[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-590542-105":59,"doc-detail-590542-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","five-critical-practices-for-middle-grades-leadership-a-framework-for-school-improvement","Five Critical Practices for Middle Grades Leadership - A Framework for School Improvement","","The paper analyzes middle grades (grades 6–8) achievement challenges and frames leadership as a research-supported lever for school improvement. It describes the large share of eighth graders scoring Basic or Below Basic on NAEP and links middle grades performance to graduation readiness. Using findings synthesized for a Middle Grades Leadership Academy, it outlines five critical practices—direction, organization, data use, student-focused vision and action, and leading learning—then aligns them with multiple education standards and leadership frameworks.",{"@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":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/five-critical-practices-for-middle-grades-leadership-a-framework-for-school-improvement/590542/",{"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/five-critical-practices-for-middle-grades-leadership-a-framework-for-school-improvement/590542.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Stanley","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-06","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What problem does the paper highlight about middle grades students?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It reports that many students in grades 6–8 are not performing at their highest academic levels, with many eighth graders in Southern states scoring Basic or Below Basic on NAEP.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Why does the document emphasize principal leadership?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"It argues that effective principals demonstrate practices that transform schools into institutions of learning and improve student performance, with leadership having a significant effect on student learning.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What are the Five Critical Practices presented in the framework?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The practices focus on direction, building a powerful organization, giving life to data, ensuring student-focused vision and action, and leading learning.","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},590542,1792191136,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},2336477405376,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","Five Critical Practices for Middle Grades Leadership: A Framework for School Improvement  \nRuth C. Nash, Education Solutions  \nYvette M. Richardson, Miles College  \nPatricia H. Hodge, Education Solutions  \nPeggy H. Connell, Samford University  \nZebbra P. Green, Samford University  \nBased on current research, many students in the middle grades (6 - 8) have not performed at their highest academic levels. In 2011, more than one-half of eighth gradersin 16 Southern states scored Basic or Below Basic on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Alternatively, effective principal-leaders strategically demonstrated practices transforming schools into institutions of learning and improved student performance. To support the development and refinement of middle grades leadership expertise, educational leaders in the state collaborated to design a Middle Grades Leadership Academy (MGLA). The following Five Critical Practices synthesize the research findings and are critical to increased student learning: Focus on the direction, build a powerful organization, give life to data, ensure student-focused vision and action, and lead learning. In addition, educational leaders correlated and aligned the the Five Critical Practices with the standards of the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders, and State Department of Education: Alabama Plan 2020.  \nSouthern Regional Education Board (SREB, 2011) described middle grades as the “vital center ─ the make-or-break point ─ of our K-12 public school system”(p. i) . Failure to develop confident, knowledgeable learners in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades destines hundreds of thousands of young people to failure in high school, college, and careers. In 2011, more than one-half of eighth graders in 16 Southern states scored Basic or Below Basic on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) . A Basic level score indicated a student only partially mastered the knowledge and skills needed for success in high school (SREB, 2011) .  \n“Literally millions of young people are out of school and grossly ill equipped to compete in the 21st century workforce and economy” (Association for College and Technical Education (ACTE), 2009, p. 1) . The middle grades play a far-reaching role in determining if a student will graduate from high school as college and career ready. ACTE (2009) reported approximately one in every three students entering ninth grade failed to complete high school in four years, and high-risk students were eight to ten times more likely to drop out of school in the 11th and 12th grades. Balfanz and Herzog  \nAlabama Journal of Educational Leadership  \nVolume 1, September 2014  \n© 2014 Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership  \n(2006) agreed ninth grade retention is a major risk factor for dropping out of high school. According to Balfanz (2009), the middle grades are a place where a student launches forward to graduation and success or slips off course to a path of failure.  \nTo accomplish true middle school reform, SREB (2012) recommended principals focus on improving instruction and involving all stakeholders. The principal is responsible for understanding and communicating the relevance and purpose of learning for all students and closing the achievement gap. Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom (2004) stated,“Leadership has significant effect on student learning, second only to the effects of the quality of the curriculum and teachers instruction”(p. 5) .  \nMiddle Grades Leadership Academy  \nThe Middle Grades Leadership Academy (MGLA) Committee began work in May 2013 with 21 members from various backgrounds and areas of expertise including teachers, principals, state and district level administrators, and representatives ","cbCaiiDpcEzWuc13","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiDpcEzWuc13","pdf",407647,22,"English","# Introduction\n## Middle grades achievement challenges\n## Rationale for leadership practices\n# Middle Grades Leadership Academy (MGLA)\n## Committee formation and goals\n## Pilot selection and evaluation\n# Five Critical Practices\n## Research synthesis and alignment","[{\"question\":\"What problem does the paper highlight about middle grades students?\",\"answer\":\"It reports that many students in grades 6–8 are not performing at their highest academic levels, with many eighth graders in Southern states scoring Basic or Below Basic on NAEP.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the document emphasize principal leadership?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that effective principals demonstrate practices that transform schools into institutions of learning and improve student performance, with leadership having a significant effect on student learning.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the Five Critical Practices presented in the framework?\",\"answer\":\"The practices focus on direction, building a powerful organization, giving life to data, ensuring student-focused vision and action, and leading learning.\"}]","Five Critical Practices for Middle Grades Leadership - A Framework for School Improvement | PDF",1792069849,55]