Grade configuration is associated with school-level standardized test pass rates for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students

Abstract

Educators and researchers have long debated the best grade configuration grouping for middle grade students. This study examined school-level differences in reading and mathematics standardized test pass rates for students placed in middle schools versus alternative grade configurations. Latent growth modeling was conducted separately for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades across a 3-year sampling period. Sixth-grade pass rates were significantly higher in elementary schools (e.g., kindergarten grade) than in middle schools for reading (78.9% vs. 72.0%) and mathematics (82.5% vs. 76.3%). Seventh-grade pass rates in elementary schools were also significantly higher than in middle schools for reading (78.5% vs. 75.9%) and mathematics (83.1% vs. 69.2%). Eighth-grade pass rates were significantly higher in middle schools than in high schools (e.g., 8th grade) for both subjects (74.7% vs. 70.0% for reading, 63.3% vs. 52.0% for mathematics). These findings suggest that students benefit from remaining in elementary school through at least 7th grade. 2019, 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.