12.

Ne ith er o f Michigan's middle school grade combinations

achieved a mean score as high as s i m i l a r middle schools in the United
States on the intramural a c t i v i t y and independent study c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
Recommendations f o r Further Study
The middle schools in the United S t a t e s , grade 5 - 8 , achieved
a mean score much higher than the Michigan middle schools, grades
5-8.

A s i m i l a r p r o je c t is needed to determine i f t h is is a trend

t h a t indicates a weakness in Michigan's middle schools, grades 5 - 8 , or
i f the middle schools in Michigan are concentrating more on the con­
cept o f grade 6-8 combinations f o r the middle school.

In conjunction

with such a p r o je c t i t would be o f i n t e r e s t to determine the status
of the 5-8 grade middle schools in the United States and compare the
findin gs with the information found in t h i s study.
A f u tu re study including a revised d ir e c t o r y o f middle schools
in the United States would be o f s i g n i f i c a n t importance.

Such a

study would serve to determine the growth f a c t o r o f middle schools in
t h i s country.

I t would be o f i n t e r e s t to determine the degree of

80

implementation o f the eighteen basic middle school c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s in
these middle schools and do a s i m i l a r comparative study as reported here.
Michigan middle schools, grades 5-8 and grades 6 - 8 , did not
achieve a mean score as high as s i m i l a r middle schools in the United
States on the intramural a c t i v i t y and independent study c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
A study designed to analyze t h i s apparent weakness could be of value
to the many c h ild re n e n ro lle d in Michigan's middle schools.
R e fle ctio ns
This w r i t e r b elie ve s the middle school concept in the United
States is growing in p o p u l a r i t y and meaningful ness to America's educa­
tors.

Such a statement is p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t in Michigan.

not the i n t e n t o f t h i s w r i t e r to imply t h a t we have " a r r i v e d . "

I t is
However,

movement is taking place and deserves the a t t e n t i o n of the middle
school c r i t i c s .
The reader is cautioned not to conclude t h a t Michigan middle
schools, in p a r t i c u l a r grade 6-8 middle schools, are f a r ahead o f the
r e s t o f the schools in the country.

While t h i s is tru e to a degree in

numbers and achieved mean scores, i t does not imply s u p e r i o r i t y .

On the

c o n tra r y , i t is believed t h a t the United States must be looked a t as a
whole.

The country is f i l l e d with capable educators who are dedicated

to the best educational program possible f o r the middle school c h i l d .
I t is

believed

t h a t more and more of these educators are y e a r l y , even

possibly d a i l y , c o n t r i b u t in g to the present day s i g n i f i c a n c e of the
middle school movement.

Time alone w i l l see i f these educators are

r i g h t and determine the destiny o f the middle school in these United
States.

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81

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"What Research Says About the Middle School."
Educational Leadership, XXXI (December, 1973), 221-24.
________ . "What Research Says About the Junior High Versus the
Middle School." The North Central Association Q u a r t e r l y ,
XLVI ( F a l l , 1971), 264-76.
Georgiady, Nicholas P . , and Romano, Louis G.
"The Middle Sc h o o l--Is
I t a Threat to the Elementary School?" Impact, New York
Association f o r Supervision and Curriculum Development,
Winter, 1967-68.
________ . "Guidelines f o r the Development o f a Middle School Program."
Michigan School Board Journal , XIX (September, 19 72), 2 1 - 2 2 , 25.
G la tth o rn , A. A . , and Manone, C. J.
"9-10 School: A Novelty or a
B e tte r Answer?" Educational Leadership, X X I I I (January, 1966),
285-289.
Glissmeyer, Carl H.
"Which School f o r the Sixth Grader?" C a l i f o r n i a
Journal o f Educational Research, XX (September, 19 69), 176-85.
Grooms, Ann.
"Middle School and Other Innovations." National Associatio n o f ‘ Secondary School P rin c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , LI (May, 1967),
158-60.
Gruhn, William T.
"What Do P r i n c i p a l s Believe About Grade Organiza­
tion?" Journal o f Secondary Education, XLII ( A p r i l , 1967),
407-9.
"Some S i g n i f i c a n t Developments in Junior High School Educa­
t i o n . " National Association o f Secondary School Pri n c ip a ls
B u l l e t i n -; XXXVIII (A p ril , 1954 ), 240-47.

87

Gruhn, W illia m T.
"What's Right With Junior High and Middle School
Education?" National Association o f Secondary School P r i n c i ­
pals B u l l e t i n , LIV (May. 19701. 139-45.
Gruhn, W illia m T . , and Tomkins, Ells w orth.
"What's the Best Combina­
tion?" National Education Association J o u r n a l , XLV (November,
19 56), 496-98.
Havighurst, Robert J.
"Do Junior High School Students Grow Up Too
Fast?" National Association o f Secondary School P rin c ip a ls
B u l l e t i n , XLVII ( A p r i l , 1963), 151-62.
________ . "Lost Innocence: Modern Junior High School Youth."
National Association o f Secondary School P rin c ip a ls B u l l e t i n ,
LI ( A p r i l , 19 65), 1 - 4 .
________ . "The Middle School Child in Contemporary S o ciety ."
I n t o P r a c t i c e , V I I (January, 1968 ), 120-22.

