Middle School

Education news, analysis, and opinion about schools typically serving 6th to 8th grades and the students who attend them
Thu., May 21, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Middle and High School Math: How to Get Struggling Learners on Track
Join this free virtual event to uncover the nature of students’ weaknesses in secondary-level math and find a path forward.
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May 21, 2026
Mathematics Reports Student Achievement in Math: 5 Trends in K-12 Education
Based on a 2026 survey, this report highlights challenges that students have in math as they move from early grades to secondary schools.
May 5, 2026
041726 Older Math Learner South Bend 8
A student learns to plot a matrix in an introductory algebra class at John Adams High School in South Bend, Ind., on April 17, 2026. Nationally, teachers say many students reach middle and high school with gaps in their foundational math skills.
Arthur Maiorella for Education Week
Mathematics What Schools Should Do to Pump Up the Deflated Math Skills of Older Students
Research offers guidance on supporting teenagers who struggle with foundational skills.
Sarah Schwartz, May 4, 2026
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9 min read
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Special Report Middle and High School Math: How to Get Struggling Learners on Track
School districts are rolling out myriad strategies to support secondary students in math as they attempt to move from core skills to more complex topics.
May 4, 2026
McNeal Stewart, one of the math teachers at Algebra Lab at Adams High School, was teaching an Algebra class on Friday, April 17, 2026 at South Bend, IN.
McNeal Stewart, one of the math teachers at Algebra Lab at Adams High School, teaches an Algebra class on April 17, 2026 at South Bend, Ind.
Arthur Maiorella for Education Week
Mathematics From Our Research Center Elementary Math Has Been in Focus. But Middle and High School Students' Struggles Are Daunting
An EdWeek Research Center survey finds that educators see older students' lack of progress in the subject as an acute problem.
Evie Blad, May 4, 2026
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4 min read
A student at Annandale High School in Virginia takes on a math assignment on April 8, 2026. An EdWeek Research Center survey of educators found that many believe students have particular weaknesses in fractions, overall pre-algebraic skills, and fluency in basic operations.
A student at Annandale High School in Virginia takes on a math assignment on April 8, 2026. Many students wrongly see fractions "as things that sit outside the number system," said one researcher.
Marvin Joseph for Education Week
Mathematics From Our Research Center Fractions Scuttle Many Students' Math Ambitions. New Models Can Clear the Way
Pre-algebraic skills and basic operations also are stumbling blocks, the EdWeek Research Center finds.
Evie Blad, May 4, 2026
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4 min read
William Toungette, the assistant principal at Woodland Middle School, at the National Education Leadership Awards gala on April 17, 2026, in Washington.
William Toungette, the assistant principal at Woodland Middle School in Brentwood, Tenn., at the National Education Leadership Awards gala on April 17, 2026, in Washington.
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School & District Management Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year Is Tackling Student Anxiety
How William Toungette created a supportive school environment.
Jennifer Vilcarino, April 21, 2026
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4 min read
Photo collage of two math worksheets on a dark blue background made of floating equations.
Photo illustration by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva; photos by Atticus Cuellar for Education Week
Mathematics A New Approach to Algebra in 8th Grade Seems to Produce Big Benefits
Middle schoolers who took grade-level math and Algebra 1 together benefited, a study finds.
Sarah Schwartz, April 1, 2026
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4 min read
Thu., March 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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College & Workforce Readiness Webinar Building for the Future: Igniting Middle Schoolers’ Interest in Skilled Trades & Future-Ready Skills
Ignite middle schoolers’ interest in skilled trades with hands-on learning and real-world projects that build future-ready skills.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
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Image of a school hallway with students moving.
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School & District Management How Assistant Principals Build Stronger School Communities
From middle to high school, assistant principals share what they've done to increase engagement and better student behavior.
Jennifer Vilcarino, March 11, 2026
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7 min read
Image of a group of students meeting with their teacher. One student is giving the teacher a high-five.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
School Climate & Safety What 3 Top Principals Do So Students Feel Like They Belong at School
Principals use belonging, mentorship, and creative incentives to boost attendance.
Olina Banerji, March 10, 2026
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5 min read
Illustration of multiplication and division signs with arrow running through them.
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Mathematics Opinion 3 Big Changes My School Is Making to Boost Math Achievement
It’s time for math educators to look inward to keep what's working and fix what's not.
Mark Miller, February 27, 2026
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5 min read
From left: Office of Candidate Services at University of Central Arkansas Director Gary Bunn; Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva; LISA Academy North Middle-High School Principal Bilal Uygur; recipient Jaime Garcia (AR '25); LISA Academy North Middle-High School CEO/Superintendent Dr. Fatih Bogrek; and National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Barnett.
Jaime Garcia, the dean of academics at LISA Academy North Middle-High School won a $25,000 award from the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, in part for the work he's done to build community and academic by having students help their classmates.
Milken Family Foundation
School & District Management How Two Award-Winning Educators Created Schoolwide Systems for Academic Support
Boosting student achievement should be a building-wide mission, they say.
Sarah Schwartz, February 9, 2026
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3 min read
Cougar Mountain Middle School was built next door to Timber Ridge at Talus, a senior living community. It’s resulted in an intergenerational partnership between students and the senior residents. Pictured here on Oct. 30, 2025, in Issaquah, Wash.
Seventh grader Tori Thain, 12, talks about chess with Bob Fritz, a resident at the Timber Ridge senior living community and a VOICE mentor at Cougar Mountain Middle School in Issaquah, Wash., on Oct. 30, 2025. These intergenerational relationships have been found to boost students' social-emotional skills.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Want to Improve Tweens' Social Skills? Enlist Older Adults' Help
When a middle school was built adjacent to a retirement community, unlikely friendships grew.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 26, 2026
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9 min read