A K-12 school district located in southern California was faced with overcrowding at 1of its middle schools for the 2011-2012 school year. This project study was designed to explore if an elementary or middle school campus was best in supporting students' academics while they were in transition to 6th grade middle school. Maslow's hierarchy of needs was the theoretical foundation used to explore the 6th grade achievement of students who transitioned into a middle school environment, compared to students who remained within an elementary environment. Guiding questions sought to find if there was a significant difference in ELA scores among elementary versus middle school campus. As a causal-comparative study, random sampling took place among 1,536 participants between 2 campus types. Instrumentation was an English language arts (ELA) district assessment for 6th grade. Data collected comparing scores on the ELA were analyzed with a t test. Findings showed that students attending 6th grade at the elementary campus scored significantly higher on the ELA than students attending 6th grade at middle school campuses. The findings resulted in the creation of a final project, a Service-Learning Academy for 6th grade students at the elementary campus. The academy's goals are to encourage academic achievement with Common Core State Standards, build self-esteem, and leadership qualities while shaping global learners in promoting social change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]