Theory

Hines, V. A . , and Alexander, W. M.
"Evaluating the Middle School."
National Elementary P r i n c i p a l , X L V III (February, 19 69), 32-36.
Howard, A l v i n W. "Which Years in Junior High?"
(December, 19 66), 227-30.

Clearing House, XLI

Howell, Bruce, "The Middle Sc h o o l--Is I t R eally Any Better?" North
Central Association Q u a r t e r l y , XL (W in ter, 19 69), 281-87.
Howell, C. E.
"Junior High: How V a li d Are I t s O rigin al Aims?"
Clearing House, X X I I I (October, 1948), 75-78.
H u l l , J. H.
"The Junior High School is a Poor Investment."
Schools, LXI ( A p r i l , 1960, 78-80.

Nations

Hynes, Vynce A . , and Alexander, W. M.
"Evaluating the Middle School."
National Association o f Secondary School P r in c ip a ls B u l l e t i n ,
(February, 1969), 32.
Jennings, Wayne. "Middle School? No!"
XLVII (January, 1967), 73-74.

Minnesota Journal o f Education,

Johnson, Mauritz J.
"Does the Junior High School Need New Dire ction?"
National Association o f Secondary School P rin c ip a ls B u l l e t i n .
X L V II I ( A p r i l , 19 6 4 ), 147-48.
________ . "School in the M i d d le - - J u n io r High:
Education's Problem
C h i l d . " Saturday Review, July 21, 1962, pp. 40 -4 2 .
Jordan, James W.
" C r i t i c a l Issues Facing the Junior High School."
Clearing House. XXXIV (December, 19 59), 234-39.

88

"The Junior High School— Position Papers and P r a c t i c e s . " National
Association o f Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , XLVII
(October, 1963).
"Junior High Versus Middle School." National Association o f Secondary
School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , LI (February, 1967).
K e a lly , Ronald P.
"The Middle School Movement, 1960-1970." The
National Elementary P r i n c i p a l , LI (November, 1971 ), 20-25.
Kennedy, Joseph S.
" In t e r s c h o l a s t i c Sports: Misdirected? Misguided?
Misnomer? A Reply." Clearing House, XLII ( A p r i l , 1969),
471-73.
L ivin gston, A. H.
345-47.

"Middle School."

Education, XLV ( A p r i l , 1968),

Lloyd, H. M.
"New School Takes Shape."
XXVI (November, 19 68 ), 689.

Educational Leadership,

Loos, L. E.
"Junior High School in the M iddle ."
XXXIII (October, 1958), 110-11.

Clea rin g House,

Lounsbury, John H . , and Vars, Gordon F.
"The Middle School: Fresh
S t a r t or New Delusion?" The National Elementary P r i n c i p a l ,
L I (November, 1971), 20-25.
Madon, Constant A.
"The Middle School:
I t s Philosophy and Purpose."
Clearing House, XL (February, 19 66 ), 329-30.
Mead, Margaret.
"Early Adolescence in the United S t a t e s . " National
Association o f Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , XLIX
( A p r i l , 1965), 5-10.
Melby, Ernest 0.
" L e t's Abolish the Marking System."
(May, 19 66), 104-6.

Nations Schools,

"Middle Schools in Theory and in F ac t." National Education Association
Research B u l l e t i n , XLV 11 (May, 1969 ), 49~
"Middle School f o r Tomorrow, Successor to the Junior High School."
School Management, IV (November, 19 60), 101-3.
M i l l s , George E.
"The How and the Why o f the Middle School."
Nations Schools, L V I I I (December, 19 61 ), 4 3 - 5 3 , 72-74.
Moss, Theodore C.
"Middle School Comes and Takes Another Grade or
Two." National Elementary P r i n c i p a l , X L V II I (February,
1969), 39-41.

89

Murphy, J u d it h .
1965.

“Middle Schools."

Educational F a c i l i t i e s Laboratory,

National Association o f Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s Committee on
Junior High School Education.
"Recommended Grades or Years
in Junior High or Middle Schools." National Association o f
Secondary School P r in c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , LI (February, 1967),
68-70.
National Education Association Research B u l l e t i n , XLVII (May, 19 69),
49 -52.
Nickerson, Neal C.
"Regroup f o r Another T r y . " Minnesota Journal of
Education, XLVII (November, 19 66 ), 14-15.
Noar, G. A.
"Movement Emerges."
19 57 ), 468-72.

Educational Leadership, XIV (May,

O estre ich, Arthur H.
"Middle School in T r a n s i t i o n . "
XLIV (October, 19 6 5 ), 91-95.
P a r t i n , Charles S.
"To Sample— or to Explore."
X X I I I (December, 19 65 ), 197-99.

