12 are engaged in the learning process, while 28 percent are unengaged or mentally checked out and 17 percent are actively disengaged and feel negatively about school, according to a 2013 Gallup Student Poll. Additionally, 54 percent of students are hopeful, while 32 percent feel stuck and 14 percent feel discouraged, about their future success at school and beyond. (7) Student transitions from elementary school to the middle grades and to secondary school are often complicated by poor curriculum alignment, inadequate counseling services, and unsatisfactory sharing of student performance and academic achievement data between grades. (8) Middle grades improvement strategies should be tailored based on a variety of performance indicators and data, so that— (A) educators can create and implement successful school improvement strategies to address the needs of the middle grades