And schools participating in Michigan Middle Start, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Middle-Grades State Systemic Policy Initiative, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, have all demonstrated marked improvements. Most important is that the more these schools reflect the forum's vision of high performance, the better their student outcomes. It's not the grade structure that makes a school a positive learning environment for young adolescents, it's what goes on within the school community. High performance can be achieved in any grade configuration, so let's not get distracted by changing grade configurations. In such schools, everyone in the school community is inspired by a shared vision of excellence.
Teachers participate in ongoing professional development that increases their knowledge and skills.
The school is part of a larger learning community. It collaborates with parents, community groups, businesses, colleges, and universities, while also linking with networks of educators. Finally, the school holds itself accountable and constantly checks on its progress in making the vision real.