Clea rin g House,

Educational Leadership,

P i t k i n , V. E.
"What Kind of Education f o r E a rly Adolescence?"
and S o c i e t y , LXXXVI (March, 19 58 ), 113.

School

Popper, Samuel H.
"Reflections on a Troubled I n s t i t u t i o n . "
National
Association of Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , L11
(May, 19 69), 118-29.
________. "What About the Middle School?"
(November, 19 69 ), 52.

Today's Education, XL I I I

Post, R. L.
"Middle School: A Questionable Innovatio n."
House, X L II ( A p r i l , 19 68), 484-86.

Clearing

Pray, H. Edgar, and McNamara, John A.
" Tran siti on to Middle School."
Clearing House, XLI (March, 19 67 ), 40 7-9.
Pumerantz, P h i l i p .
"Relevance o f Change:
Imperatives in the Junior
High and Middle School." Clearing House, X L I I I (December,
1968), 209-12.
________ . "State Recognition o f the Middle School." National Associ­
atio n o f Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n , L I I I (March,
1969), 14-19.
Regan, Eugene E. "The Junior High School Is Dead."
X L II (November, 19 67), 150-51.

Clearing House,

90

R e ic h e rt, J. L.
"Competitive A t h l e t i c s f o r Pre-Teen Age C h ild re n."
Journal o f the American Medical As socia tion, CLXVI ( 1 9 5 8 ) ,
1701-7.
Rhodes, G. A.
"Middle School VS. Junior High School."
Education, LV ( A p r i l , 19 68), 32,

New York State

Rice, Arthu r.
"What's Wrong With the Junior High School? Nearly
Everything." Nations Schools, (November, 1964), 30-33.
Rizzo, M. E. "Active A c t i v i t i e s Program."
(November, 19 69 ), 182-84.

Clearing House, XLIV

Romano, Louis G. " Is Your Middle School a Middle School." Michigan
School Board J o u r n a l , XIX (September, 19 72), 10-12.
Sanders, Stanley S.
"Challenge o f the Middle School."
Forum, XXXII (January, 19 68), 191-97.

Educational

Schmuck, Richard.
"Concerns o f Contemporary Adolescents." National
Association o f Secondary School P r in c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , XLVII
( A p r i l , 19 65), 18-21.
Sc hu tter, Chares H.
"Should We Abolish the 7th and 8th Grades?"
School E xec utive, (May, 19 55), 53.
Southworth, H. C.
"Teacher Education f o r the Middle School: A
Framework." Theory Into P r a c t i c e , V I I (January, 1968),
123-28.
S t r i c k l a n d , John H . , and Alexander, W illia m .
"Seeking C o n tin u ity in
Early and Middle School Education." Phi Delta Kappan, L
(March, 1969), 397-400.
Stucrwich, Harlan.
"Dropout: Early Adolescent Education."
House, XLII (December, 19 68), 216-19.

Cl earing

Thornburg, Hershe l.
"Learning and Maturation in Middle School Age
Youth," Clearing House, V (November, 19 70 ), 150.
Trump, J. Lloyd.
"Junior High School Versus Middle School."
National Association of Secondary School P r i n c i p a l s B u l l e t i n ,
Ll (February, 1967), 71-74.
________ . "Wither the Middle School or Whether?" National Associ­
atio n o f Secondary School P r in c ip a ls B u l l e t i n , LI (December,
1967), 40 -44.
Turnbaugh, R. C.
"Middle School: A D i f f e r e n t Name or a New Concept?"
Clearing House, X L I I I (October, 19 68 ), 86-88.

91

Vars, Gordon F.
"Junior High or Middle School? Which Is Best f o r
Education o f Young Adolescents?" The High School J o u rn a l, L
(December, 19 66 ), 109-13.
V i r g i l i o , J. D.
"Switching from Junior High to Middle School?"
Clearing House, XLIV (December, 19 69), 224-26,
"Preadolescents in the Junior Hiqh."
s h i p , XIV (May, 19 57 ), 473-74.

Educational Leader-

Walker, G. H . , J r . , and Gatewood, Thomas E. "The Status o f Middle
Schools in Michigan." Michigan Journal o f Secondary Education
(Summer, 19 72), 11-15.
________ . "Middle School as One Psychologist Sees I t . "
J o u rn a l, L111 (December, 1969), 164-71.

High School

Wattenberg, W illia m W. "Preadolescents in the Junior High."
t i o n a l Leadership, XIV (May, 1957), 473-74.
"Why We Abandoned Our T r a d i t io n a l Junior High."
LXXIX (January, 19 67), 74-82.

Nations Schools,

W illia m s , Emmet L. (Guest E d i t o r ) .
"Middle School."
P r a c t i c e , V I I (June, 1968).
"Middle School Movement."
1968), 41-42.

Educa­

Theory Into

Today's Education, LVII (December,

________ . "Schools f o r the Middle School Years."
s h i p , X X I I I (December, 1965).

Educational Leader­

Wilson, M.‘ T . , and Popper, S. H. "What About the Middle School?
Opinions D i f f e r . " Today's Education, L VII (November, 19 69 ),
52-54.
Woodring, Paul.
"The New Intermediate School."
October, 1965, p. 77.

