to our eighth graders

 There are parts of my remarks that I do sometimes reuse. This is what I said to Forest Grove today and will say to Burncoat Middle on Wednesday.

Because you’re entering ninth grade in the fall, when you have those conversations with adults this summer--you know the ones: “how old are you? you’re so tall! you look just like your mom/dad/grandfather/big brother? what grade are you in?”--you’re going to hear a lot of this sort of thing:

“oh, HIGH SCHOOL! The best years of your life!”

Please listen to what I am going to tell you now, because it is crucially important:

You should not listen to these people.

They do not know what they are talking about.

They’re now predicting that someone your age is going to live, on average, into their eighties. If, in eight decades of life, the years between 14 and 18 are the very best, you’ve screwed it up.

I submit to you that the next four years are actually about establishing a balance between two ideas: carpe diem and amitte diem. 

Carpe diem, you’re probably familiar with, particularly if your parents subjected you to Dead Poets' Society: seize the day! Go, get ‘em!  Take the chance! Go for it! 

For high school, that means things like:

• take the harder class
• try out for the school play, for the school sports, run for class officer
• raise your hand on that answer
• apply for the more difficult job 
• go ask her name. Go ask her out! 
• take the internship
• spend more time outside

Reach a little, stretch a little, try something you aren’t sure you can do. Because you are only in high school once, and there are things you’ll get a chance at in these next four years that you may never have a shot at again.

However...

(you knew there was a “however” coming...)

High school is also--let’s be frank--a chance to do a lot of really stupid things that can possibly mess up your life forever. 

Your big job over the next four years, then, is getting right the time to switch from carpe diem to amitte diem--from “seizing the day” to “letting the day slip by.”

A few tips:

• If it involves sex, drugs, or alcohol, MAKE THOUGHTFUL CHOICES AND PLAN AHEAD. You’d be amazed at the ways you can mess up the rest of your life with these.
• Doing stupid things at stupid hours : skip it.  It’s a great way to get the wrong sort of attention from law enforcement. You do not want that.
• Telling off your mom, giving the smart answer to the teacher, taking what is going wrong in your life out on your younger sister: when you can possibly manage it, take a deep breath, and don’t do it. You’re going to have a lot of very understanding people around you for the next four years, but even they have only so much patience. 
• Yes, of course you’re going to post things online. Nothing online is ever really private and nothing online disappears, so unless you’d say it in front of your English class AND you’re quite sure you’ll still be okay with it when you’re thirty: don’t go there.

If you can successfully navigate the space between when to go for it and when it skip it, you will create a high school career that not only is successful, but is the foundation for the best years of your life...

...which are, I am sure, still to come.

Congratulations, and best wishes for your continued success.

Worcester Public Schools FY20 budget deliberations round one

It's 4:10 and the committee is all here but the superintendent is not...the budget is here; I've stuck the account order ("recommended") here.
And it looks like they may be starting at 4:15...
Posting as they go

Things I'm reading this week

Take a look:

• interesting research about keeping kids back in middle school grades correlating with higher dropout rates. Note that it doesn't seem to have that same hit if it's younger grades, and that summer school also doesn't seem to increase dropouts.
• this piece from New York on Cheshire, CT's schools trying out, then dropping out, of the Summit online learning program, is one of the more reasonable pieces I've read in the personalized learning freakout. And be sure you read about what Revere High has been up to along those lines, as it can be done well!
• this deep look at what racial segregation looks like in the Charlottesville, Virginia public schools. Note the disparities in discipline rates and in access to advanced classwork; then look north of the Mason-Dixon line. This isn't a "southern" issue.
• it's really troubling that conditions for LGBTQ+ students in our public schools are no longer improving, and are, in some cases, even getting worse, per GLSEN's annual survey 

Worcester school budget before City Council

Liveblogging from the City Council's hearing of the Worcester Public Schools' budget this afternoon at 4:30. Per the agenda, it looks like they've got the law department, property and casuality insurance, and court judgments up first, so it will probably be a bit.  Someone just said "They're going on first," so maybe it won't be a bit!
A few things of note: this is, of course, a hearing on the orange slice below, no matter what the City Manager may leading with on his page...

...the bulk of WPS spending comes from everywhere-other-than-the-city, and while I am sure (add it to your BINGO cards) someone will talk about "the biggest part of the budget being the Worcester Public Schools," neither the City Manager nor the City Council in any way can do anything with Ch. 70 save spend it on schools. 

