Middle Schoolers Hit Hardest by Pandemic, with Confidence and Skill-Building as Top Concerns
More than half of parents (57%) agree that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their child’s education and/or academic success, and more than a third (35%) now have their child enrolled in a supplemental learning program, according to a new nationwide survey of parents of children ages 10–18 conducted by Huntington Learning Center and YouGov. The percentage of students receiving supplemental academic support is particularly high among middle schoolers: 41% among parents of 12-year-olds, 42% of 13-year-olds, and 46% of 14-year-olds.
Parents surveyed believe supplemental learning will improve their child’s academic performance in more ways than one. For example, parents identified several academic areas where they would expect to see improvement in their children from a supplemental learning program —such as GPA (37%) and specific skills like reading comprehension and writing (37%)—the top potential improvement cited was increasing their child’s confidence (45%). Improving study habits (43%) might also lead parents to turn to supplemental programs.
“Not only have children experienced academic setbacks, but their confidence in their abilities has taken a significant hit,” said Anne Huntington Sharma, President and Board Member of Huntington Learning Center. “Families are seeking support beyond the classroom, and this survey confirms that the demand for accessible, personalized academic help is greater than ever.”
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These results also reflect a deeper, more concerning trend: Students currently in middle school were in the earliest, most foundational years of their education when COVID-19 shutdowns began. In other words, students who were 7–9 years old, typically in first through third grades, five years ago, may be further behind than other age groups. These are the years when critical reading and writing skills are developed, and according to parents surveyed, many students are still struggling to catch up.
To help address these challenges, Huntington Learning Center has expanded our partnerships with school districts and public entities nationwide. In the 2023–24 school year alone, Huntington operated 124 programs funded by state and federal sources across 17 states (with 4 more in progress), serving more than 7,500 students through over 300,000 hours of instruction.
As part of the national conversation around academic recovery and student support, Anne Huntington Sharma appeared on Fox & Friends to share key insights from the survey and discuss how Huntington is meeting the evolving needs of families.
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*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 843 adults, with children from ages 10 to 18 years. Fieldwork was undertaken between the 3rd and 12th of March 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US parents with children from ages 10 to 18 yrs (aged 18+)