But by eighth grade, Catholic school students have pulled ahead in reading and math scores. The city's Catholic schools spend less per student. However, school size is smaller, averaging 345 students in K-8 Catholic schools versus 790 in public elementary and middle schools combined. There could be curriculum differences that explain the performance gap. I think it's puberty.
Many students disengage from school in the middle school years.
They have more important things to think about than pre-algebra. Like which boy band singer has been chosen most adorable by the popular crowd and who's, like, so last week. Adding older blacks brings support down to 57 percent.