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With the fifth edition, The Successful Middle School, the article highlights added research access via endnotes, increased attention to diverse study samples and sources, a reconceptualized framework for developmental characteristics, and equity integration as a response to critiques and calls for culturally responsive, transformative education.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/current-issues-in-middle-level-education-volume-25-issue-2-article-2/600045/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/current-issues-in-middle-level-education-volume-25-issue-2-article-2/600045.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"nayy☆","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-27","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":81},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How does the article describe the evolution of the middle school concept since 1982?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It explains that the middle school movement is not static and that This We Believe functions as a living position paper reflecting the concept’s maturation.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What major updates are introduced in The Successful Middle School edition?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"It adds research throughout the text via endnotes, increases focus on diverse samples and sources, reconceptualizes the section on developmental characteristics, and integrates equity throughout.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why does the article emphasize equity in middle level education?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It cites critiques about the lack of culturally responsive practices and overreliance on developmentalism, then frames equity as a necessary shift toward equitable education for all young adolescents.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},600045,1793001040,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":81,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":24,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},962090893153,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","Current Issues in Middle Level Education  \n\n| Volume 25  Issue 2 | Article 2 |\n| --- | --- |\n| February 2021\u003Cbr>The Evolving Middle School Concept: This We (Still) Believe\u003Cbr>Lisa Harrison\u003Cbr>Ohio University-Main Campus, [harrisl1@ohio.edu](harrisl1@ohio.edu)\u003Cbr>[Penny A. Bishop](Penny A. Bishop)\u003Cbr>University of Vermont, [pbishop@uvm.edu](pbishop@uvm.edu)\u003Cbr>Follow this and additional works at: [https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle](https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle)\u003Cbr> Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, and the Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons |  |\n\nRecommended Citation  \nHarrison, Lisa and Bishop, Penny A. (2021) \"The Evolving Middle School Concept: This We (Still) Believe,\" Current Issues in Middle Level Education: Vol. 25 : Iss. 2 , Article 2.  \nDOI: 10.20429/cimle.2021.250202  \nAvailable at: [https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle/vol25/iss2/2](https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle/vol25/iss2/2)  \nThis feature is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Current Issues in Middle Level Education by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, [please contact](please contact digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu)[ digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu](please contact digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu).  \nThe Evolving Middle School Concept: This We (Still) Believe  \nLisa M. Harrison  \nOhio University  \nPenny A. Bishop  \nUniversity of Vermont  \nIn 1982, approximately two decades after the start of the middle school movement, the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), formerly National Middle School Association, published the inaugural edition of This We Believe. Since its release, This We Believe has served as the landmark position paper that frames what is widely known as the middle school concept. Outlined in the text are education practices specifically designed to guide the teaching of young adolescents, both to advance their learning and to support their overall well-being.  \nThe middle school movement is not static (Schaefer et al., 2016) and thus This We Believe serves as a living position paper that reflects the maturation of the middle school concept (Lounsbury, 2010) . What remains consistent across the various editions of This We Believe,  \nhowever, is the clear advocacy for an education that is responsive to the needs of young  \nadolescents. As we release the fifth edition, titled The Successful Middle School: This We Believe  \n(Bishop & Harrison, 2021), this most recent iteration increases the utility of the text and, more  \nnotably, reflects a more responsive approach to the vast range of experiences and diversity of  \nyoung adolescents.  \nWhat’s New  \nOne significant change within The Successful Middle School is the inclusion of research  \nthroughout the text. While research has historically informed the practices shared in the text,  \nprevious iterations of This We Believe relied on a companion book that provided research and  \nresources in support of the middle school concept. Within this edition, endnotes enable readers to  \nmore easily access supporting research to further advance their understanding of concepts and  \npractices discussed in the book. We have also paid increased attention to the diversity of study  \nsamples, researchers, and sources that inform the recommended practices.  \nAnother change found within the text is a reconceptualized section on young adolescents’developmental characteristics. A four-part framework from which to view young adolescent  \ndevelopment addresses the complexity and possible limitations of relying solely on  \ndevelopmentalism while simultaneously discussing the value of developmentally responsive  \npractices. In addition, each developmental domain now includes implications for practice that  \nsupport readers' understanding of how various","cbCaitJlKtB6l2AA","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitJlKtB6l2AA","pdf",70563,"English","# What remains consistent across editions\n## Advocacy for responsive education\n# What’s New\n## Research integrated throughout the text\n## Revised developmental characteristics framework\n## Equity integrated throughout the position paper","[{\"question\":\"How does the article describe the evolution of the middle school concept since 1982?\",\"answer\":\"It explains that the middle school movement is not static and that This We Believe functions as a living position paper reflecting the concept’s maturation.\"},{\"question\":\"What major updates are introduced in The Successful Middle School edition?\",\"answer\":\"It adds research throughout the text via endnotes, increases focus on diverse samples and sources, reconceptualizes the section on developmental characteristics, and integrates equity throughout.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the article emphasize equity in middle level education?\",\"answer\":\"It cites critiques about the lack of culturally responsive practices and overreliance on developmentalism, then frames equity as a necessary shift toward equitable education for all young adolescents.\"}]","Current Issues in Middle Level Education - Volume 25 - Issue 2 - Article 2 | PDF",1792089925,13]