Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Abstract
Middle school agricultural education programs were first officially recognized within the National FFA Organization in 1988 when 7th and 8th grade students were granted FFA membership. This study was conducted to examine the current status of middle school agricultural education programs and the perceptions of state FFA leaders across the United States, especially with the recent addition of 5th and 6th grade students being granted membership. Using a mixed-methods survey distributed to 52 state FFA leaders in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the study gathered enrollment data, participation opportunities, and perceived advantages and disadvantages associated with middle school agricultural education. A response rate of 26 state FFA associations (50.0%) was achieved. Key findings revealed that 21 state FFA associations reported having middle school agricultural education programs, with over 147,000 students enrolled in agricultural education, with over 92,000 FFA members, during the 2023–2024 school year. State FFA leaders generally supported middle school agricultural education and agreed that the key advantages were an increase in student retention, leadership development, and agricultural literacy. All states that offer middle school agricultural education offer participation opportunities to their middle school FFA members, although opportunities from state to state vary. Future research is required to gain a more complete assessment of the current status of middle school agricultural education to include data from all 52 state FFA associations.
Year manuscript completed
2025
Year degree awarded
2025
Author's Keywords
middle school, agricultural education, FFA, opportunities, perceptions
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Education
Department
Educational Studies, Leadership and Counseling
College/School
College of Education & Human Services
Dissertation Committee Chair
Alyx Shultz
Committee Chair
Alyx Shultz
Committee Member
Randal Wilson
Committee Member
Marcus Pollard
Document Type
Dissertation
Recommended Citation
Holman, Alex and Holman, Timothy Alexander Jr., "An Examination of the Current Status of Middle School Agricultural Education and Perceptions Amongst State FFA Leaders" (2025). Murray State Theses and Dissertations. 408.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/etd/408
Included in
Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons, Vocational Education Commons