The AERA Special Interest Groups for Adolescence and Youth Development (AYD) and Middle Level Education Research (MLER) are thrilled to launch a collaborative writing initiative centered on critical issues in middle level education. This multi-phase writing project invites scholars, practitioners, and students to engage in timely topics impacting young adolescents, including:

• Use, monitoring, and practice of artificial intelligence (AI)
• Student perspectives on phone usage
• Responsiveness of package curriculum for elementary and middle grades
• Social comparisons and identity formation through social media
• Censorship and student choice in texts/media
• Continued advocacy for middle schools as transformative learning and teacher preparation spaces

This initiative will unfold in two key phases:

• Phase I – Conference Symposium Presentation
• Phase II – Publication in an Edited Volume

This collaboration offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a collective scholarly voice advocating for inclusive, developmentally responsive, and future-forward practices in middle grades education.