Kathleen A.nbsp; Hinchman, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Reading and Language Arts Center at Syracuse University. A former middle school teacher, she has published a number of journal articles, chapters, and books. Her current work is concerned with literacy-related middle school reform. nbsp; Heather K. Sheridan-Thomas, PhD, is Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction for the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Ithaca, New York. Formerly a teacher educator, public school administrator, and secondary teacher, she has conducted research in the areas of adolescents' multiple literacies and addressing achievement gaps for… underserved students.