Corrected: In a prior version of this story, a citation of the number of states that had adopted certain policies was incorrect due to an editing error. It has been corrected.
As they did with reading, states have begun to roll out a wave of policies to overhaul math education in recent years, making changes like new teacher education requirements and mandated early screenings and interventions in math.
Now those changes are documented in Education Week’s new tracker, which gives you an at-a-glance look at the state policy.
In 2022, Alabama passed the Alabama Numeracy Act, a comprehensive math bill that mimics features included in many states’ “science of reading” laws. Other states have since followed with new laws or state board policies, though many are not as expansive as their corresponding measures related to literacy.
Twenty-two states have passed laws or implemented new policies related to math education since 2022, Education Week’s analysis finds.
Among the most common features of those policies:
- Thirteen states will require schools to screen students to identify math difficulties or measure math progress. Some mandate that schools use specific assessments or undergo a review process when selecting a screener.
- Eleven states required specific changes to math instruction or interventions.
- Nine states required changes to teacher-preparation programs to align instructional approaches with evidence-based practices. Some also mandated programs cover specific early math concepts, like number relationships, computational fluency, and spatial reasoning.
Other elements in the tracker related to teacher certification, coaching and professional development, the selection of instructional materials, automatic enrollment in algebra (or advanced math) for students who meet minimum state testing benchmarks, and required minimum math instructional time limits.
Most recently, California lawmakers passed a bill Aug. 17 that would require assessments to identify and address gaps in kindergarten through 2nd grade students’ math knowledge. That bill will not be included in the tracker until Gov. Gavin Newsom signs it.
Interested in math policy? Bookmark our tracker and check in regularly to see the latest developments.
