Over 50 years of articles related to the middle school movement in the United States were examined and analyzed in order to uncover the movement’s primary themes associated with practice, research, and policy. Using a qualitative content approach, researchers created themes to represent the movement decade by decade. The years 1963–1979 were identified as the beginning of the Middle School Movement and its search for an identity. The next decade, 1980–1989, was a time of advancement and progress, and the movement became identified with practices, such as team teaching, interdisciplinary curriculum, and advisory. The years 1990–1999 saw pressure on the movement advancing from national policies, but the movement persisted with a sense of hope. To combat challenges to the middle school movement’s core beliefs and practices, an era of research on middle school practices emerged, and this research focus characterized 2000–2009. The current decade continued the research focus with an international perspective and efforts to identify and describe a “signature” middle school pedagogy. From this historical perspective, it was determined that core middle school practices must continue to grow and thrive in order to meet the social and academic needs of future generations of young adolescents.

This systematic review analyzes the research literature on student voice and agency in the middle grades, focusing on middle-level schools, culture, and learning environments. The idea of student voice and agency was taken up as collaborative decision-making and/or student feedback on issues related to school and pedagogy. After a comprehensive search for peer-reviewed research (2015–2024), an article review framework was developed to determine how, where, and why student voices and agency were engaged in the middle grades. Three themes characterized the research literature: (1) passive student voice and agency: researcher-driven studies to gain understanding; (2) active student voice and agency: partnering with students to improve their learning experiences; and (3) activating the inner voice and agency: helping students to reflect on their own learning. The research on student voice and agency provided information that directly and indirectly benefited students. The literature related to passive student voice and agency tended to be indirect, while active student voice and agency and activating students’ inner voice and agency tended to provide tangible and observable student benefits. While the studies were responsive to different aspects of young adolescent development and included foci on students’ social/emotional development and identity, other areas were lacking—including culturally responsive teaching, international perspectives, and sense of self/peer perceptions.

Preparing underrepresented students in urban settings for college and career is the focus of this study: Nine students graduating from a diverse, urban early college high school describe their experiences. Using narrative inquiry methods, conversations from nine students are examined to uncover crucial points of convergence: all nine engaged in self-awareness, developed relationships with people, looked toward the future, embraced school as a place of learning, and experienced school as “family.” Powerful experiences unique to each student are also highlighted. From students themselves, researchers and educators can learn what it takes to graduate high school ready for college and career.

This mixed methods research study explored how emergency remote teaching and learning, enacted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted university students. We asked: What, if any, challenges did students face that hindered their ability to learn successfully online? In Spring 2021, a Qualtrics survey was emailed to 1,481 undergraduate and graduate students at a university in New York City, and students were asked to forward the survey to friends in and beyond the university. A total of 254 (17.2%) responded; 59.6% were graduate students and 69.9% were full-time students. The survey had closed- and open-ended items. The open-ended item analyzed in the current study asked students to identify any online learning challenges. Responses were analyzed via a fully integrated, four-phase mixed methods analysis: constant comparison; a crossover mixed analysis by two coders that yielded an intensity-based, inter-respondent matrix of themes; descriptive-based quantitizing; and inferential-based quantitizing via a canonical correlation analysis and Fisher’s Exact Tests. The most prevalent findings were No Challenges (34.26%), Living Environment (25.93%), Technology-Related (20.37%), and Overall Learning Experiences (19.44%). Students experiencing No Challenges were statistically significantly more likely to report that they had full access to their own computer (p = .006) and reliable Internet connection (p = .001). For Living Environment, students noted major life issues that created challenges: sickness, crowded spaces, and multiple jobs, including serving as a caregiver. Technology-Related findings revealed student dissatisfaction with the online learning experience. For Overall Learning Experiences, students described their need for interactive learning experiences and responsive professors. A key conclusion is that higher education institutions should create more meaningful student learning experiences, develop student-centered pedagogies, and provide greater equity in university learning communities.