A number of school districts, particularly large, urban ones, have converted their middle grades schools (generally grades 6-8) to K-8 or 7-12 schools in an attempt to improve academic outcomes for young adolescents. However, there is little empirical evidence, to date, to suggest that simply shifting students from one type of grade configuration to another will improve their academic performance. Recent research suggests that improving student academic (and other) outcomes is less likely to be associated with the specific grades housed in a building as opposed to how young adolescents are being educated in these schools.
