Junior High School

The terms "Junior High School" or "Middle School" usually correspond to secundaria, comprising grades 7-9when the student's age is 12 to 15 years old it is part of the basic compulsory education system, it follows primary school, and comes before "high school" (preparatoria). At this level, more specialized subjects may be taught such as Physics and Chemistry, and World History.There is also the tecnica which provides vocational training, and the telesecundaria which provides distance learning. Despite the similarities of the words "Secondary school" and secundaria, in Mexico the former is usually translated to preparatoria, while in other countries, such as Puerto Rico, or within the Spanish-speaking populations of the United States, the term secundaria refers to High School