Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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By Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. REED, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. FRANKEN, and Mr. AKAKA):

S. 833. A bill to provide grants to States to ensure that all students in the middle grades are taught an academically rigorous curriculum with effective supports so that students complete the middle grades prepared for success in secondary school and postsecondary endeavors, to improve State and district policies and programs relating to the academic achievement of students in the middle grades, to develop and implement effective middle grades models for struggling students, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, it is my honor today to introduce the Success in the Middle Act of 2011. This bill recognizes the role of the middle grades as a tipping point in the education of many of our Nation's students, especially those who are at risk of dropping out. Success in the Middle invests much-needed attention and resources in middle grades education, requiring states to create plans to specifically address the unique needs of students in the age group, and focusing on schools that feed students into some of our country's most dropout prone high schools so they are ready for the curriculum and the unique social pressures they will encounter there.

My concern about the middle grades began in a unique place behind my desk in the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office. After serving as the United States Attorney for Rhode Island, where I dealt with cases involving mobsters and white collar crime, I now suddenly had hundreds of juvenile cases coming across my desk. I asked my staff to examine the problem and together we tried to find the root of it. Ultimately, it all seemed to go back to one issue: middle school truancy. In order to better see what was happening in middle schools, my office adopted one, Oliver Hazard Perry Middle School in Providence. We worked hard to create a real relationship between the police department and the school to help get truant kids back in classrooms; we worked with the local utility to get lights in the parking lot so teachers felt safe staying after school; partnered with local businesses to get teachers phones in the classrooms so they could call parents when the kids went missing; began a mentoring program between students and attorneys in my office; and brought in community groups to start afterschool programs.

The experience at Perry helped me realize what an impact the middle grades have on a child's future. It is an age where a child is beginning to make his or her own decisions, but can still be influenced by adults and by enriching experiences in their lives. The middle grades are a time when, if properly directed, students look to their futures and set goals for themselves in order to enter high school ready to achieve that first vital goal: graduation.

When I entered the Senate, one of my first priorities was to continue to advocate for improved middle grades education. In Rhode Island, I convened a small group of teachers, public and private school administrators, union leaders, afterschool experts, and others who shared my deep interest in the middle grades to continue the conversation about how best to improve them. This group examined the issues faced by these students and how curriculum, the professional development of teachers, and the environment of the school affected them on a daily basis. Their work has influenced how I perceive education policy and has been invaluable as we have moved forward with Success in the Middle.

To see just how badly our middle grade students need this help, let us take a look at the facts: Less than 1/3 of 8th grade students scored proficient in reading and math on the 2009 National Assessment on Educational Progress, NAEP, and nearly 30 percent scored below the basic level in math. A lack of basic skills at the end of the middle grades has serious implications students who enter high school two or more years behind have only a 50 percent chance of progressing on time to 10th grade, creating a significant risk of dropping out. Sixth grade students who do not attend school regularly, who frequently receive disciplinary actions, or who fail math or English have a less than 15 percent chance of graduating high school on time and a 20 percent chance of graduating one year late.

This is why investing wisely in the middle grades is so important. Success in the Middle makes that investment, creating a formula grant program that help states invest in proven strategies for the middle grades, including comprehensive school-wide improvement efforts, targeted professional development, and student supports such as extended learning time and personal academic plans. It also requires the creation of early warning and intervention systems for at-risk students and transition plans for the middle grades. Finally, Success in the Middle invests in national research into best practices for the middle grades.

I am proud to introduce Success in the Middle, which in previous Congresses was introduced by then-Senator Obama and by my senior Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed. I am proud to follow in the footsteps of these champions of education, who have demonstrated the vital need to focus our efforts on the middle grades in order to best serve our Nation's children, especially those most at risk for dropping out.

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