Supporting the goals and ideals of National Middle Level Education Month.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 260 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Middle Level Education Month. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 27, 2019 Mr. GRIJALVA (for himself, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. MORELLE, and Ms. JACKSON LEE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Education and Labor RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Middle Level Education Month. Whereas the National Association of Secondary School Prin- cipals, the Association for Middle Level Education, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Alliance for Excellent Education have declared the month of March 2019 as National Middle Level Edu- cation Month; Whereas schools that educate middle grades students play a critical function in the Nation’s educational system in that they are responsible for educating young adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15 (grades 5 through 9) that are undergoing rapid and dramatic changes in their phys- VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Mar 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR260.IH HR260 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 260 IH ical, intellectual, social, emotional, and moral develop- ment; Whereas each day nearly 24,000,000 young adolescents enter school deserving what research and practice have shown to help middle grades students achieve, including chal- lenging and engaging instruction, teachers and adminis- trators who are knowledgeable and prepared to provide young adolescents with a safe, challenging, and sup- portive learning environment, and organizational struc- tures that banish anonymity and promote personalization, collaboration, and social equity; Whereas neuroscience indicates that the majority of middle grades students are in a critical stage of brain develop- ment that promotes productive adulthood; Whereas the habits and values established during early ado- lescence have a critical, lifelong influence that directly impacts the future health and welfare of the Nation; Whereas research has found that the academic achievement of eighth grade students has a larger impact on their readiness for college by the end of high school than any- thing that happens academically in high school; Whereas research has found that middle level education is underfunded creating a ‘‘missing middle’’ in Federal edu- cation funding; Whereas in order to improve graduation rates and prepare students to be lifelong learners ready for college, career, and citizenship, a deeper public understanding of the dis- tinctive mission of the middle level is necessary; and Whereas the month of March 2019 has been declared as Na- tional Middle Level Education Month by numerous edu- cational groups: Now, therefore, be it VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Mar 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR260.IH HR260 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 260 IH Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 2 Middle Level Education Month; 3 (2) honors and recognizes the importance of 4 middle level education and the contributions of those 5 who educate this unique age group; and 6 (3) encourages the people of the United States 7 to observe National Middle Level Education Month 8 by taking opportunities to visit schools that educate 9 middle grades students and celebrate the schools 10 that are responsible for educating the Nation’s 11 young adolescents. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Mar 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR260.IH HR260 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS