This paper discusses instructional objectives in middle school social studies programs in Virginia. Undertaken in response to a concern that middle school objectives were largely unsettled despite a significant amount of research, this study aimed at clarifying objectives by investigating Virginia social studies educators' professional positions toward educational objectives. Educators surveyed included superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of instruction, social studies supervisors, principals, teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrative assistants. A content analysis was performed on the question of what instructional objectives should be achieved by students in the social studies program. Findings indicated that for grades four through eight, the two most important objectives were geography skills (map skills, naming and/or locating regions) and understanding and/or appreciating other cultures. For grades seven and eight, educators indicated that the most important objectives were understanding the role and/or values of good citizenship and appreciating the heritage and history of the United States. The conclusions are that objectives in the lower middle school grades are more cognitive than affective and that social studies programs in the upper middle school grades reflect more diversity of content, place more emphasis on skill development, and emphasize citizenship education goals. A copy of the questionnaire and responses in tabular form are included in the document. (DB)