The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation developed and sponsored the Middle Grades Initiative (MGI), which began in 1989, in five urban school systems: (1) Baltimore (Maryland); (2) Louisville (Kentucky); (3) Milwaukee (Wisconsin); (4) Oakland (California); and (5) San Diego (California). The purpose of MGI was to change the ways schools educate young, disadvantaged adolescents with objectives designed around high content standards, high support, and high expectations. Between leaving grade 5 and entering grade 10, students are expected to complete the middle grades curriculum on time, to exhibit mastery of higher order thinking and comprehension skills, to exhibit improved self-esteem and attitudes, and to understand how curricula can affect education options. This report presents the findings of the Education Resources Group (ERG) on how the MGI has been implemented in the 12 schools targeted in the 5 cities. ERG has found that as teachers raised their expectations for students, they increasingly focused on higher order and critical thinking activities and on the inclusion of all students in high content instruction. Eight tables provide information on student achievement, and five appendixes present information about the study schools, study staff and methodology, and a list of resources in middle-level education. (Contains seven references.) (SLD)