With New Mexico's focus centered on building reading skills among younger students and ensuring that high school students make it to graduation, the state's middle schools have been slipping through the cracks.
Analysts with the Legislative Finance Committee detailed the challenges facing middle schools in a first-of-its-kind report that looked at everything from standardized test scores to truancy and social issues.
The report was released Thursday during the committee's meeting in Albuquerque.
The report shows middle schools are struggling with student performance, programming and funding. As a result, just 2 percent of middle schools earned top grades during their annual assessments.
Deputy Public Education Secretary Leighann Lenti says her agency already is looking for ways to keep middle school students engaged. This includes hiring social workers and truancy coaches.
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