I'd argue, in fact, that the Council tonight is really only talking about $4M, which is the amount the City Manager has allocated over the amount the city is required to spend on schools (within net school spending). As that's still just squeaking over 1%, let's not get out the ticker tape just yet. 

There are some councilors for whom this is the first WPS budget, so we'll have to see what Wally and Rose have to say. You can also watch for at least one question already being in the budget book, some back and forth about "working relationships," and district councilors somehow making this all about their districts. Even odds this morning's report on the enormous and expensive backlog of repairs of schools coming up; the capital budget isn't on tonight's agenda, but it should be on people's minds. Also, Councilor King did mention the amount of municipal contribution coming in as policing last week during the WPD hearing, so that may come up as well. 

4:36 and a quorum of Council is here, the Mayor just came in (and has to be back out in time for South High's graduation, as does the Superintendent, come to think of it)...

Petty: now we're going to talk about the budget questions and answer those first...how are we looking this year for teachers this year?
Allen: reallocation of teachers from elementary to secondary...if the Senate number is approved, it's about $3.3M for us, we'd restore those elementary positions and add additional positions as well

Binienda: and we'd add the tutors back as well

Petty asks Allen to review why the budget is not as expected

overall budget is up just over 2%, new contractual positions in elementary...biggest driver is state funding

"change in the way the state is providing funding for economically disadvantaged students shorted us $2M"

plus charter and circuit breaker underfunding shorts 55 teacher positions (worth)

Petty: includes funding for students from Puerto Rico

Allen: budget includes $2M for next year

March Board of Ed: Lawrence and Holyoke

Update on Lawrence and Holyoke
first time presentation from John Connolly
Wulfson: being the first, it's the first on how we exit from receivership
people around the country on exiting from receivership situation; the advice we got is "you can't just turn a switch"
"an interesting transitional governance model"
receivership board who will hire a superintendent to oversee day to day operations
Connolly presenting with Ventura Rodriguez, associate commissioner for the statewide system of support, who also serves on Board
all others live in Lawrence

Connolly: Lawrence Alliance for Education will assume quasi-governmental role as receiver
currently overseeing search for new superintendent
really appreciate work of outgoing receiver Riley, work of teachers and community as a whole
taught for five years "would be the first to say that does not make me a teaching professional"
tremendous hope and tremendous challenges
"so far a very easy process" in working with people who know Lawrence very well
community process going forward on searching for superintendent
finalize slate by end of April; final interviews by early May; hire shortly thereafter; start date July first, we hope
open architecture system that is supported by community
improvement in connection, in morale, and most important in education of students; need someone who will continue that
Rodriguez: honored to be serving on board transitioning back to local control
go through the search process and get qualities for next candidate
important details to get people out there
two consultants from search firm running those sessions
10-15 person sessions
roughly 250 people over the two days; good representation of all of the stakeholders
food, childcare, translation
open to current Alliance for Ed or school committee members who want to speak

Wulfson: new contract "overwhelmingly ratified" by teachers' union
Mary Lou Bergeron, current deputy, will serve as acting during search

Moriarty: don't want to transition to a "less bad" urban school district

Stewart: many of gains in last years have been very technical; challenge of next step is need for change
Connolly: very much in transition, orientation session at which will be extensively briefed
"where the Lawrence schools stand specifically" part of session
one aspect of an innovative idea, need for teachers of color
Stewart: people you have there have good experience; looking forward to next experience

Doherty: role of curent School Committee
Connolly: two are on Alliance for Ed
"have met with each member of the...I have reached out to each member, I have met with all but one"
look for ways "to make sure the elected school committee has a voice"
"from a baseline starting point, two members serve on Alliance Board"
Doherty: do they still meet and take votes?
Connolly: do meet, outgoing superintendent has set meetings with them
"in the receivership, they obviously don't have powers over school budget and such things"

Sagan: want to thank you for stepping up and taking next step
"no one is more eager than us to restore it to local control"
but no one will be more deliberate than us
"we see this as a long term and a slow process"
that will involve local school committee showing that they are prepared to govern in a way that they have not done before
Connolly praises DESE staff

