exerpt from "Putting Middle Grades Students on the Graduation Path: A Policy and Practice Brief"

[Amy R. Gelinas]

Dr. Robert Balfanz and associates at the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University and the Philadelphia Education Fund followed several cohorts of Philadelphia students from sixth grade through one year past on-time graduation. Sixth graders who failed math or language arts, or attended school less than 80% of the time, or received a poor final behavior grade in a core course had only a 10% to 20% chance of graduating on time. Fewer than 1 in 4 of these students with at least one of these risk factors would graduate within one year past on-time graduation. In high-poverty neighborhoods, in particular, the research and school improvement work indicate that students' middle grades experiences have tremendous impact on the extent to which they will close achievement gaps, graduate from high school, and be prepared for college.

[Andrew Garcia]

Remarkable statistics and yet another reminder why the middle years are so crucial.