Middle Level Best Practice and Student Achievement in Texas

The purpose of this study was to determine the implementation level of best practice strategies for middle level education in the state of Texas described by This We Believe (AMLE, 2010) and to determine the relationship of those practices with the schools' academic achievement in math and reading. A survey was distributed to principals of all intermediate, middle schools, and junior highs in the state of Texas to determine what middle school practices are actually implemented. Additionally an OLS regression was utilized to determine the relationship of middle level best practice to student achievement in math and reading. Varied rates of implementation were reported and the number of students living in poverty was determined to be the most significant relationship, a negative one, with student achievement. Parental involvement was shown to have a moderate positive relationship with student achievement in both reading and math.