SHIFT TO HOLYOKE
Wulfson notes that Zrike's contract has been renewed
Sagan: thanks him for staying "we all know that this is really hard work"
Zrike: expect Holyoke graduates to be prepared to succeed in college and career "with more than a diploma"
multiple educational pathways offered to students; progress by the numbers cited
early literacy improving
challenges being addressed: retention of effective teachers, student engagement, discipline referrals, budget gaps
"we know our teachers need more support...the bar has shifted"
struggle to provide staff with competive wages "while health care costs are going up and charter reimbursement has declined"

reorganization to three middle schools (from seven), one high school
"one thing people can agree on is they want a move away from the K-8 model"
"more middle school options"
Veritas charter (from Springfield) "an in-district charter operating as a neighborhood school with some choice seats" as one of the middle schools opening
STEM Academy opening for 6-8
science scores are surprisingly low in Holyoke
teachers who are teaching across multiple grades and multiple subjects; "it makes it hard to do the job well"
"students want a middle school experience...don't want to be treated like babies, they've told me"

"thrilled where we are with high school efforts"
"igniting student interest and passion...sustaining their energy to perserve"
merge high schools into one campus with seven academies and three graduation pathways (early college, college prep, career/technical)
vision that students will learn across the city of Holyoke
continuing freshman academy
theme based academy structure
newcomer academy for students who have recently entered the mainland U.S.
"Holyoke has the highest percent of arrivals of any district in the state"

Moriarty comments that Board has responsibility to monitor resources Holyoke has available and make sure it doesn't fail for lack of support
Fernandez: also concerned because it is an economically depressed area
and "a little more to the influx of Puerto Rican families to the area"
Zrike: great that kids are graduating in greater numbers, but what happens next
know data of what happens to kids at Holyoke Community College
for students who are first generation college whose opportunities have always been closed off from us
McKenna: echoing Moriarty
"there's nothing harder than middle school...most challenging time to teach"
"finding good teachers and supporting good teachers"
"recruiting middle school teachers in STEM is a very high bar with a limited budget"
competing for a very limited pool of teachers
"I think it's absolutely the right thing to do...you've got a challenge"
Zrike: teachers supportive of middle school effort
Stewart: very ambitious resign, I like it a lot
asks about linked learning academies starting in tenth grade
all this great work at secondary level; is preK four years old? what partnerships below that?
Zrike: has been the vision to offer preK for all families; shift to middle school opens space
"the issue is funding...the seed funding to get it off the ground"
Stewart to Peyser: grant opportunities for early childhood?
Peyser: preschool expansion grant, which Holyoke is already getting
"at some point, in theory, that program will end"
"that's the largest [grant] by far"

Morton and Craven "want to understand budget issues more deeply"
will come and visit

City Manager Augustus and Superintendent Binienda at CPPAC

at least nominally on budget, but we'll see where the questions go...

Supt Binienda: FY17 adopted budget $322M; FY18 recommended $334M
not including grants
increase of over 3%
"foundation budget is really well below what we need for what we need to do."
runs through account by account increases
notes special education increases, translation (which is hard to project and legally required)...
"process we have is a really great process": resource allocation meetings
principals meet with their schools, fill out resource allocation form, meet with district managers
each school has an hour to an hour and half to make their case
priority 1, 2, 3
"try to fill priority 1 for this year"
were able to fill all priority 1 for this year

