Welcome to the Middle Level Education Research (MLER) SIG of the American Educational Research Association (AERA)!

I am honored to serve as Chair of the MLER SIG and to be part of a community of scholars who share a deep commitment to understanding and improving the experiences of young adolescents. Middle level education research matters because young adolescence matters. This is an important period of growth and transition. Young people are developing their identities, navigating new relationships and expectations, finding their voices, and beginning to imagine who they will become. The research we conduct and the questions we ask can help ensure that schools and communities are places where every young adolescent is known, valued, supported, and given opportunities to thrive.

This work is particularly important for young people whose experiences have too often been marginalized, misunderstood, or overlooked. Our research should challenge inequities, elevate the voices and experiences of young adolescents, and help us better understand the diverse communities, schools, families, and contexts in which young people live and learn. As a SIG, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure that middle level education research contributes to more responsive, inclusive, and equitable educational experiences.

MLER is more than a place to present research at an annual conference. It is a community of scholars who learn from one another, support one another, and work together to strengthen the field. We welcome researchers at every career stage, and our collective knowledge is stronger when we create space for graduate students, early career scholars, school based researchers and practitioners, mid-career and senior scholars, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

As an MLER member, there are many ways to become involved:

Share and advance research. Present your work, participate in research sessions and roundtables, contribute to middle level publications, and help elevate scholarship that advances our understanding of young adolescents and middle level education.

Build connections and collaborations. Find colleagues with shared interests, develop research partnerships, participate in writing and research opportunities, and contribute your expertise to the broader MLER community.

Mentor and be mentored. Support the next generation of middle level scholars while finding colleagues who can encourage and guide you throughout your own career. Mentorship across career stages is an important part of a strong professional community.

Engage beyond the annual meeting. We want MLER to be a professional home throughout the year, not simply a community we encounter at AERA or AMLE. Look for opportunities to connect virtually and in person, share ideas, and continue conversations about middle level education research.

Recognize and celebrate our colleagues. Nominate outstanding researchers, graduate students, and leaders for MLER SIG awards and help us celebrate the contributions of those who are strengthening the field.

Our SIG has a strong legacy in middle level education research, and we have an exciting opportunity to build on that foundation. As we look toward the future, I hope MLER continues to be a place where scholars feel connected, supported, challenged, and inspired. I hope emerging scholars find mentors and collaborators here, established scholars have opportunities to share their knowledge, and every member sees a meaningful role for themselves in our community.

Most importantly, I hope we remain grounded in the young people at the heart of our work. Our research matters because their lives matter. Together, we can strengthen the visibility and impact of middle level education research and advocate for educational environments that recognize the complexity, possibility, and promise of young adolescence.

I invite you to become an active part of our community. Bring your questions, your research, your expertise, your curiosity, and your commitment to young adolescents. There is a place for you in MLER, and I look forward to the work we will do together.

Stacie K. Pettit, Ph.D.
Chair, Middle Level Education Research SIG
American Educational Research Association