PLE Resources for Middle Schools

• Common Vision
• School Size and Choice
• Leadership Development
• Teaching and Learning Professional Development
• Deep and Lasting Relationships
• Transitions
• Measurable Outcomes

• Organizations

COMMON VISION

Books

...on students and school reform.

• Allen, David, and Blythe, Tina. Book of Questions. New York, New York: Teachers College Press, 2004
• Garmston, Robert and Wellman, Bruce. The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Norwood, Massachusets: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 1999

...on building capacity for all stakeholders.

• DuFour, Richard and Eaker, Robert. Professional Learning Communities at Work; Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree, 1998
• Burnett, Rebecca, DuFour, Richard and Eaker, Robert. On Common Ground, Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree, 2005

Articles

...by Richard DuFour (and others) on building capacity for all stakeholders.

• Articles by DuFour (and others) that can be used as readings to focus conversations
• Raising the Bar for Student Achievement in Middle Schools
• From The National Middle Schools Association: A summary of the publication This We Believe
  

Websites

• CST Data: http://star.cde.ca.gov/
  Each school’s web site on the LAUSD web page has information under Performance Indicators including API, CST, AYP and Reclassification data as well as the SARC (School Accountability Report Card). Also, on this page is the School Profile with demographic data
• Attendance
  • Information can be found on DSS - Inside LAUSD
  • Data Quest http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest

SCHOOL SIZE and CHOICE

Articles

• The Hobbit Effect: Why Small Works in Public Schools by Lorna Jimerson, Ed.D
• Small Schools: The Numbers Tell a Story. A Review of the Research and Current Experiences. The Small Schools Workshop.
• Position statement from The National Middle Schools Association - Why Small Learning Communities and Small Schools?
• WestEd presents a policy brief on the effects of small schools to address student safety academic success.

Websites

• The Small Schools Workshop - website with links to documents and research on the benefits of small schools for all stakeholders

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Books

• National Association of Secondary School Principals. Breaking Ranks in the Middle. Providence, Rhode Island: The Education Alliance – Brown University, 2006

Articles

• Articles by DuFour (and others) that can be used as readings to focus conversations
• Improving Teacher Effectiveness through Structured Collaboration: A Case Study of a Professional Learning Community from the National Middle School Association: Online Research in Middle Level Education
• Taking Center Stage - A guide for beginning middle school reform
• Taking Center Stage II - revisiting the middle school reform
• Turning Points and Turning Points 2000 comes from the Center for Collaborative Education. It offers materials and other supports for middle school reform.

Websites

• Lexicon for Stakeholders - A site for all stakeholders to access to the language of education.
• Breaking Ranks in the Middle - Website by the National Association of Secondary School Principals with resources to begin the conversation about reform.

TEACHING and LEARNING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Books

• National Association of Secondary School Principals. Breaking Ranks in the Middle. Providence, Rhode Island: The Education Alliance – Brown University, 2006

Articles

• Professional Learning Communities: What Are They And Why Are They Important?

Websites

• The Center for Applied Linguistics has a number of materials for working with second language learners to connect students with the core content through personalized instruction. Following is one example: Integrating Language and Culture in Middle School American History Classes.

DEEP AND LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Books

• National Association of Secondary School Principals. Breaking Ranks in the Middle Providence, Rhode Island: The Education Alliance – Brown University, 2006
• Miller Lieber, Carol and Poliner, Rachel A. The Advisory Guide Cambridge, Massachusetts: Educators for Social Responsibility, 2004 students and school reform.

Articles

• The School and the Child and the Child and the School - An article from the National Middle Schools Association.
• The Center for Applied Linguistics has a number of materials for working with second language learners. Strategies for Success: Engaging Immigrant Students in Secondary Schools gives strategies to connect students with the instructional program through a personalized learning environment.
• A comprehensive model for student advocacy from The Institute for Research and Reform in Education

Websites

• Advisor-Advisee - The American Student Achievement Institute provides materials to guide conversation and activities for designing an advisory program.

TRANSITIONS

Books

• National Association of Secondary School Principals. Breaking Ranks in the Middle, Providence, Rhode Island: The Education Alliance – Brown University, 2006

Articles

• Encouraging American Girls to Embrace Math - Article addressing middle school girls’ reactions to math.
• Supporting Students in Their Transition to Middle School from The National Middle Schools Association.

Websites

• The Carnegie Corporation provides background materials for understanding adolescents’ transitions and the need for making connections.
• The National Education Association posts surveys to help guide students in understanding their learning strengths Student Learning-Strengths Inventory

MEASURABLE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES

Articles

• Several topics written by Richard DuFour can be used as readings to focus conversations Articles by DuFour
• Raising the Bar for Student Achievement in Middle Schools
• From The National Middle Schools Association: A summary of the publication This We Believe
  URL: http://www.nmsa.org/portals/0/pdf/advocacy/messages/Executive_Summary.pdf

Websites

• CST Data: http://star.cde.ca.gov/
  Each school’s web site on the LAUSD web page has information under Performance Indicators including API, CST, AYP and Reclassification data as well as the SARC (School Accountability Report Card). Also, on this page is the School Profile with demographic data
• Attendance
  • Information can be found on DSS - Inside LAUSD
  • Data Quest http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest

ORGANIZATIONS

• The School Design Network at Sanford University
• Talent Development
• The California League of Middle Schools
• The National Middle Schools Association
• Middle Web: Exploring Middle School Reform
• The New England League of Middle Schools
• National Staff Development Council
• Turning Points: Transforming Middle Schools
• The Small Schools Project
• WestEd

There are a number of organizations that continue to do research and share their work. Most are free when you sign up to subscribe by email. The following is a short list of these non profit organizations.

• Northwest Regional Laboratory
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development – Smart Briefs
• National Association of Secondary School Principals
• WestEd
• The Education Trust