Nearly four in 10 eighth graders scored below “basic” on the Nation’s Report Card, reaching historic lows. Fortunately, the math crisis is perhaps “one of the most fixable” issues in American education, new research suggests.
The math crisis is nothing new, according to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research and policy analysis organization. Math performance, after its peak in 2013, has been “in freefall” for the lowest-performing students.
This is likely due to four key policy trends:
- Research-backed strategies aren’t reaching the classroom
- Standards and accountability are weakening
- The supply of qualified teachers is eroding
- Systemic rigidity, tracking and unequal opportunity hinder progress
Improving math scores will require a clear, actionable strategy. The researchers provide three examples where leaders are defying odds and helping students excel.
Alabama’s statewide commitment to math improvement
Since 2019, Alabama has outperformed every other state in fourth-grade math. When adjusted to compare students with similar demographic traits, the state boasts the highest National Assessment of Educational Progress scores.
It’s a sign that investment pays off. Over the past five years, the state has dedicated more than half a billion dollars to math and reading improvement. Thanks to recent budget reforms, the investments will be ongoing, according to the Center on Reinventing Public Education.
In DeKalb County, where more than 70% of students are considered low-income, the district has adopted several key reforms, including high standards and high-quality curriculum, using data to help target instruction and provide accountability and increased support for teachers.
The district’s elementary math and special education teachers have also all received foundational math training through a state program, and science teachers can earn higher pay for participation as well.
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Outcomes-based tutoring and workforce investments, Ector County, Texas
A large part of the district’s success in reversing math declines in Ector County stems from its investment in its workforce. Between 2019 and 2024, the district has reduced its teacher vacancies from 350 to 29.
Furthermore, math performance in grades 3-8 has returned to 2013 levels after reaching its lowest point in 2016.
“Boosting student achievement starts with equipping and supporting teachers,” said Superintendent Emeritus Scott Muri. “Incentivizing the best teachers to work in our lowest-performing schools allowed us to put the most-qualified teachers in front of the students in most need of support.”
In 2019, the district was on the verge of a state takeover before it decided it could address its numerous challenges all at once. During the pandemic, 6,000 of the district’s 34,000 students—the majority of whom are low-income—received one-on-one tutoring, which tied payments to student growth, generating accountability for providers and aligning incentives with outcomes.
To solve its teacher shortage, the district introduced bold initiatives with financial bonuses, which were supported by state funding, and leadership opportunities for teachers. Teachers could become “master teachers” and earn a pay increase for splitting their time between teaching and mentoring new teachers.
Highly-qualified teachers were compensated for working in the lowest-performing schools. The district also partnered with local colleges and universities to strengthen pipelines, including a one-year residency and a principal apprenticeship.
Learning from Washington, D.C.’s most-improved schools
Although only 22% of students in Washington, D.C. met grade-level expectations in math in 2023, an EmpowerK12 analysis reveals that 40 public and charter schools in the district are transcending local trends, particularly for economically disadvantaged students. Here’s what they’re doing differently:
Schools are maximizing instructional time: Schools like KIPP DC Promise use “double blocking,” allowing teachers to reteach concepts immediately based on quick daily assessments at the end of each lesson.
They invest in instructional coherence: Center City PCS, for instance, integrates real-time assessment with structured professional development, supporting teachers to balance conceptual understanding with procedural fluency.
Teachers promote math confidence: Mistakes are celebrated as learning opportunities. Combined with high-quality instruction and materials, this mindset helps students see themselves as capable math thinkers.
Families are engaged: Parents are seen as partners in the learning process. Teachers offer suggestions for home-based math practice.
Dig deeper into the research here.