TLSS meeting: notes

agenda is here

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday

The FIRST Worcester School Committee of the new term is on Thursday at 7pm. You can find the agenda here.
First of all, we have (as usual) an executive session at 6 pm. As I mentioned, the reasons for the executive session now are posted as part of the agenda (it's the final item). On Thursday, we have three disciplinary hearings, a grievance, negotiations with the Coordinator of Nurses (one on that list of positions whose contract is with the School Committee), and negotiations with the union of the administrative secretaries.
At 7 pm (or thereabouts), the public session begins.
We have a public petition regarding the naming of the new North High softball field.
We'll have both the Joint (F&O/Education) and Finance & Operations subcommittees reporting out (Remember, F&O meets tomorrow at 5 pm).
We have a beginning-of-year flurry of personnel items: resignations, appointments, transfers.
We have a response to some queries Mr. O'Connell had on preschool, including a list of service providers and options for the other half of the day.
At Miss Biancheria's request, we have a list of STEM events (she asked for February and March, but it looks as though this is the year).
We have a response on middle school sports.
My One Library item is on again, so I can ask a few questions (still no MOU, though, so I'm going to ask that we hold it again).
We have an extensive answer to Mr. Monfredo's questions on summer school and its efficacy.
We also have another preschool item coming back.
We have an answer to my question of where the $1 per pupil recess money went. (Bonus points to whomever put the chart together and added relevant clip art!)
We also have an answer to which schools have bike racks: Claremont Academy, North, South, Worcester Tech, Burncoat Middle, Sullivan Middle, Chandler Elementary, and Flagg Street. (Anyone out there who wants to work on this?)
We have a response from administration on dealing with increasing enrollment, as well as one on questions about items at North.
We also have the awaited FY14 additional budgetary allocation! And, sorry, it's not an exciting recommendation from administration, but it's a necessary one.
We have items coming in asking for honors and thanks!
We also have items asking that admin work with CPPAC on their annual expo and on parent enrichment activities, that the POW/MIA chair be available to schools for programs, that the process for using School Dude be reported on, that the WPD set up a text line for reporting unshoveled sidewalks, that we get a list of every school to which graduating seniors have been admitted, that we get a report on fitting out of North High (and remaining funds), that safe routes to schools be reported on, and that teachers get their retroactive pay in full at the next check.
Administration will be sending along new courses to subcommittee!
We have a prior year payment of $1072 and one of $3088.20 up for approval.
We also donations: $6408.01 to Lake View School from the parents; $1000 from National Grid for Doherty robotics; $500 from a Mobil retailer to Grafton Street.
And Mr. Monfredo wants to be sure that we celebrate Read Across America Day!
At City Hall at 7 pm and live on Channel 11!

Middle school honors

Admission depends on:

MCAS scores

MAP scores

Student grades

Teacher recommendations

Parent recommendations

In addition, schools may have other criteria. 

O'Connell: any weighing?

Houlihan (principal at Burncoat Middle): no, students are different

Williams (principal at Forest Grove): it's flexible. Cited AVID students taking two honors, hoping to get them to full honors 

Monfredo: school of choice. Wishes to send information out to parents of fifth and sixth grade, Connect-ed to let people know.

Rodrigues: very important for families to know 

Biancheria: very positive things happening in the middle schools

Kids pleased with what is going on in the halls. How can we help you?

Williams says he'll take five more staff members 

Activities: intermural program. FG has 250 kids coming after school for sports
Biancheria: other opportunities? Programs you'd like to offer?
Houlihan: students who stay after for extra help.  Pockets of activities happening; transporting students home after activities, especially going into daylight savings.Would love to have the art agencies working after school working on site.
Biancheria: looking at transportation and the cost of transportation, how to get the students home
"that's a piece that we should bring to finance and operations; if we're not providing the bus, we need to provide the bus passes"
programs at the school
Rodrigues: next month working with middle school principals for after school activities
principals from arts magnet quadrant, looking at the quality and enhancement of the program
Monfredo: talk to Steve O'Neil at the WRTA

Teaching, Learning, and Student Supports meets at 5:30 today

You can find the agenda here.

It's a brief agenda tonight, as School Committee members are due over at tonight's forum at 7. There is (hurray!) an update on the curriculum review process; we haven't gotten a backup on that, so I don't know exactly what is being discussed.
There's also a response to my query on the criteria for admission to the middle school honors program.
And there's a response on the request by Miss Biancheria for a survey for chapter 74 teachers.


4th floor of the Durkin Administration Building at 20 Irving Street!

