Messages from AMLE

Navigating Opportunities for Middle Level Education Research: The MLER SIG Research Agenda

In 2016, the Middle Level Education Research Special Interest Group (MLER SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) published The MLER SIG Research Agenda, a white paper identifying critical issues and concerns facing the field of middle level education. Since its release, much has changed. The MLER SIG is pleased to announce that it has

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AMLE Announces Inaugural Successful Middle School Grant Awardees

Funding will support creative scheduling initiative and future-focused innovation center  The AMLE Foundation Fund has selected South View Middle School in Edina, MN and West Clermont Middle School in Batavia, OH as the inaugural recipients of its Successful Middle School Grant. That AMLE Foundation Fund established the grant in 2023 to provide funding to educators

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Leading from the Middle: Four Things Middle School Leaders Want Parents to Know

Research is clear that family engagement in middle school is essential for student success. Yet it sometimes feels like schools and families are more divided than ever. Middle school leaders must build stronger partnerships that help both constituencies achieve their shared goal: success for the whole student. In celebration of Middle Level Education Month #MLEM,

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Leading from the Middle: The Unique Skillset of the Middle School Leader

Strong leadership is essential to a successful middle school. This statement may seem obvious, but a leader who possesses the unique skillset to lead from the middle can be easy to take for granted. In fact, decades of research tell us that middle grades leadership is so essential that it’s included as the third pillar

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Leading from the Middle: Finding Your Place and Your People in the Middle Grades

In a recent episode of the Middle School Walk & Talk Podcast, Kevin Armstrong, middle school principal and incoming President of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), recounted a story from his career as a middle grades leader. After serving as a middle school assistant principal for four years, he received a call

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Middle School Gets a Bad Rap. It’s Time to Flip the Script.

“Bless your heart.” “I’m so sorry!” “Why?” If you’re a middle grades educator, it’s likely you’ve heard one of these reactions when you tell someone your profession. It’s not uncommon for people to recount negative memories from their own time as a middle schooler or bemoan, “kids these days.” Even though 10–15-year-olds are experiencing the

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