1. Place Middle School 7th grade students are failing to meet state writing standards and had low test scores, with only 26% scoring proficient on the state writing assessment.
2. A needs analysis found gaps in students' organizational skills, grammar abilities, and test scores, which the recommended solution of teaching the six traits of writing model aims to address.
3. Multiple factors contribute to the issue, including inconsistencies in teaching staff, student mobility, and a lack of support both at home and in curriculum that meets students' needs. The recommendation is to design a new curriculum focused on the six traits of writing to improve achievement.