The role of behavioral adjustment in placing middle school students at risk academically is examined using 23 middle school teachers' and 378 parents' ratings of 389 children (53 percent blacks and 47 percent whites) on Conner's Parent Rating Scale and Conner's Teacher Rating Scale. The average rating on the scales for both sets of ratings is above the norms for the age group studied. The California Achievement Test-Total (CAT-T) for the children is below average as would be expected for a sample with a higher than average number of behavioral problems. A shared variance of 58% between the parents' and teachers' ratings indicates a large area of agreement. Both parents' and teachers' ratings on the scales predict a nearly identical amount of CAT-T variance (49 percent). A regression analysis using both teachers' and parents' ratings accounts for 54 percent of the CAT-T variance. The findings support the contention that the behavior problems evident in school are also evident in the home. Three data tables and a 13-item list of references are included. (Author/SLD)