Middle School
Education news, analysis, and opinion about schools typically serving 6th to 8th grades and the students who attend them
School & District Management
The Debate Over Middle Grades, Explained
In the past decade, different grade-banding models have popped up across the country. But what best serves the middle grades?
Curriculum
Shakespeare, Other Classics Still Dominate High School English
Despite efforts to diversify curricula, teachers still regularly assign many of the same classic works, a new survey finds.
Student Well-Being & Movement
How Old Kids Are When They Get Their First Phone, According to a New Survey
The survey collected insights on smartphone use, social media habits, cyberbullying, and more among 11- to 13-year-olds.
Ed-Tech Policy
Could a Digital Driver’s License Help Students Manage Their Cellphone Use?
Experts say that schools need to teach students healthy cellphone habits, even if their devices are banned at school.
School & District Management
Q&A
‘A Nice and Gentle Disrupter’: Meet the New Principals of the Year
The award went to middle school principal Damon Lewis and high school principal Tony Cattani.
Mathematics
Can One Change in Middle School Get More Students to Take Algebra 1 Early?
Automatically enrolling students in advanced courses from day one of middle school could change their math trajectory, a new study finds.
Artificial Intelligence
Inside Middle Schoolers' Take on AI
Middle schoolers are well aware of AI’s pitfalls, including its tendency to get facts wrong and its potential to stifle their own learning.
School & District Management
How Top Principals Are Tackling Teacher Morale and Other Challenges
Finalists for the National Principal of the Year Award share how they work to be strong instructional leaders for their schools.
School & District Management
Explainer
School Start Times and Student Sleep, Explained
Pediatricians want school to start later so older students can get more sleep. Districts say that's easier said than done.
Curriculum
Middle Schools Often Prioritize English and Math Over Other Subjects. Should They?
An Illinois district is equalizing time across the four major content areas. But the decision comes with trade-offs.
Curriculum
Video
These Two Key Questions Form the Heart of Digital Literacy Instruction
Crucial lessons around digital literacy and digital safety can be framed around these two questions.
Assessment
Opinion
Our Grading System Was Setting Students Up to Fail—Until This Change
Our first reaction to standards-based grading was despair. Then, slowly, things began to change.
Artificial Intelligence
Why This School System Is Integrating AI Literacy With Algebra 1
A new course offered by the Florida Virtual School aims to build students' understanding of math and AI concepts.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Video
The First Rule of SEL for Older Students? Don’t Be Boring
Middle and high schoolers are a much tougher audience for social-emotional-learning lessons.