Alvin Chang, writing for The Pudding, explores education research on the challenges of middle school and its impact on students' sense of belonging.

Research across the country shows that 6th to 8th graders in middle schools tend to learn less and experience a lower sense of belonging and self-esteem compared to their peers in K-8 schools. A 2010 study in New York City found that parents of students transitioning to middle school perceived a decline in both educational quality and school safety, unlike parents of children who remained in K-8 schools.