November 13, 2012
In neighbourhoods with falling student populations, policymakers should place a priority on closing middle schools and avoid opening new ones elsewhere, according to a report released today by the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Are Middle Schools Good for Student Academic Achievement? Evidence from Ontario,” author David R. Johnson shows that middle school attendance increases the chance that students will fail provincially administered achievement tests, compared to similar students who stay in the same school through Grade 8.
