Middle Schools for a New Society
Middle Schools for a New Society is a comprehensive reform effort involving all 21 middle schools. MSNS is a partnership between the Hamilton County Department of Education and the Public Education Foundation with support from the Lyndhurst Foundation and the National Education Association Foundation.
In 2005, HCDE began planning for its middle school reform effort and implemented a $6 million grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation, administered through PEF, to enact those reforms in 2006.
Like the High School reform effort, each middle school has devised its own plan of action for reform based on four process goals:
- Personalization - Each student attends a school where he/she is known well and will complete a course of study that engages his/her passions and interests.
- Flexibility - Students' motivations and performance increase through meeting their needs in flexible use of time and place.
- Rigorous Relevant Curriculum - Students benefit from a challenging, relevant and engaging curriculum.
- Professional Learning Community - Students attend a school where teachers, principals and staff are provided the support and training necessary to achieve the vision of the school and district.
The District also received a $2.5 million grant from the NEA Foundation in 2005 for reform work in 5 middle schools with the greatest need.
The initiative has three main outcome goals:
- Literacy instruction will become more rigorous with improved student performance.
- Math instruction will become more rigorous with improved student performance.
- Schools will address transitional needs of students to increase promotion rates and student achievement.