The majority of middle school students say they like school (two-thirds), but this perception changes significantly between the beginning and end of middle school. It remains more positive among girls; eight out of ten middle school students are "on track" in their grade level, and nearly one in five is behind; all indicators of the school experience are altered among students falling behind, with the exception of stress related to schoolwork and support from other students; the percentage of middle school students reporting being somewhat or very stressed by schoolwork increased moderately but significantly between 2010 and 2014, particularly among 9th-grade girls (+10 points). Similarly, the perception of high academic demands increased among girls over the same period (+5 points).