New Report Links Middle School Success to College Graduation

United Way of Greater Los Angeles recently released a report titled, “Seizing the Middle Ground; Why Middle School Creates the Pathway to College and the Workforce.” 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.

“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,” said Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles.  In Los Angeles County the majority of students come 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.

Seizing the Middle Ground identified significant risk areas, including low graduation rates, lack of necessary classes and overcrowding; nearly half of students don’t feel safe at school.  The study also found that students who fail even one middle school class are much more likely to drop out of high school.   The report 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 grade students are Latino or African American and two-thirds of students are on the free and reduced meal program for low-income families. Seventy 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 one-fifth of the teachers lack proper credentials.  “Poverty, segregation and the lack of a social safety net all impact education for Los Angeles students,” said Jeannie Oakes, presidential professor and director, UCLA Department of Education, a United Way research partner.

The report  also uses examples of Project GRAD Los Angeles’ summer program, Torch Middle School and policy recommendations approved by the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD)  to show what schools are doing right.   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 http://www.unitedwayla.org/.

— Teachers of Color