ABSTRACT
Several years ago, Teri, a world history teacher, and Betty (pseudonym), an English teacher, began a discussion that would have wide-ranging implications for the school in which they taught. They saw their ninth grade students having difficulty meeting the challenges of high school after experiencing the more supportive environment of middle school. At Clarke Central High School, high school students drop out at an alarming rate, and the rate of failure for advanced students is high, as well.
