Just as club sports demand early investment for future success, academic pressures push students to seek advantages before reaching high school.
Middle school students increasingly pursue additional resources, such as tutoring, to meet the academic rigor they will face in high school. This trend reflects a broader movement where students seek external support to prepare for competitive educational environments. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 40% of middle school students participate in some form of academic enrichment program, highlighting the growing emphasis on early preparation for high school challenges.
In classrooms across the middle school, families are turning to private tutoring and supplemental programs like Kumon and Mathnasium to help their children meet educational demands. According IZA Institute of Labor and Economics discussion paper series, approximately 6-7% of U.S. families with children ages six to 17 had paid for tutoring in the past year, reflecting a growing trend of families investing in extra academic resources to ensure their children are prepared for the challenges of high school.
Wydown Vice Principal, Neil Daniels, who formerly taught in the Pattonville and Parkway School Districts, feels the amount of outside resources acquired at Wydown is greater than at any of his prior schools.
“I hear more about students getting tutoring now than in other districts in the past, specifically for math,” Daniels said. “I think you have to know your child, but it’s important for students to enjoy school. Each student matures at a different rate, emotionally and academically, and a pre-prescribed path is not always beneficial for all kids.”
Daniels also finds that these outside programs add an early pressure on the students with regards to their future.
While these programs offer valuable support, their costs can be significant. For instance, according to Tutors.com, Kumon fees typically range from $150 to $200 a month, while Mathnasium averages upwards of $250 a month. These expenses highlight the financial burden many families face when seeking additional academic support for their children. As reliance on costly external resources grows to meet educational demands, concerns about access and equity in educational opportunities are brought to the forefront.
Due to the added pressure and imbalance of outside resources, Daniels shared how the district implemented measures to limit pressures and restore the balance.
“Policies have been implemented where you could turn in papers late or where the teachers are willing to work with students outside school and help after school,” Daniels said.
Daniels finds that these policies can help ease the pressure on students in external programs and help those who can’t afford external resources.
“More lenient grading causes some issues because students may do less work or not try as hard because they see that they can get away with it,” junior Dante Zou said.
