The Freshman Grade Academy: A Program to Facilitate the Smooth Transition of Students from the Junior High Learning Environment to the High School Learning Environment

From 2004-2006, Arkansas High School in Texarkana, Arkansas, piloted a program aimed at facilitating the transition of freshman students from a junior high setting to a senior high setting. The creation of the program was prompted by the school’s data showing that the freshman class had the highest number of disciplinary referrals, absenteeism, and failing grades, while simultaneously having extremely low benchmark test scores. The program, named the Freshman Academy, consisted of three teams with five core team teachers in the areas of English, computer business applications, math and social studies along with an inclusion special education teacher. The teams were given a common planning time to work together to foster student success in both academic and social circles. After two years of piloting the Freshman Academy, the data showed that the number of discipline referrals decreased, absenteeism was down, grades were up and benchmark test scores were up