When Mississippi reformed its reading curriculum in 2013, scores for the state’s elementary school students soared. Inspired by the “Mississippi miracle,” other Southern states followed suit. But the miracle has hit a wall: middle school. This story also appeared in Mind/Shift Results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that Mississippi, Louisiana and […]
Middle School
Middle school is often synonymous with the awkwardness, uncertainty and sheer terror of early adolescence. But it can also be an amazing time of brain development, when children’s growing sense of self can blossom as they take more agency in their lives and learning. In this special report, Hechinger looks at what schools should do to help children at this critical inflection point in their personal development and academic careers.
