Identifying Trends and Gaps in Middle Level Education Research: A Qualitative Content Analysis of the Literature Reviews from the 2024–2025 MLER SIG Research Agenda

In 2022, middle level education researchers from across the United States and beyond began a multi-stage project that led to an updated research agenda for middle level education researchers and culminated in the publication of 13 literature reviews in 2024–2025 on a vast array of topics. As researchers, we were curious what these reviews revealed about the field of middle level education research. What trends were evident across topics? What gaps remain? Through qualitative content analysis, we identified nine recurring trends, including criticality and power dynamics, middle level teacher identity, and qualitative research methods, as well as nine gaps, including an absence of practical frameworks, weak integration of AI, and a lack of student voice and perspective. This article explores those nine trends and gaps within the current landscape of middle level education and the larger sociopolitical context, identifying areas for future scholarship and areas for growth within middle level preparation programs and advocacy efforts in support of young adolescent learners.