A study of the grade organizational structure of the junior high school as measured by social maturity, emotional maturity, physical maturity, and opposite-sex choices

Many educators are seeking the answer to the following question: Which grade grouping is best in terms of realizing the maximum educational potential of the students, the 8-4; the 6-6; the 6-5-3; the 6-2-4; the 5-5-4; or some other pattern of organization? There are many ways of organizing the school for the purpose of instruction, the oldest being the 8-4 plan; however, faced with the perennial problem of improvement in instruction, most educators are aware that grade grouping of students for instruction is a significant feature in program management and improvement. Therefore, research in this area, undertaking to discover best possible grade combinations, would seem to be of value in furnishing patterns. This problem is an attempt to ascertain the most desirable grade combination for instruction of students in terms of least differences in their grade group maturity levels as measured by social, emotional, and physical maturity, and opposite-sex choices.