The middle school program emerged against a backdrop of criticism, awareness of changing educational necessities and values, and new insights into the needs of the middle range of the student population. The precocity of youth mixed with the pseudo-sophistication of adulthood gives the middle school its reason for existence--the "transescent." The goal of the middle school is to be child-centered, so that time is allowed for growing up during the students' years of change. Ideally, the English curriculum for the transescent should provide the student with an activity-oriented, skill-developmental course of study. It must allow for diversity of interests and abilities, yet rely on the commonality of the adolescent experience. The middle school curriculum of the Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools reflects this concern for the adolescent. Throughout all of the sixth grade units, for example, students are involved in improvisations, oral composition, and other experiences that provide them with opportunities to generate language purposefully. The seventh grade units stress student involvement in various language and literature related activities, while the eighth grade course of study provides the student with literature experiences. Many factors are involved in an effective middle school program, among them the development of a middle school "task force," departmental parallel scheduling, team teaching, middle school teacher certification, small classes, interdisciplinary articulation, specialized report cards, and community research. (HOD)