released the first report of its kind, "Seizing the Middle Ground; Why
Middle School Creates the Pathway to College and the Workforce." The
report provides business, community and education leaders with a tool
for measuring how Los Angeles County is faring within the area of middle
school education, and outlines steps that stakeholders must take to help
children succeed. While middle school grades have been largely ignored
in local and national education reform debates, the report findings
underscore the critical role that middle school education plays in
preparing students for college and the 21st century workforce.
/Seizing the Middle Ground /identified the following significant
risk areas:
* Low graduation rates: for every 100 9th grade students enrolled in
Los Angeles County schools in 2002, only 57 graduated four years
later.
* Over 70% of middle schools serving low-income African American and
Latino populations are failing federal education standards.
* Nearly half of students don't feel safe at school; 48 percent of
7th graders report being harassed, pushed, shoved or hit by peers
at school and 13 percent have carried a weapon onto school
property at least once.
* Half of the middle schools in L.A. County are overcrowded, with
the average size of 2,100 students; these schools provide one
counselor for every 609 students, compared to the national
recommendation of 1 for every 250.
* Lack of necessary classes: 45 percent of high schools provide too
few college preparatory courses (A-G) to accommodate all students,
leaving them unprepared for higher education
* Students who fail even one middle school class are much more
likely to drop out of high school: Less than 50% of students who
failed at least one class in grades 6-8 graduated from high school
within four years compared to over 66% of students who never
failed a class.
* Middle school students are not forming relationships with their
teachers or adults at school, with 71 percent of 7th graders
having no high level or caring relationship with any adults in the
school, allowing for them to fall through the cracks
In Los Angeles County, there are approximately 400,000 public school
students enrolled in grades 6-8, with the majority of the students
coming from minority families that tend to be underrepresented in higher
education. Due to factors such as low-levels of qualified teachers,
overcrowded classrooms and low per-pupil spending, the report finds that
over half of the middle schools are failing federal education standards,
and the situation is even worse for schools serving large populations of
low-income African American and Latino students. 100 percent of LA
County's middle schools spend well below the national average per pupil,
netting out at an average of $6,765 compared to a national average of
$8,041. It is now more critical than ever to help these students
succeed, as nearly all jobs require high school math and science.
"Education in Los Angeles County is at a critical crossroads," said
Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles. "The
demand for an educated workforce is growing, while at the same time
middle school education is being neglected, and we're not preparing our
children, or our city, for the future. Unless we work together to
prioritize middle school education, we will not have the necessary
infrastructure for a thriving community and sustainable economy in the
future."
The study also finds that minority and low-income students are less
likely to graduate and face more challenges. In L.A. County, 73 percent
of middle grades students are Latino or African American and two-thirds
of students are on the free and reduced meal program for low-income
families. 70 percent of middle schools serving primarily low-income
students are on "program improvement," meaning that they are not making
adequate progress in improving their students' academic outcomes for two
consecutive years. Schools that primarily serve communities of color are
four times more likely to have a shortage of qualified teachers and 20
percent of the teachers lack proper credentials.
"The issues illuminated within the report are about under-funding and
more," said Jeannie Oakes, presidential professor and director, UCLA
Department of Education, a United Way research partner. "Poverty,
segregation and the lack of a social safety net all impact education for
Los Angeles students. What's more, the breakdown in our educational
system will impact the strength of our workforce and overall economy.
The whole community must work together to better prepare middle school
students for the rigors of high school and the real world."
Examples of progress from the report include:
* In 2007, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) unanimously
approved policy recommendations to boost successful completion of
A-G courses for every Long Beach student by aligning classes,
counseling and supports beginning in the 6th grade; the program
starts in September 2008
* Project GRAD Los Angeles hosted a Middle School Algebra and
Robotic Summer Institute for four weeks in 2007 to help 165
students from LAUSD who were at risk of not enrolling in Algebra
classes; students enrolled with the same teachers in school, with
a 99 percent passing rate
* Torch Middle School implemented a Professional Learning Community
(PLC) and worked with an after school program to raise its
Academic Performance Index 290 points, earning them state
designation as a "School to Watch Model Middle School"
"Successes in schools such as Torch Middle School prove that we can
remedy the education system in Los Angeles County by strategically
implementing programs that work," said Elise Buik. "By providing
rigorous academic preparation and early academic intervention in
supportive personalized learning environments, we can move closer to
ensuring that Los Angeles County becomes a thriving, competitive home to
a skilled workforce and flourishing businesses."
The Middle School Report incorporates goals and recommendations made
within United Way's 10-year Action Plan, launched in 2007, which
addresses issues facing Los Angeles County and provides the tools
necessary to move more people out of poverty. In addition to United Way
of Greater Los Angeles, a panel of experts contributed to the report,
including UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access; UCLA
Department of Psychology and the University of California-Irvine
Department of Education. For the full report, visit www.unitedwayla.org
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