Accelerated Middle Schools

Accelerated middle schools are self-contained academic programs designed to help middle school students who are one to two years behind grade level catch up with their age peers by covering core academic curriculum at an accelerated pace. Students cover an additional year of curriculum during their one to two years in the program. The programs can be structured as separate schools or as schools within a traditional middle school. Classes are often linked thematically across multiple subjects with more experiential and hands-on instruction than typical middle schools. The programs offer smaller classes than traditional middle schools and provide additional academic and social supports, such as tutoring, attendance monitoring, counseling, and family outreach. To make room for additional instructional time in core academic subjects, these schools often offer relatively few electives.