Dive Brief:
- Despite persistently low math test scores nationwide, most states are still not doing enough to prepare educators to effectively teach math, according to a state-by-state policy analysis released Tuesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
- Fewer than half of states — 21 — provide clear guidance for teacher preparation programs on what should be taught in core math content areas such as numbers and operations or algebraic thinking, NCTQ found. And only 13 states use a “strong or acceptable” math licensure test and require passage for all elementary teachers.
- Only Alabama earned a “strong” rating from NCTQ for its strategy to improve math instruction. Alabama, in fact, was the lone state to show an increase in average 4th grade math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress between 2019 and 2024.
Dive Insight:
“You can’t improve math outcomes by focusing on just one piece,” said Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent of Education said in the NCTQ report. “Real progress happens when your standards, assessments, instructional materials, coaching, and teacher preparation all point in the same direction. Alignment isn’t the finish line — it’s the starting point.”
NCTQ, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, highlighted Alabama’s 2022 Numeracy Act, which requires every elementary school to hire at least one math coach. NCTQ also cited similar state legislative initiatives like the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act, which invests in math education, and Louisiana’s Act 260, under which grade 4-8 math teachers must complete a 50-hour numeracy course.
To strengthen math instruction, NCTQ recommends that states and districts prioritize:
- Establishing detailed math standards for teacher preparation programs.
- Reviewing teacher preparation programs for strong math instruction.
- Implementing a thorough elementary math licensure test and require passage for credentialing of elementary teacher candidates.
- Requiring districts to choose high-quality math lessons and materials and helping them implement the curricula.
- Offering professional learning opportunities and consistent support for teachers to continue providing effective math instruction.
According to NCTQ, only four states require districts to pick their core math curricula from a list vetted and approved by state officials. Some 22 other states provide a list of suggested math curricula that districts can opt into. That leaves almost half of states without any guidance for which math curriculum materials districts should use, NCTQ said.
NCTQ’s findings follow the January release of disappointing 2024 NAEP scores, which showed falling or stagnant average math test scores for grades 4 and 8 compared to prepandemic levels.
Not only did math scores struggle to see gains nationwide during and since COVID-19, but the gender gap in STEM also reopened during the same period. The gap — considered to be eliminated in 2019 — showed signs of reemergence as boys’ enrollment in 8th grade algebra rebounded to pre-pandemic levels by 2024 while girls’ enrollment still lagged behind 2019 rates, according to recent data from assessment provider NWEA.
Education experts have attributed a lack of foundational understanding in math to inadequate teacher training in the subject, as well as a decline in certified teachers in classrooms. The situation is further compounded as funding for professional development and instructional coaching roles dries up with the end of federal COVID-19 emergency money.
