middle school Archives

Many states picked diploma pathways over high school exit exams. Did students benefit?

June 13, 2025 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

Diploma pathways appear to have helped more students who aren’t college-bound to graduate, but they also have created new issues.

When 18-year-old Edgar Brito thinks about what he’ll do in the future, mechanical engineering is high on the list. The senior at Washington state’s Toppenish High School first…

The AI Gap: Why Teachers Can’t Afford to Wait on the Sidelines

June 6, 2025 by Kevin Hogan

Tired of talking about AI? That’s too bad. The technology remains the most impactful force in education. The challenge becomes ... Read more

COVID in Schools

Did the pandemic reopen gender-based math gaps?

June 2, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Educators should ensure pandemic learning recovery efforts don’t inadvertently reinforce old math gaps--or allow new ones to take hold.

STEM gaps in achievement between boys and girls that took more than a decade to close were reopened in just four years, according to a new study from…

Innovation Insights

Trigg County Public Schools Deploys ZeroEyes’ AI Gun Detection and Intelligent Situational Awareness Technology

May 19, 2025 by Kevin Hogan

ZeroEyes, the creators of the first AI-based gun detection video analytics platform to earn the full U.S. Department of Homeland ... Read more

College and Career Readiness

From curiosity to clarity: Showcasing career paths to young learners

April 29, 2025 by Tina Leslie, FlexPoint

With the right support, educators can help students connect their passions with meaningful career paths and opportunities.

While I used to be deeply involved in CTSOs as an advisor and teacher, stepping into an administrator role has allowed me to continue engaging with students in…

College and Career Readiness

SkillsUSA competitions give students hands-on experience with career skills

April 22, 2025April 22, 2025 by Graham Celine, Intelitek

SkillsUSA students develop career skills and outperform peers not enrolled in a CTE student organization in seven essential areas.

The most effective way for students to learn career-ready skills in fields such as advanced manufacturing and robotics is by applying these skills in the context of authentic…

Student Well-Being

The importance of teacher-student relationships

April 15, 2025 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Middle School & William Howard Taft University

Students are motivated by teacher-student relationships when they know teachers genuinely care about their academics and personal growth.

Middle school marks the transition from late childhood to early adolescence. Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson describes the transition as a shift from the Industry vs. Inferiority stage into…

Profiles in Innovation

Fighting chronic absenteeism with data-driven insights–and a little fun, too

April 15, 2025March 26, 2025 by Laura Ascione

Chronic absenteeism remains a widespread challenge in schools across the country, but in Wisconsin, Racine Unified School District’s Julian Thomas Elementary and Jerstad-Agerholm Middle School are demonstrating that…

Newsline

Students Explore STEM with Engineers

February 21, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Middletown, PA – Phoenix Contact engineers head back into the classroom this week to teach sixth-grade science class at Middletown ... Read more

Education Policy & Funding

Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education

March 12, 2025January 28, 2025 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Schools & William Howard Taft University

Advocates for dismantling the Department of Education argue for local control and efficiency, while critics highlight risks to equity, access.

In light of Donald Trump assuming a second presidential term in 2025, conversations concerning dismantling the United States Department of Education have resurfaced.

College and Career Readiness

5 ways kids will learn about careers in 2025

January 13, 2025 by Jean Eddy, American Student Assistance

Exploring career paths with real-world relevance can help students determine their next steps after high school.

When it comes to figuring out what to do after high school, too many of today's young people are anxious, uninformed, and unprepared.

STEM & STEAM Trends

5 approaches that engage middle school students in STEM learning

December 2, 2024 by Laura Ascione

As students progress through middle school, STEM learning should focus on building curiosity, confidence, and foundational skills.

Creating engaging STEM learning experiences in middle school is essential to spark curiosity, build foundational skills, and foster a love for STEM topics--and potentially encourage students to pursue…

Innovation Insights

How to Empower Students to Navigate Politics and Media Bias in the 2024 Election

November 1, 2024October 25, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

It’s tough enough for the average American to navigate through the torrents of mis- and disinformation flooding social media platforms. ... Read more

14-year-old Named America’s Top Young Scientist for Inventing an AI Handheld Pesticide Detector

October 22, 2024 by ESchool News Staff

ST. PAUL, Minn. & CHARLOTTE, N.C. – 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) named Sirish Subash, a 9th grader at Gwinnett ... Read more

Coding and Robotics

5 ways online coding programs prep students for success

October 4, 2024 by Hunter McConnell, Jacksonville ISD

Districts can start small and easily manage their coding programs as they expand to more students and set students up for success.

