California Department of Education
Taking Center Stage – Act II

Recommendations for Success

Focus Area: Academic Excellence

“In the workforce of today and tomorrow, our students won’t compete with just the top students in California or across this nation. They’ll compete with many millions of young people entering the global workforce from developing countries in every corner of the world. These countries and their citizens aren’t complacent about their place in the world. They are working hard and sacrificing much so that they might enjoy a lifestyle we too often take for granted. We must impress upon our students that their place in the world — and ours — is not guaranteed. It must be earned by each generation of Americans, and in the 21st century it means working harder — and smarter — than we have ever done before.”1

Each of the California Department of Education's (CDE) 12 Recommendations for Middle Grades Success falls under one of the four focus areas identified by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform: Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity, and Organizational Structures and Processes.

Academic excellence is the first of the four criteria for high performance developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform (Outside Source). The School Self-Study and Rating Rubric (DOC; 305KB; 16pp.) is a tool designed by the Schools To Watch™-Taking Center Stage program to help schools analyze their progress toward excellence based on the National Forum’s criteria. Key elements of academic excellence include the following:

  1. hold high expectations for all students
  2. align instruction and curriculum to state standards
  3. provide depth and real-world, connected learning
  4. provide a variety of challenging and engaging learning activities
  5. employ a variety of assessments
  6. provide time and flexible scheduling to ensure mastery
  7. provide supports for students
  8. conduct regular professional development based on student learning needs

Three of the CDE's 12 Recommendations for Middle Grades Success explore the research relating to Academic Excellence

Recommendations for Success Index

Footnote
1 State of Education 2006, Jack O’Connell speech, January 2006.

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