Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where?

The Northwest Sampler

Much can be learned about the challenges of serving particular grade spans from the experiences of individual schools. This booklet's "Northwest Sampler" features schools of different grade spans from around the region. The descriptions focus on information such as the following:

• How the school's grade span came about
• How the school is structured to meet the needs of the particular grades it contains
• Potential weaknesses or problems of the grade span and how the school addresses them
• Learning opportunities offered by the grade span and how the school takes advantage of them
• Activities to facilitate transition from the previous school or to the next school in the K-12 sequence
• Observed outcomes and keys to success (these are as reported by the principal, and not necessarily based on quantitative information or empirical research)

The sampler features eight schools with seven different grade spans. The schools range in size from 82 to 1,200 students and are found in settings ranging from urban to rural and isolated. The number of grades in the schools ranges from one to 11. Because schools of different grade spans often face similar grade-configuration issues, the sampler can be of value even to readers whose particular grade-span interest is not represented.