Day by Day subs; supplemental programs; coaches; athletic OM

I'd just like to comment here that the AC is on and it is FREEZING
Colorio: jump in number of subs since 2007
Luster: quality individuals to continue instruction
"best effort that administration was able to do"
Novick asks: concerns with substitutes should go to the building principals or to HR
Biancheria asks about salary
Luster: ability to pay (this is less than local)
passes
Supplemental programs
O'Connell: PE for Creamer evening
only for students in the program?
Boone: open to students across the district
asks for a report
Monfredo: returnee program: how many students are in that?
Gribouski: 18 students this year, pilot year
as they finish, more students can access the program
extending through the summer
have students finish their credits over the summer and graduate by fall
Biancheria: could streamline costs of translators
community schools (Clark St, Canterbury, Elm Park, and Quinsigamond): what we consider a community school program? What are we offering?
back-and-forth and had a number of conversations
Boone comments that there was a report in TLSS on community schools; asks that it be reviewed
was there any change?
Boone: description has not changed; grants that have sunset (ed?)
Biancheria: "they have not changed their rates since 1994" (WPD)
additions to the Creamer Center of sped and ELL as well as the school adjustment counselor, can't find it in the site based budget
Luster: they are system-wide employees, they don't show up at the school budget
Allen: not a position, it's additional time (at $30/hour)
Gribouski: they're an hourly rate; both in evening program or credit recovery program
Novick: translation: how's it going?
we've added two languages! Twi and Patois (that's to Spanish, Portguese,Vietnamese, Albanian, and Arabic)
Colorio: if we aren't using services, will it be less?
Coaches:
O'Connell: do we assume everyone will field a team?
Allen: blanket amount, not sport or school
Shea: notes that some of girls soccer teams did not have enough numbers; softball in the spring (JV)
look at increasing participation for female athletes throughout the district
O'Connell: great success at citywide teams: should we switch some of these to individual high schools?
Shea: where we have seen it, we have tried to do so
O'Connell: can have both citywide and school-by-school teams? Yes.
asks for a report in spring for expanding sports teams
Colorio: middle school expansion: boys and girls basketball in winter
Shea: asked to go from Sept to May: intermurals throughout the year in three sessions
what are the sports? soccer, tennis, baseball, softball, floor hockey...all space dependant
working with principals
Biancheria: cheerleader advisers under athletes as they should be
bowling which is run as an after school program
approved
Athletic OM:
Novick: requesting a report on gymnastics equipment throughout the district, including location and condition
the Title IX survey showed girls most interested in gymnastics; major expense is equipment
complaint on MIAA costs, which Boone shares (I told her she had my support to lead a revolution)
supplies being cut due to purchase of new helmets last year
costs of rental of ice time and pool: underfunded
Colorio: urging gate revenue increase: get more people to games
Monfredo: could we look at the cost of a citywide gymnastics team?
rental of Foley Stadium sign
Allen: has been bid out four or five times with no success
O'Connell: how about an RFP?
Biancheria: report on athletic transportation; dollars spent by school
Shea: could be broken down by season, hard to do by school...Durham
Allen: can do in house
gate receipts offset costs in account: general spent on game officials

This is it for today!

Goddard Scholars program (before the Accountability and Student Achievement)

request was for students enrolled and students completing at the end of the past four years
(It's about 95 for each year for both seventh and eighth grade together and it tracks pretty closely in terms of retention)
Jason DeFalco, principal at Sullivan Middle, which housing Goddard Scholars.

Middle school after-school activities

Monfredo: "we need to seriously look to expand clubs and intraschool sports at the middle schools"
look for opportunities for students to get involved
Biancheria notes that there are similar items in TLSS: asks that this subcom take these items up in March
Boone: Title IX survey included middle school students; initial set of recommendations
strategic plan for athletic involvement: more students eligible and able to try out for varsity at the high school level
Report of the Superintendent is the Worcester Educational Development Foundation next week, reporting on their strategic focus, which includes sports

Governance and Employee Issues

WEDF reporting on athletic sponsorships in May

Making WPS the schools of choice: parent survey discussed
asking for a report on changes made due to parent survey responses
request for individual 5th grade open houses for middle school options

remote participation: request to City Manager: the City Manager has declined to allow this
concern that there would be a cost involved

request for a civil service exam: the state no longer has the exams available; they're only doing public safety exams
custodians thus will only be provisional appointed

O'Connell asks why the CM declined to provide for remote participation
makes a motion that the item be sent back to subcommittee to ask the CM for an explanation

Worcester School Committee meets on Thursday

The Worcester School Committee will have its second February meeting on Thursday at 7 pm at City Hall. You can find the agenda here. 
(And it's a lengthy one; that's what happens when there's an extra week in between meetings!)
Governance and Employee Issues is reporting out from their meeting on Valentine's Day.
Administration is reporting back on:

• additional training for IA's (this is the backup, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me; asking)
• snacks for athletes: USDA After School Snack program is being implemented
• CORI's in other languages (in English, Spanish, Porteguese, Vietnamese, Albanian and downloadable in Arabic)
• principals hired over the past three years
• a change in an account name (to "Supplemental Programs Salaries")
• scheduled student (nursing) screenings
• a Constitution Day report
• evening meeting locations 
• notifying teachers of the state ethics commission finding on class gifts
• distribution of donated instruments
• music lessons citywide (there are more than I'd thought!)
• changes in the school nutrition regs (not a new change; just discussing a previous one)
• the articulation agreements
• Friday is READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY, which means there's a decent chance you'll see a Cat in the Hat hat at the meeting.

