Should middle schools increase required classes and reduce electives? I'd love to hear your thoughts and any sources on this!

I
personally don't think so.  If a fundamental shift were to occur in American classrooms I would
say that teachers need to focus on truly engaging their students and not taking away electives. 
The mantra that more is better is not always true, and students need time to explore their own
self interests and electives often provide that framework.  Art classes provide opportunities
for creativity and expression, the connection between music and math is very well researched,
and with the obesity problem in the United States I think eliminating physical education
programs would be a monumental mistake.