A growing body of research identifies the benefits of K-8 schools for middle school students, especially when compared to the traditional middle school model of grades 6-8. Research shows that adolescent students (ages 12-14) who attend K-8 schools perform at higher levels than their traditional middle school peers, with both the academic and social/emotional needs of students better met at K-8 schools. Research shows that students who attend K-8 schools:
Experience higher levels of self esteem
Feel safer, with less discipline and behavior problems threatening their education
Have a positive attitude toward school
Have higher levels of academic achievement
Attend schools with more diverse student and teacher populations and smaller grade sizes
Experience more core instructional time, allowing for greater exploration and integration, rather than a focus on strictly content, departmentalization, and adherence to a rigid schedule
Have significantly higher scores in reading, language arts, and mathematics
Do not experience loss of achievement because of disruptive transitions