Saturday Review, X L V I I I ,

Essays and A r t i c l e s in Colle ctions
Alexander, W illia m M . , and W illia m s , Emmett L.
"Schools f o r the
Middle Years." Controversy in American Education. Edited by
Harold F u l l .
New York: The MacMillan Company, 1967.
E l i o t , Charles W.
New York:

"Educational Reform: Essays and Addresses."
The Century Company, 1935.

Mead, Margaret.
"Early Adolescence in the United S t a t e s . " Controversy
in American Education. Edited by Harold F u l l . New York:
The MacMillan Company, 1967.

92

Wattenberg, W illia m W. "Youth Education: A Psychophysical Perspective."
Youth Education: Problems, Perspectives, Promise. Edited by
Raymond H. Muessig. Washington: Association f o r Supervision
and Curriculum Development, National Education Association
Press, 1968.
Woodring, Paul.
"The New Intermediate School." Social Foundations of
Education. Edited by Dorothy Westly-Gibson.
New York: The
Free Press, 1967.
Unpublished M a t e ria ls
Gross, Bernard M elv in , "An Analysis o f the Present and Perceived
Purposes, Functions, and C h a r a c t e r is t ic s o f the Middle School."
Ed.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , Temple U n i v e r s i t y , 1972.
Hawkins, James. "A Study to Ascertain Actual Middle School Practices
As Compared to Reported Middle School Practices In Selected
Michigan Schools and N a t io n a l ly Prominent Schools as Perceived
By Teachers and P r i n c i p a l s . " Ph.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , Michigan
S ta te U n i v e r s i t y , 1972.
R ieg le, Jack D.
"A Study of Middle School Programs to Determine the
Current Level o f Implementation o f Eighteen Basic Middle
School P r i n c i p l e s . " Ph.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , Michigan S tate Uni­
v e r s i t y , 1971.
Wiley, Russel.
"The Middle School— A New Plan." An address presented
a t the National School Boards Association Annual Convention,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, A p ril 23 , 1966.
(Mimeographed.)

APPENDIX
THE QUESTIONNAIRE

93

94

M I C H I G A N STATE U N I V E R S I T Y

e a s t l a n s in o

. M ic h ig a n

«

uj

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ' DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION
ERICKSON HALL

April 21, 1974

Dear A d m i n i s t r a t o r ,
As you know, the middle school as an element o f school o r g a n i z a t i o n is
undergoing r api d growth and development.
I t can c e r t a i n l y be d i s t i n g u i s h e d
as one o f the most recent c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the K-12 grade o r g a n i z a t i o n a l
cont inuum.
My personal i n t e r e s t In the middle school c r e a t e s a p r o f e s s io n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
to e x pl o re the t h e o r e t i c a l middle school and i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p to the p r a c t i c i n g
middle school.
I t is be li e v e d t h a t enlightenment in t h i s area w i l l provide
needed Infor ma tio n toward understanding the s t a tu s and I m p l i c a t i o n s o f the
middle school In the American ed ucational system.
Your help Is s i n c e r e l y sought.
Knowledgeable a d m i n i s t r a t o r s such as you must
be consulted to o b ta i n t h i s Important middle school I n f o r m a t io n .
Therefore,
the enclosed q u e s t i o n n a i r e has been developed.
By responding to t h i s q u e s t io n ­
n a i r e you w i l l supply inf or ma tio n t h a t Is necessary fo r a b e t t e r understanding
of the s t a t u s and i m p l i c a t i o n s o f the Middle School In the United S t a t e s .
Results from In d i v i d u a l respondents w i l l be used to compile grand t o t a l s .
There
w i l l be no o t h e r use o f the requested i n fo r m a ti o n .
COMPLETE ANONYMITY Is assured.
Please r e t u r n the q u e s t io n n a ir e

In the stamped s e lf - a d d r e s s e d envelope WITHIN

THE NEXT WEEK.

Being a se le c te d a d m i n i s t r a t o r you w i l l r e c e iv e a summary o f the r e s u l t s .
A
prompt r e t u r n w i l l be most h e l p f u l toward the completion o f the f i n a l r e p o r t .
I would l i k e to thank you In advance fo r your i n t e r e s t and c o o p e ra ti o n .
To g e th e r, we may be a b l e to g iv e j u s t a l i t t l e more in s i g h t in to the education
o f tran ses cen t youth.
S in c e r e l y y o ur s,

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Er ick so n Hal 1 , 406
East L a n s i n g , M ic hi ga n 46823

JTR:smk
enc.

