In the mid-1990s, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform translated its beliefs about the characteristics of a high-performing middle-grades school into a set of evaluation criteria.

 

The purpose of the criteria was to provide guidance to classroom teachers, administrators, parents, and community members as they evaluate school programs to determine the need for further school improvement.

 

Each section is complementary to, and interdependent with, the others. Though each section of the criteria is presented separately, a high-performing middle-grades school would find it difficult to succeed without significant success in each of the four areas.

• Academic excellence

• Developmental responsiveness

• Social equity

• Organizational structures and processes

 

Download complete criteria (Word document)