This parent guide addresses common parent concerns about middle schools, focusing on the Long Beach (California) Unified School District. It provides a quick reference to different aspects of the child's middle school education and encourages parent involvement. Sections describe how parents can make a difference for the child in the home and in the school and how middle schools in the district are changing to help students achieve. The guide presents answers to commonly asked questions about school environments, achievement, and school safety and gives facts about Long Beach middle schools. Each of the 21 middle schools in the district, which accommodates 17,600 students, is different, but all are united in their commitment to the developmental needs of young adolescents. Some schools have added new courses and others have shifted to innovative teaching methods, including emphasis on cooperative education. The school district will continue to work until achievement scores and skill levels are much higher. (Contains 5 figures.) (SLD)