95

M IC H IG A N STATE U N IV ER SIT Y

e a s t la n sjn g

• M ic h ig a n

4sw j

CO LIEG E OF EDUCATION • DEPARTMENT OF A D M IN ISTR A TIO N AND HIG HER EDUCATION
ERICKSON HALL

A p r i l 29, 197*t

Dear A d m i n i s t r a t o r ,
Once a g a i n your h e l p is s i n c e r e l y sought.
During th e
week o f A p r i l 2 1 s t you r e c e i v e d a q u e s t i o n n a i r e designed
f o r p r i n c i p a l s o f s e l e c t e d m i d d l e schools in the U n it e d
States.
Your r e p l y t o t h i s su rv ey is c o n s i d e r e d v e r y im p o rt a n t
t o th e p r o p e r c o m p le t i o n o f th e s t u d y .
Therefore,
p l e a s e ta k e a moment t o c o m p le te and r e t u r n th e q u e s t i o n
n a I r e in th e s e l f - a d d r e s s e d e n v e l o p e .
K indly disregard
t h i s re m in de r i f you have a l r e a d y f u l f i l l e d t h e r e q u e s t .
In e i t h e r c a s e , yo ur c o n s i d e r a t i o n and prompt a t t e n t i o n
are g re a tly appreciated.
t I nr or#* I u

Joe T, Raymer
M ic h ig an S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
E ri c k s o n H a I I , 40 6
East L a n s i n g , M ic hi g an *+8823

JTR: smk

96

A STUDY TO IDENTIFY MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO DETERMINE
THE CURRENT LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
EIGHTEEN BASIC MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS

A QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PRINCIPALS OF SELECTED MIDDLE SCHOOLS

PLEASE RETURN IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED TO:
JOE T. RAYMER
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
ERICKSON HALL, 406
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN 48823

Your response to questions w i l l be g r e a t l y appreciated.
A ll respondents can be assured o f COMPLETE ANONYMITY.
Please fe e l f r e e to make ad d itio n a l comments when believed necessary.

General information:

(co n fid en tial)

Name of Respondent___________
(optional)
Name of School________________________
Address
C i t y _______________________________

State____________

Place a check mark before the grades served by your school

98

PART I :

Place a check mark before the SINGLE BEST answer t h a t explains
your cu rren t program as i t r e l a t e s to the question.

1-A. Continuous progress programs
are:

5-B. The m a teria ls center has a
paid c e r t i f i e d l i b r a r i a n :

(0) not used at t h i s time.

(0) no.

(1) used with special groups.

(1) p a r t - t i m e only.

(2) used f o r the f i r s t two
years

(2) one f u l l - t i m e .
( 3 ) more than one f u l l - t i m e .

( 3 ) used by selected students.
( 4 ) used by a l l

students.

2-A. Continuous progress programs
are planned f o r a student
over a CALENDAR year span of:

6-B. For classroom i n s t r u c t i o n ,
AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS other
than motion pic tures are:
(0) not used.
_(1 ) r a r e l y used.

( 0 ) not used.

(2) occ as ionally used.

( 1 ) one ye a r .

(3) f r e q u e n t l y used.

(2) two years.
(3) three years.
( 4 ) more than three years.
3-B. The m u lt i- t e x t b o o k approach
to learn in g is c u r r e n t l y :

_ ( 4 ) very f r e q u e n t l y used.
7-C. The basic time module used
to b u ild the schedule i s :
(0 ) 50 minutes.
(1) 45 to 59 minutes.

(0) not used.

(2) 30 to 44 minutes.

(1) used in a FEW courses.

( 3 ) 10 to 29 minutes.

(2) used in MOST courses.

(4) a combination of time so
d i v e r s i f i e d t h a t no basic
module is defined.

( 3 ) used in NEARLY a l l courses.
4-B. The i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a te r ia ls
ce nter in t h is building
houses:
( 0 ) 1000 books or less
(1) 3000 books or less
(2) 4000 books or less
(3) 5000 books or less
(4) 5001 books or more.

99
PART I ,

Page 2

8-C, Which o f the below best
describes your schedule a t
present:

10-D. What percent o f your student
body r e g u l a r l y p a r t i c ip a t e s
in a t l e a s t one club
activity?

(0) t r a d i t i o n a l .
( 0 ) we have no club program.
(1) t r a d i t i o n a l , modified by
"b lo c k -ti m e ," "revolving
p erio d ," or other such
r e g u l a r l y occurring modi­
fications.

(1) 25% or les s.
(2) 50% or les s .
(3) 75% or les s.
(4) 100% or less.

(2) f l e x i b l e to the degree t h a t
a l l periods are scheduled
but are not i d e n t i c a l in
length.

11-E. How is the physical educa­
t i o n program ind ivid u aliz ed ?
(0) not a t a l l .

(3) f l e x i b l e to the degree t h a t
changes occur w it h in
defined general time l i m i t s .
(4) f l e x i b l e to the degree t h a t
students and teachers con­
t r o l the d a i l y time usage
and changes occur regu­
la rly .
other

(1) s lig h t ly .
(2) moderately.
(3) h ig hly .
12-F. I n t e r - s c h o l a s t i c competition
is:
(0) o f fe r e d in two or more
sports.
(1) o ffe re d in one sport only.
(4) not o f f e r e d .

