Press Releases

October 2004
New Project Seeks to Improve Outreach to Parents of Hispanic Middle-Grades Students. The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) are teaming up to address the fact that many Hispanic parents lack the information needed to prepare their children for postsecondary education. Through a major grant from Lumina Foundation for Education, the project will develop online and print resources to assist community-based organizations and middle-grades schools in their efforts to reach the families of Hispanic middle-grades students. Read the news release.

May 2004
New York, Ohio Selected for 2004 Middle Grades Reform Program. Both New York and Ohio have been selected to implement the National Forum's acclaimed “Schools to Watch” program. Each state will select high-performing "Schools to Watch" within their states. Read the full press release in PDF.

May 2004
National Forum Calls for Greater Funding for Middle Grades. Several National Forum members visited Washington, D.C. and held a Senate briefing on April 23rd. The Forum called on lawmakers to "recognize and identify middle grades 5-8 within legislation and research, and provide additional resources" for this most overlooked area of education. For more details, read the news release.

March 2004
New Study Calls for Implementing Middle-Grade Reforms Advocated by the National Forum. A report by the RAND Corporation identifies the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform as an excellent example of a collaborative organization able to move middle-grades reform forward. While the National Forum concurred with a number of the report's findings, it took issue with some of its key conclusions, including those involving separate, stand-alone schools to house the middle grades. Read the news release.

February 2004
Bush Proposals Address National Forum's Call for Greater Focus on Middle Grades. The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform applauds President Bush’s proposal to assist struggling middle-grades learners by proposing reading, math and mentoring initiatives within the budget for FY 2005. Read the news release with the Forum's comments on the Bush plan.

September 2003
Forum Announces New Leadership Training Curriculum. The National Forum has developed a new resource for middle-grades educators, administrators, parents, and others. Read the news release about this unique and exciting new tool.

June 2003
Major Report Highlights Success of Middle-Grades Funding. A new report has high praise for the Forum's work and accomplishments in the field. Read the news release about this report released by Grantmakers in Education.

May 2003
Four additional states have been selected for the 2003 state Schools to Watch program. In its continuing effort to replicate the programs and practices of outstanding middle schools, the National Forum selected Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia to participate in the Schools to Watch program. Read a news release in PDF format about the state selections.

March 2003
John Harrison, executive director of the North Carolina Middle School Association, has been selected to lead the Southern Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Read Harrison's plans for this 10-state reform effort in the news release announcing his selection.

February 2003
Ten exemplary middle-grades schools have been found to meet the Forum's strict criteria for excellence. Each has earned the designation "School to Watch." Read the Forum's news release which names the schools in California, Georgia, and North Carolina.

July 2002
The National Forum has released its policy statement on high-stakes testing. The statement supports the use of multiple measures, rather than a single test, to make decisions about a student's progress. Read the press release in PDF.

July 2002
The National Forum has named Deborah Kasak as its new executive director. Read the press release in PDF.

May 2002
The National Forum has selected three states to expand the reach and impact of its acclaimed “Schools to Watch” recognition program. The Forum will train teams of state leaders to implement Schools to Watch in California, Georgia, and North Carolina. Read the full release in PDF.

April 2002
The National Forum calls for mandatory specialized preparation and licensure of middle-level teachers in a new policy statement issued this month. Read the full release in PDF.