Think back to your time in middle school. The memories may bring up a range of emotions about your social experiences or the move to a new building after elementary school. During middle school, students experience many physical, social, and emotional changes. These changes can be amplified by new classroom structures and expectations that differ from elementary school.

Research suggests that the transition to middle school can be one of the most stressful events that students will experience while in school.¹ The move involves many changes, such as new student-teacher relationships, increased workloads, and different social structures. The stress of adjusting to these changes may lead students to experience higher anxiety and lower academic performance.^2,3 Moreover, students may feel disconnected from school,^4,5 increasing the potential for higher rates of absenteeism.⁶

Students who will be in middle school in fall 2024 may be even further at risk of feeling disconnected from school because of the interruptions they experienced during the pandemic.⁷ For instance, almost 75 percent of public schools reported higher rates of chronic absenteeism during and after the pandemic than before it occurred.⁸

Fostering students' sense of belonging may help middle schoolers stay engaged in school.⁹ The Data-Informed Leadership for Equity (DILE) partnership, led by REL Midwest, supports school leaders in using data to identify student groups showing early signs of disengagement and to improve student sense of belonging at school.

How school structures can support student
belonging

Helping middle school students feel that they belong can shape their schooling experience. A sense of belonging can play an important role in keeping middle school students engaged despite the many changes they are experiencing. For example, nurturing a sense of belonging in school may reduce absenteeism and dropout rates.¹⁰

Students are more likely to feel connected to school when they experience supportive classroom management climates, tolerant disciplinary policies, and small school size.¹¹ Positive experiences in grade 6 may protect students against future declines in sense of belonging throughout middle school.¹² For example, Anderman (2023) found that students in grades 6 and 7 who felt that their teachers promoted mutual respect among classmates experienced a smaller decrease in sense of belonging during the school year.¹³

In addition, a stronger sense of belonging may support improvements in students' psychological well-being^14,15 and overall academic achievement.¹⁶ By fostering student belonging, schools can support students through the many changes they experience during the transition to middle school.

Research-based approach to improving student sense of belonging

The DILE partnership recognizes that fostering student sense of belonging requires schoolwide commitment and investment. To support this schoolwide effort, the partnership developed an approach that provides free, ongoing professional development for school leaders and staff. This DILE approach supports school leaders and staff in using data and student-focused practices to identify and respond to disparities in sense of belonging and student engagement. The DILE approach includes the following components:

• Action-based monitoring (ABM) alerts to help schools monitor indicators of student sense of belonging and engagement, such as attendance and discipline. The alerts update school teams regularly on their progress by comparing the current year's trends with past trajectories and by forecasting whether the school is on track to achieve desired outcomes.


• Protocol guides for school leaders and staff to identify and address policies, practices, and initiatives that may lead to differences among student groups in sense of belonging and engagement.


• Training and coaching for school leaders and staff in the use of the ABM alerts and protocol guides as well as in the implementation of student-focused practices that foster belonging.

School leaders using the DILE approach appreciated the way it was data-focused and specific to their schools. They also shared how the evidence-based recommendations made by the DILE team were consistent with their building data and building and district goals.

Opportunity to partner with REL Midwest

Schools and districts partnering with DILE are better equipped to use data to respond to student needs and to cultivate lasting outcomes for their middle school students. If you would like to partner with REL Midwest and bring the DILE approach to your school or district, please visit the DILE partnership page or contact Sonica Dhillon (DILE@air.org) for more information.