The Math Problem
Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report
Sluggish growth in math scores for U.S. students began long before the pandemic, but the problem has snowballed into an education crisis. This back-to-school-season, the Education Reporting Collaborative, a coalition of eight diverse newsrooms, will be documenting the enormous challenge facing our schools and highlighting examples of progress. The three-year-old Reporting Collaborative includes AL.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Hechinger Report, Idaho Education News, The Post and Courier in South Carolina, and The Seattle Times.
FocusHow can schools dig out from a generation’s worth of lost math progress?Sluggish growth in math scores for U.S. students began long before the pandemic, but the problem has snowballed into an education crisis.
‘A huge issue’: US colleges work to shore up student math skillsAt many universities, engineering and biology majors are struggling to grasp fractions and exponents. As more students are placed in pre-college math, professors blame the pandemic.
One way to boost math scores? Help teachers conquer their math anxiety.How might students benefit from having teachers who are confident about their own math skills? A Chicago grad school is helping educators overcome math anxiety and build skills in young children.
The ‘science of reading’ swept reforms into US schools. How about math?While the “science of reading” movement has taken off, a comparable approach for math is still in its infancy.
How one Alabama district found a way to make math scores soarWith its top math scores, a rural school district in Alabama has shown the effectiveness of homegrown approaches. What can other educators learn from the Piedmont model?
FocusMath lovers wanted: The US needs more in order to thriveMath scores may feel distant from most people’s lives. But a U.S. math deficit raises questions about how the country plans to protect its economic competitiveness and national security.
How Texas plans to make access to advanced math more equitableWhat’s the best way to make sure all students have access to high-level classes? In Texas, a new strategy focuses on automatically enrolling top scorers.
Dollars and sense: Can financial literacy help students learn math?An increasing number of U.S. states are mandating financial literacy education for high school graduates, offering them more access to tools to help with life choices.
FocusWhy math disabilities need more attentionDisabilities in reading are identified and supported early on. But students who struggle in math don’t get the same attention.
Racial gaps in math have grown. Could detracking classes help?A South Carolina high school tries to help all students improve in math. (Photo credit: Grace Beahm Alford/Post and Courier Staff/File)
AI may disrupt math and computer science classes. Is there an upside?As schools across the country debate banning AI tools, some math and computer science teachers are embracing the change because of the nature of their discipline.
