Success in the Middle Act
Date of Introduction: October 24, 2007
Sponsor(s): Obama (D-IL)
Co-Sponsor(s): Reed (D-RI), Sanders (I-VT), Whitehouse (D-RI)
House Bill Number: H.R. 3406
Date of Introduction: August 3, 2007
Sponsor(s): Grijalva (D-AZ)
Co-Sponsor(s): Bishop (D-GA), Clarke (D-NY), Davis, D. (D-IL), Davis, S. (D-CA), Filner (D-CA), Green (D-TX), Gutierrez (D-IL), Hare (D-IL), Hinojosa (D-TX), Holden (D-PA), Holt (D-NJ), Langevin (D-RI), Lewis (D-GA), McCarthy (D-NY), McCollum (D-MN), Michaud (D-ME), Moran (D-VA), Napolitano (D-CA), Pastor (D-AZ), Payne (D-NJ), Sanchez (D-CA), Scott (D-VA), Sestak (D-PA), Solis (D-CA), Sutton (D-OH), Thompson (D-MS), Velazquez (D-NY), Welch (D-VT), Yarmuth (D-KY)
The Success in the Middle Act is the first school improvement bill of its kind directed specifically at the middle grades. The bill targets the schools that have middle level grades that feed into the nearly 2,000 “dropout factories” that are spread throughout the country. Dropout factories are high schools in which 60 percent (or fewer) of freshmen will have become seniors three years after finishing their ninth-grade year. These schools account for approximately half of the nation’s dropouts.
The legislation would authorize $1 billion a year in formula grants for states to improve low-performing schools that contain middle grades. It would require states that receive grants to develop early warning data systems to identify students who are most at risk of dropping out and intervene to help them succeed. Interventions could include extended learning time and personal graduation plans that enable all students to stay on the path to graduation. It would also authorize an additional $100 million to facilitate the generation, dissemination, and application of research needed to identify and implement effective practices that lead to continual student learning and high academic achievement at the middle level.
About the Success in the Middle Act:
- To learn more about the Success in the Middle Act, read the one page overview of the bill.
From the Success in the Middle sponsors:
- Representative Raul Grijalva’s (D-AZ) press release
Support for the Success in the Middle Act: The following is a list of groups supporting the Success in the Middle Act:
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
Academy for Educational Development (AED)
National Association of Secondary School Principals
Michigan Schools in the Middle/Highly Successful High Schools
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)
Palmetto Middle School
Education Development Center
National Council of Teachers of English
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc
Project GRAD, USA
The College Board
National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform
Alliance for Excellent Education
International Reading Association
Knowledge Alliance
Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
American School Counselor Association
Success for All
Hoover City Schools
SC-ASCD
NJ Consortium for Middle Schools