This study sought to demonstrate that Michigan middle-grades schools can become more effective learning environments for young adolescents. A total of 224 Michigan schools participated in a teacher and administrator survey, 101 of which also conducted student surveys, reaching over 45,600 students in the fifth to ninth grades. Part 1, "Early Adolescence - A Period of Change," includes results on family situations; health and safety concerns; and school expectations, achievement, and support. Part 2, "Adolescent Learning and Development - The School's Role," includes results detailing the current Michigan learning environment, including teaching staff experience, training, and practices; and available instructional, parental, and community resources to support learning. Part 3,"Starting Again in the Middle - A Work in Progress," summarizes the study's findings, makes recommendations, and delineates key features of effective middle-grades schools. Key findings were: (1) too many young adolescents lose ground during the middle grades, as evidenced by widening achievement gaps between high and low achievers, declining school-based support to address barriers associated with poverty, declining student self-expectations, significant unsupervised time after school, widespread experimentation with drugs, and few opportunities to participate in alternatives to risky behavior; (2) when middle-grades schools are given the appropriate human and financial resources to implement key reforms, more students are likely to achieve at higher levels, as evidenced by better grades, higher expectations, improved behavior, innovative teaching practices, and more teacher-parent contact; and (3) the necessary human and financial resources are not uniformly available to all Michigan middle-grades schools. Contains extensive recommendations. (KDFB)