Middle School Tips for Parents

Beginning in grade 6, help your student start exploring careers and further education. There are many good resources online to help middle schoolers explore careers, including the Idaho Career Information System (see page 5) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Student Career Exploration web site at www.careervoyages.gov/ Guide your student into taking challenging courses. Research shows that middle school students who take algebra, a foreign language, and computer courses by grade 8 are better prepared for Advanced Placement (AP) and Tech-Prep courses (professional technical classes leading from high school to college degrees to careers) in high school. In grade 9, find out if your school offers the PSAT (Prelimary SAT Test, www.collegeboard.com/psat), an indicator of college readiness. Students who take algebra and geometry by the end of grade 8 or 9 are more likely to go on to college. These courses prepare students to get and keep better jobs, even if they choose not to attend college