An analysis of the difficulties encountered during the middle-school years in America and what can be done to elevate the level of middle schoolers' academic achievement is provided. The report illustrates what students should be expected to know and to do when they complete eighth grade. It details the consequences of students not being ready for high school and explains why students are not ready to do challenging work. One of the key recommendations for having effective middle schools is to create small, personalized communities for learning. Likewise, team teaching across subject areas and providing students with guidance and advice are also seen as important components of teaching. The benefits of block scheduling are analyzed, along with the strategy of fitting the instruction to the standards rather than fitting the standards to the student. Criticisms of the current structure of education, which includes large classes and too many subjects, are given. The importance of leadership, the use of time, the problems with sorting and labeling, and changing the focus to student achievement are detailed. Suggestions for changing old patterns and learning to ask the right questions are included. (RJM)