Smaller Learning Community (school within a school)
	Team Teaching
	Core Courses Taught Daily
	Increased Student Involvement
	Activities and Assemblies for Freshmen Only
	Increased Counseling Opportunities
	Consistent Academic and Behavioral Expectations

Transitional research found that students moving from eighth grade to ninth grade had a statistically drop in the following areas of self-perception:

	Self-worth
	Academics
	Behavior
	Attendance

Nationally, more students fail the ninth grade than any other grade.

Students who repeat at least one year are three times more likely to drop out of school than students who have not failed a grade.

Among 14-15 year old students who struggle with basic reading and math skills, 20 percent drop out of school within two years.

Small Learning Community

	Team consists of an English, Math, Science, and Social Studies Teacher
	Freshmen have their own lunch
	A transitional environment from middle school to high school
	Student support

Teachers

	Common planning period
	Team/Department meetings
	Team conferences with students and parents
	Cooperative discipline approach by teachers, student concerns specialist, and administration

	Improve academic performance
	Improve communication between teachers and students
	Improve transition to high school life
	Improve attendance and decrease drop-outs
	Increase involvement in high school
	Improve accountability and responsibility
	Instill self-respect and respect for others
	Increased self-esteem
	Increased parental involvement
	Increased performance on state assessments
	Promote random acts of kindness