When our middle school started offering a robotics course to its students this year, it was a pretty big deal. I’d used a gamified coding platform in my…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Helping students learn new tech skills–and exceed expectations

August 28, 2024 by Dr. Matias Arellano, The Crockett Foundation

Thanks to collaborative teachers and learning experimentation, these students are discovering that STEAM is the key to their future.

How did the Crockett Foundation’s students, most of whom attend Title I schools and live in historically under-resourced communities, achieve this sort of success? The answer can be…

AR & VR in the Classroom

Integrating VR into your classroom is easier than you think

July 25, 2024 by Sam Schwiebert, Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Integrating virtual reality into classrooms can give students experiences that would otherwise not be possible.

Integrating virtual reality (VR) into your classroom may be easier than you think. With rising demand and innovations in the VR technology space, the present may be the best time…

AI in Education

Michigan Virtual survey highlights K-12 educators’ AI beliefs, needs

July 25, 2024 by Laura Ascione

AI holds near-limitless potential to revolutionize the educational experience for educators and students, spreading equity and efficiency.

A Michigan Virtual survey of more than 1,000 educators from classrooms, districts, and support organizations found higher trust in AI among building and district administrators than within teacher…

Live @ ISTE 2024

BrainPop at 25—New CPO Jay Chakrapani discusses the past, present, and plans for the future.

June 24, 2024June 21, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

Tim and Moby are getting up there. But according to Brainpop Chief Product Officer Jay Chakrapani, they aren’t slowing down. ... Read more

Student Well-Being

3 tips to combat chronic absenteeism in high schools

June 6, 2024 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

Chronic absenteeism rates are highest in high school, with one in three students missing at least 10 percent of their school days.

One surefire way to support student success? Consistent, positive family communication. In elementary school, there’s frequent outreach.

School Management

Why support for students and a strong school culture are key to this middle school principal

June 3, 2024 by Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat

As a middle school principal, Wilcox prioritizes meeting the needs of students, especially post-COVID, when student anxiety is on the rise.

As a high school wrestler many years ago, Jon Wilcox was expected to help coach much younger students who were learning to wrestle. It was a role he…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Can you take algebra in eighth grade? In many cases, the answer is no

April 11, 2024 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

$Algebra is often considered a gateway class, which can set students up for challenging math classes in college and career paths in science and engineering fields$

If you’re an eighth grader who wants to take algebra, can you even take the class? The answer to that question, it turns out, depends a lot on…

Newsline

SpringMath by Sourcewell Receives Highest Possible Ratings from National Center on Intensive Intervention

February 27, 2024 by ESchool News Staff

Staples, Minn. — SpringMath, an award winning, complete MTSS solution for math, recently received the highest possible rating for fall ... Read more

Innovation in Education

Analytics in Action

June 25, 2024February 14, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

Highlights from a recent conversation, where an expert panel shares insights on using analytics unique to their district to optimize recruitment processes, enhance employee engagement, and implement analytics…

Building & Campus Security

A model to reduce school shootings

January 29, 2024 by Patrick V. Fiel Sr., National Security Expert & Rick Shaw, National Pre-Incident Prevention Expert

Two experts are collaborating on new ways school campuses can develop a comprehensive security plan to reduce school shootings.

For three consecutive years, the U.S has had a record high number of school shootings, resulting in a repetitive cycle of grievances, anger, and frustration.

STEM & STEAM Trends

How this middle school teacher gets students to challenge themselves in math

January 23, 2024 by Samantha Lauten, Chalkbeat

$This believes that giving students the opportunity to work on more difficult equations fosters excitement for math.$

When Salvador Quijada, a seventh and eighth grade math teacher at Philip’s Academy Charter School, thinks back on his own journey as a mathematician, he gives credit to…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators

January 16, 2024January 15, 2024 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma , Teacher, Chalkville Elementary School

Investing in STEM education from an early age nurtures the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders.

In today's fast-paced world, STEM education has become imperative for global progress. Traditionally, the spotlight on STEM education appears to occur in high school and late middle school…

Classroom Management

5 strategies for turning boredom into brilliance

January 9, 2024 by Jon Oosterman, Learning Specialist, Van Andel Institute for Education

Educators can use boredom in the classroom to their advantage by tailoring their content to meet student needs.