In other news: we still have $45,000 to allocate from the $500,000 the City Council sent to WPS.

The cross-country course at Newton Hill needs preservation, as the Fire Alarm Building changes hands.

There's a request for a waiver for the 180 day requirement.

Congratulations going to kids who received awards on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and on Valentine's Day. 

A request is coming in that we look at the summer learning collaborative.

There's a suggestion that we celebrate September 2 as "World War II Commemoration Day."

A request that we look at establishing mock trial and debate teams at the secondary level, as well as after school activities at the middle schools.

Mayor Petty is suggesting that we name the gym at Columbus Park School after Sergeant William Benjamin Soutra, Jr.

We need to look at the findings of the Civil Rights Secretary on sports participation and the Title IX finding, also on sports.

We're congratulating on Thomas Greene Award winners!

Mr. O'Connell has filed items regarding both changes to IDEA (on parental consent) and proposed Local Educational Agency Governance, Flexibility, and Efficiency Act.

We're congratulating South High's bowling team.

There's a request coming in for projected changes in principals for next year.

And we're asking how that increased supply budget was spent.

7 pm, City Hall!

Governor Patrick proposes increased funding (in targeted areas) for education

Yesterday, Governor Patrick proposed increased education funding in particular areas. The focus is on early (very early: birth to age 5) childhood ed, middle school learning time, and college costs.
As always, let me first laud the attention to funding in education. This is right and useful.
These also could be some useful areas to target: while I don't focus on college on this blog, the costs of college have gotten outrageous and have made it well beyond reach of families who could benefit. Middle school is a time that I continue to think that we still haven't quite figured out how best to serve; we should be very thoughtful and cautious about time increases, but the attention is useful. Early childhood ed is the time when we can do the most good with smaller resources, and I'm particularly pleased to see us extending that so young, as gaps among children open remarkably early.
This does feel, unfortunately, as though we are once again attempting to solve problems that lie well outside of education by putting more attention on education, however. Lots of children who come to us with what gets termed an "achievement gap" have families that need better access to food, to housing, to health care. Lots of children are never going to attend preschool, even if we have the space--and let me add, they shouldn't have to. Lots of parents could use assistance in how to talk to kids, how to let kids play, so as to have them well prepared for school, but also for life beyond school.
And this early childhood focus is not, I fear, going to do any of that.
The governor also announced yesterday that, while he intends to fully fund Chapter 70, he also:

...is also proposing a nearly $226 million increase in Chapter 70 local aid which will hold every district harmless for aid; keep every district at foundation levels of spending; finish the Chapter 70 equity reforms of 2007; guarantee an increase of $25 per pupil for every district; and increase the assumed cost of the average out-of-district special education placement for school districts.

emphasis mine
In other words, this will continue the inequity that kicked in with the so-called reform of 2007, which was a turning away from the fundamental principle behind the foundation formula: that districts are funded inequitably and that the state's role is to fix that. That doesn't mean that every district gets the same amount. That doesn't mean that every district gets a piece of the pie. That means the districts that need the most help get the most help.

No, Worcester will not see that $25 per pupil. As there is no mention here of charter funding reform, one assumes that we will again get hit by charter schools not being fully funded. And it will be districts that least need the aid that get the increases.

This is not progressive government, and it is not what the foundation formula set out to solve.

And with that...

...we have possibly the earliest ending School Committee meeting ever!

Oh, and I asked for a report on admission to middle school honors programs. Are we using MCAS scores as a hard-and-fast cutoff?

Losing kids in the transition to middle school

EdWeek has a report on a new study on the transition to middle school being the particularly tough one:

For the Florida study, Mr. West and Guido Schwerdt, a researcher with the Ifo Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich in Germany, used the state’s longitudinal database to track more than 450,000 students in the state’s public schools who proceeded from grades 3 to 10 between 2000-01 and 2008-09.
They found students who attended elementary schools ending at grade 5 had an early edge over those attending K-8 schools in mathematics and language arts, but their performance in both subjects dropped dramatically when they switched to middle school in 6th grade. After the 6th grade transition, middle school students fell by .12 standard deviations in math and .09 standard deviations in reading compared with students at K-8 schools, and then that gap continued to widen throughout middle school and into high school.
Moreover, students who had attended a middle school were 18 percent more likely than students who attended a K-8 school before high school to not enroll in grade 10 after attending grade 9—an indicator that they may have dropped out.

You can read the study here.