The effect of middle-level grade configurations on eighth-grade academic achievement in Indiana

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of middle level grade configurations on eighth grade academic achievement as determined by the results reported on the ISTEP+ (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus). Furthermore, the study analyzed the effects of grade configuration, school locale, and transition type on eighth grade academic achievement.; A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design was employed to collect and analyze the data for this study. One hundred eighty middle schools (grades 6--8), 47 junior high schools (grades 7/8), and 66 junior/senior high schools (grades 7--12) were examined using eighth grade ISTEP+ assessment data. Academic achievement between the three groups was compared through the use of the ISTEP+. The ISTEP+ consisted of two major components: the Basic Skills Assessment (multiple choices) and the Applied Skills Assessment (essay/short answers). These assessments were criterion-referenced and designed to measure students' mastery of the Indiana Academic Standards. The study used fall 2003 public archival data collected from the Indiana Department of Education's ISTEP+ Info Center. The data were treated through two independent samples t tests and six ANOVA analyses. The null hypotheses were tested at the .05 probability level or better.; Based on the significant findings of the data analysis of this research effort, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) Middle level grade configurations do not significantly effect academic achievement; (2) Students attending a rural middle level school perform better on the ISTEP+ than do their non-rural counterparts; (3) Students with disabilities attending a non-rural 6--8 middle school benefit from a pyramid transition arrangement; while students with disabilities attending a non-rural, 7/8 junior high or a 7--12 junior/senior high school benefit from a linear transition arrangement; and (4) Economically disadvantaged students attending a rural middle level school perform better on the ISTEP+ math section than do their non-rural peers.