America's middle schools are "educational wastelands." For much as half of middle schools across the country, national statistics show substantial performance gaps, especially in math and reading achievement, between middle school and high school. It’s time to admit that middle school models do not work—instead, they are places where academics stall and languish.   

So said David Banks, former educator and president of the Eagle Academy Foundation for Young Men, who shared his opinion on The Daily Beast.

Too often in middle school teachers have never received real professional development to help students succeed in high school, Banks said. And, more importantly, there is little to no time for teachers to focus on establishing strong relationships with their students, which has a tremendous impact on how students perform in the classroom, particularly for boys. 

Read the full story.