9-D. How are sponsorships f o r club
a c t i v i t i e s handled?
( 0 ) s t a f f members DO NOT work
with club a c t i v i t i e s .
( 1 ) s t a f f members are ASSIGNED
WITHOUT PAY.
( 2 ) s t a f f members are ASSIGNED
WITH PAY.
( 3 ) s t a f f members VOLUNTEER
WITHOUT PAY.
( 4 ) s t a f f members VOLUNTEER AND
ARE PAID.

13-F.

Intramural a c t i v i t i e s often
use the same f a c i l i t i e s as
interscholastic a c t i v i t i e s .
When t h i s causes a time
c o n f l i c t how do you schedule?

(0) we have no INTRAMURAL pro­
gram
( 0 ) i n t e r s c h o l a s t ic a c t i v i t i e s
take f i r s t p r i o r i t y and
others must schedule around
t h e i r needs.
( 4 ) we have no INTERSCHOLASTIC
program.
(4) intramural a c t i v i t i e s take
f i r s t p r i o r i t y and others
schedule around t h e i r needs.

TOO

PART I , Page 3
14-G. How many students p a r t i c i ­
pate in team teaching
programs?

17-G. How many minutes per day
does a student in grades
SEVEN or EIGHT average in a
team teaching program?

( 0 ) none.
( 0 ) none.
(1) 25% or less.

(1) 40 minutes or less.

(2) 50% or less.

(2) 80 minutes or less.

(3) 75% or less.

(3) 120 minutes or les s.
(4) 160 minutes or les s .

(4) 100% or less.
15-G. What percentage o f your
teaching s t a f f is involved
in team teaching programs?
(0) none.
(1) 25% or less.
_ ( 2 ) 50% or less.
(3) 75% or less.
(4) 100% or less.
16-G. How many minutes per day
does a student in grades
FIVE or SIX average in a
team teaching program?

(5) 161 minutes or MORE.
18-H. Which of the follow ing best
describes your school pro­
gram as i t evolves from
enrollment to completion of
the l a s t grade? ( i . e . ,
grades FIVE thru EIGHT)
( 0 ) completely s e l f contained
and/or completely depart­
mentalized.
(1) modified departmentalized
( b lo c k - t im e , core, e t c . )
(2) program moves from l a r g e l y
s e l f contained to p a r t i a l l y
departm entalized.
o th e r.

____ _

(0) none.
( 1 ) 40 minutes or less.
(2) 80 minutes or less.
( 3 ) 120 minutes or less.

19-1.

How many years is ART
i n s t r u c t i o n required f o r
a l l students?

(0) none.
( 1 ) one year.

(4) 160 minutes or less.
( 5 ) 161 minutes o r MORE.

(2) two or more years.

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20 -1. How many years is MUSIC
i n s t r u c t i o n required f o r
a l l students?
(0) none.
(1) one ye ar.
(2) two or more years.
21 -1. The amount of student sched­
ule time set aside f o r
e l e c t i v e courses:
__( 0 ) decreases with each succes­
sive grade o r , is the same
f o r a l l grades o r , does not
e x i s t a t any grade l e v e l .

24-J. Guidance counselors are:
(0) not expected to help
teachers b u ild t h e i r
guidance s k i l l s .
(1) EXPECTED to help teachers
b u ild t h e i r guidance
s k ills .
( 2 ) EXPECTED and REGULARLY
encouraged to help teachers
b u ild t h e i r guidance s k i l l s .
25-L. C l i n i c s or special classes
to t r e a t the problems o f
students with poor basic
l e a rn in g s k i l l s are:
(0) not a v a i l a b l e .

__(1 ) va ries by grade lev el but
not in any systematic
manner.
22-J. For what percent o f students
are guidance services
normally a v a i l a b l e .
(0) not a v a i l a b l e .
(1) 25% or less.
(2) 50% or le s s .
(3) 75% or less.
( 4 ) 100% or less.
23 -J. Guidance s t a f f members:
(0) never work w ith teachers.
( 1 ) SELDOM work w ith teachers.
( 2 ) OFTEN work w ith teachers.
( 3 ) ALWAYS work w ith teachers.

(2) a v a i l a b l e only to the most
c r i t i c a l l y handicapped
1e a rn e r s .
(3) a v a i l a b l e to a l l students
needing such help.
26-L. The amount o f time provided
in the clasroom f o r i n s t r u c ­
t i o n in basic le a rn in g s k i l l s :
(0) remains constant or
increases with each succes­
sive grade.
_ ( 1 ) decreases with each succes­
s iv e grade
( 2 ) va rie s g r e a t l y due to i n d i ­
v i d u a l i z a t i o n o f program by
tea ch ers.
27-M. Does your school have an
o f f i c i a l newspaper?
(0) no.
(1) y e s, and publishes four or
less issues per ye ar.
(2) yes, and publishes f i v e or
more issues per ye ar.

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28-M. Do students get experiences
in c r e a t i v e dramatics?

_ ( 1 ) mentioned to the teacher
BUT NOT emphasized.

(0 ) no.