As someone who began teaching in middle school, I’ve had plenty of firsthand experience dealing with boredom in the classroom. Most educators will recognize the signs.

Literacy

When embracing the ‘science of reading,’ we can’t leave out older students

March 12, 2024December 22, 2023 by Shira Engel, Chalkbeat New York

As a new middle school teacher, I was shocked by how many students entered my classroom unable to decode text despite the science of reading.

The day before my first day of teaching middle school in 2018, I decorated my Brooklyn public school classroom with quotes from famous people reflecting on the importance…

Big Deals—Khan Academy Boosts National Civics Bee, AI Tackles Campus Safety, and Stanford Offers Online Math

November 27, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation this month announced the launch of the 2024 National Civics Bee. The competition is ... Read more

COVID in Schools

The pandemic is over–but American schools still aren’t the same

November 21, 2023 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

Many students and educators say school feels closer to normal than it has in over three years, but profound pandemic-era consequences persist.

On a recent Friday at Gary Comer Middle School in Chicago, you had to squint to see signs of the pandemic that upended American education just a few…

Innovation in Education

Unlocking middle school potential: Exploring career education and soft skills

November 28, 2023November 14, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

McGraw Hill’s Patrick Keeney discusses the topic of career and technical education (CTE) in middle schools

In this special edition of Innovations in Education, Content Director Kevin Hogan speaks with McGraw Hill’s Patrick Keeney about various aspects of career and tehcnical education (CTE).

AI in Education

Like it or not, ChatGPT is our new learning partner

December 11, 2023October 13, 2023 by John Bartucz, Teaching Specialist in Learning Technologies, University of Minnesota

ChatGPT is an unreliable learning partner--educators should provide a way for students to show how much help they received.

With so much publicity, it is reasonable to assume that all students from middle school through post-secondary are aware of ChatGPT's power. Whether you like it or not,…

Newsline

Aperture Education Launches Two New Solutions to Cultivate Students’ Social and Emotional Competence

August 18, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

Charlotte N.C. – Aperture Education, the leading provider of research-based social and emotional learning assessments for K-12 schools, has added ... Read more

SEL Trends

Advocating for student mental health starts here

June 20, 2023 by Alma Lopez, Lead School Counselor, Livingston Middle School & ASCA 2022 School Counselor of the Year

With increased awareness of student mental health needs, many districts are examining how to elevate the impact of school counselors

For the last 17 years, I have devoted my career to advocating for comprehensive school counseling programs. This is my passion and the focus of my efforts every…

Increase Student Engagement with 21 Hands-On Science Experiments

October 11, 2023June 7, 2023 by Jeff Festa

Download 21 educator-tested experiments to engage your students in hands-on science learning with Vernier technology. This e-book includes experiments in ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

4 ways to use ChatGPT in your STEM classroom

May 24, 2023 by Allen Antoine, M.Ed., Director of Computer Science Education Strategy for EPIC, University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Advanced Computing Center

AI like ChatGPT isn't going away--educators must helps students understand how to use these tools to enhance their STEM learning experiences.

Back in 2007 when I was teaching Algebra I at the local middle school, the biggest question for mathematics teachers on our campus was whether students could use…

Teacher Well-Being

5 ways to help educators experience more joy

May 2, 2023 by Danielle Sullivan, National Director of Content and Implementation, Curriculum Associates

Helping educators find joy first starts with creating the conditions and providing permission for joyful moments to happen.

I was recently working with middle school educators and asked them about the biggest challenges they are facing. Without skipping a beat, they said dealing with discipline issues,…

Newsline

Carousel Cloud Scales with Indianapolis School District for K-12 Communications

May 1, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – The Metropolitan School District (MSD) of Washington Township in Indianapolis is midway through a district-wide Carousel Cloud ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

How a middle school teacher grew students’ math scores despite pandemic challenges

April 19, 2023 by Amelia Pak-Harvey, Chalkbeat Indiana

$Throughout the pandemic, this middle school math teacher held students to high expectations whether they were learning in person or virtually$

As a senior at Indianapolis’ Ben Davis High School, Jacob Gregory enrolled in an Exploratory Teaching program. He thought of it as an easy way to leave school…

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