ABSTRACT
The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk has been working since 1994 to develop, implement, and evaluate the talent development middle school (TDMS) model. The goal of the TDMS model is to build on structural reform recommendations and to establish the curriculum, instruction, school organization, and professional development needed for all students to learn challenging academic materials and prepare for successful futures. In this chapter, we discuss (a) the TDMS model’s development, (b) the implementation of the model in several Philadelphia middle schools and plans for more widespread implementation, and (c) research findings on student attitudes and achievement gains that suggest the model is making a difference in the lives of young adolescents placed at risk.