(2) emphasized

( 1 ) yes.

(3) str on g ly emphasized.

29-M. Dramatic productions a t t h i s
school are produced from:
( 0 ) does not apply.
(1} purchased s c rip t s only.
(2 ) m a t e r ia ls w r i t t e n by s t u ­
dents only.
(3) m a te r ia ls w r i t t e n by stu­
dents and purchased s c r i p t s .
30-M. This school has o r a t o r i c a l
a c t i v i t i e s such as debate,
public address, e t c . :
(0) no.
(1 ) yes, as a part o f i t s
enrichment program.
(2) yes, as a p art o f i t s
planned program o f
instruction.
31-M. T alen t shows ar e:
(0) not a part o f our program.
(1) produced on an a l l school
basis.
(2) produced at each grade
le v e l.
(3) produced a t each grade
level w ith some o f the acts
en tering an a l l school
t a l e n t show.
32-N.

In the opera tional design o f
t h i s school the ro le o f the
teacher as a guidance person
is :

( 0 ) l e f t s t r i c t l y to the i n d i ­
vidual tea ch er's personal
motivation.

33-N. As a general p o l i c y , p r o v i ­
sions are made f o r the
teacher to provide guidance
services:
(0) no.
__(1) y e s, to a l i m i t e d number
of students.
( 2 ) yes, to a l l t h e i r students.
34-N. How many times per year is a
stu dent's academic progress
f o rm a lly reported to parents?
(1) two times, or less.
(2) four times, or less.
( 1 ) six times, or les s.
o t h e r.
35 -0. How many times per year are
p are n t-te ac he r or parentt eacher-student conferences
held on a school wide basis?
(0) not a t a l l .
(1) once
(2) three times
( 4 ) four or more times.
36-P. Community se rv ice pro je cts by
students in t h i s school are:
(0) not a part o f our program.
(1) c a r r ie d out occ asionally
f o r a special purpose.
( 2 ) an important p art o f the
planned experiences f o r
a l l students.

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PART I ,

Page 6

37-P. What is the status o f the
parents' o rg an iz a tio n in
your school?
( 0 ) none.
(1) r e l a t i v e l y i n a c t i v e .
(2) active.
( 3 ) very a c t i v e .
38-C. The master class time sched­
ule can be changed by
teachers when need ar is e s by:
(0) requesting a change f o r next
year.
(1) requesting a change f o r next
semester.

41-E. What percentage o f physical
education class time is
devoted toward COMPETITIVE
TYPE ACTIVITIES:
(4 ) 25% or les s .
(3) 50% or les s .
( 2 ) 75% or less.
(1) 100% or 1es s.
42-E. What percentage o f physical
education class time is
devoted toward DEVELOPMENTAL
TYPE ACTIVITIES? .
(1) 25% or les s.

( 2 ) requesting a d m i n is t r a t iv e
ap p ro va l.

( 2 ) 50% or les s .

( 3 ) planning with other teachers
on a WEEKLY BASIS.

(3) 75% or les s.

( 4 ) planning with other teachers
on a DAILY BASIS.
39-K. Students working in independ­
ent study s i t u a t i o n s work on
topics t h a t ar e:

(4) 100% or le s s.
43 -J . Do your guidance counselors
o f f e r re g u l a r group guidance
sessions?
__( 4 ) yes.

( 0 ) we have no independent
study program.
( 1 ) assigned to them by the
teacher.
( 2 ) o f personal i n t e r e s t and
approved by the teacher.

no.
44-K.

Independent study opportuni­
t i e s are provided f o r :

( 2 ) some students.
(4) a l l

40 -0 . Formal ev alu ation of student
work is reported by use o f :
( 1 ) l e t t e r or number grades.
( 2 ) teacher comments w r i t t e n on
a reporting form.
(3) pare nt-teacher conferences.
(4) p are n t-te ac he r-s tud en t
conferences.
other

students.

not provided.
45-L. D a i l y i n s t r u c t i o n in a d ev el­
opmental reading program is
provided f o r :
(2 ) poor readers only.
__(4) a l l

students.

not provided.

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PART I I ,

PART I I :

Page 7

For each question in t h i s section check ALL THE ANSWERS t h a t
apply to your school.

46-B. Which o f the follow ing types
o f m a t e r ia l s are housed in
your i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a teria ls
center?
general l i b r a r y books.
cu rr en t newspapers.
below grade le v el reading
m aterials.
cu rren t magazines.
f i l e s o f past issues of
newspapers.
above grade level reading
m a t e r ia l s .
card catalogue o f m a teria ls
housed.
student p u b lic ation s.
f i l e s o f past issues o f
magazines.
film strip s.
c o l l e c t i o n s ( c o in s ,
insects, a r t , e t c . ) ,
motion pictures (inclu d e i f
you are a member of a cen­
tr a l service).
m i c r o -f i l m s .
overhead tra nsparencies.
phonograph records.

47-D. School dances ARE NOT held
for:
( 1 ) grade f i v e .
(1) grade s i x .
(1) grade seven.
(1) grade e i g h t .
48-D. A club program f o r students
is o ffe re d in:
(1) grade f i v e .
(1) grade s i x .
( 1 ) grade seven.
( 1 ) grade e i g h t .
49-F. The intramural program
i n c lu d e s :
(1) team games.
(1) i n d iv id u a l sports.
(1 ) various a c t i v i t i e s .
50-1. Students ar e allowed to
e l e c t course o f i n t e r e s t
from a range o f e l e c t i v e
offerings:

d i t t o and/or mimeo
machines.

(0) no.

photo or thermal copy
machines.

( 1 ) in grade f i v e .

maps, globes and charts,
d is p l a y cases or areas.

(1) in grade s i x .
(1) in grade seven.
(1 ) in grade e i g h t .

105
P a rt I I , Page 8

51-1. Ele c tiv es o ffe re d in t h is
bu ild in g are:
(1) a r t
( 1 ) band
__(1) vocal music
( 1 ) drawing
(1 ) drama

53 -L. Students with poor basic
s k i l l s can receive special
help on an ind ividu al basis
from a special s t a f f member
t ra in e d to t r e a t such s i t u ­
ations in the fo llowing
areas:
( 1 ) reading

___ (1) mathe-

(1) s p e ll i n g
(1) physical
education

mat1cs
----- ( , ) lam in ar
___ (1) other

(1) jou rnalism
(1) fo re ig n language
(1) f a m ily l i v i n g
(1) u n i f i e d arts
_ (1 ) orchestra
(1) wood shop
(1) speech

54-M. Dramatic presentations by
students are:
( 0 ) not a part o f the school
program.
(1) a part o f the a c t i v i t i e s
program.
(1) a part o f c e r t a in class
a c t i v i t i e s planned by the
teachers.
(1) other_____________________

(1) typing
( 1 ) natural resources
(1) c r e a t i v e w r i t i n g
52-K. How much time would you e s t i ­
mate the average student
spends in independent study?
(1) 20 minutes or MORE per day
in grades f i v e or s ix .
(1) 30 minutes or MORE per day
in grades seven or e i g h t .
( 0 ) less than th e above.

55-P. In regard to community r e l a ­
tions t h is school:
(0) does not sent out a parents
n e w s le tte r.
(1) sends out a parent news1e t t e r .
__( 1 ) uses the commercial news­
paper.
( 1 ) uses a d i s t r i c t wide news­
l e t t e r to send out
information r e l a t e d to
t h i s school.
other

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PART I I ,

Page 9

56-P. The s t a f f presents informa­
t i o n a l programs r e l a t e d to
the school's functions:

58-R. Teaching teams are organized
to include:
(1) f u l l y c e r t i f i e d teachers.

_ ( 1 ) when requested by parents.

(1) para-professional s.

___ (1 ) once or twice a year at
re g u lar parent meetings.

(1) c l e r i c a l helpers.

___ (1

) a t open house programs.

_ ( 1 ) a t r e g u l a r l y scheduled
"seminar type" meetings
planned f o r inte re s te d
pare nts.
other

57-Q. From the sp e c ia liz e d areas
l i s t e d below, check each
se rvice which is AVAILABLE
to students in your b u i l d ­
ing.

.(1 ) guidance counselors.
.(1 ) school nurse.

(1) student teachers.
others
59-R. From the fo llow ing l i s t check
those types o f a u x i l i a r y help­
ers a v i l a b l e i n y o u r b u ilding :
( 1 ) paid para -profe ss ion als.
(1) volunteer helpers from the
community.
( 1 ) student teachers and
interns.
( 1 ) high school " fu tu re
teachers" students
other
60-D. School social functions are
held a t t h i s school:
During the
afternoon

During the
evening

.(1 ) school psychologist.

( 1 ) Grade 5

(0 ) Grade 5

.(1 ) d ia g n o stician .

(1) Grade 6

{0) Grade 6

.(1 ) speech t h e r a p i s t .

<1) Grade 7

_ { 1 ) Grade 7

(1) Grade 8

(1) Grade 8

.(1 I v i s i t i n g teacher.

.0

I c l i n i c services f o r the
emotionally d isturbed.

.0 I

special education programs
f o r the mentally handi­
capped.

.(1 I special reading teacher.
other

61-E. The physical education pro­
gram serves a l l students
in:
(1) Grade 5
( 1 ) Grade 6
( 1 ) Grade 7
(1) Grade 8

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PART I I ,
62-F.

Page 10

Intramural a c t i v i t i e s are
scheduled f o r :

BOYS ONLY

GIRLS ONLY
(1) Grade

(1) Grade 6

(1) Grade 6

(1) Grade 7

(1) Grade 7

( 1 ) Grade 8

(1) Grade 8

in

( 1 ) Grade 5

not scheduled

Thank you s in c e re ly f o r your
assistance.

Return to:

Joe T. Raymer
Michigan S tate U n i v e r s i t y
Erickson H a l l , 406
East Lansing, Michigan 48823