Math education is a problem NM must solve
Math plays an undeniably important and ever-present role in all of our lives. People use math throughout the day: telling time on a clock, determining how much to pay for monthly bills, measuring seasonings while cooking, figuring out the distance and time for driving to an appointment, etc. Despite the everincreasing need for math understanding, K-12 math outcomes are consistently low in New Mexico. This is particularly true for students in certain demographic subgroups. The percentage of students that demonstrate grade-level proficiency in math hovered around just 20% for the five years before the pandemic. In 2019, the last year with complete test data, the percentage of students who were grade-level proficient for the subgroups was: Black, 15%; Hispanic, 16%; Native American, 12%; white, 34%; and low-income, 15%. Given the challenges of teaching during the pandemic, it will be interesting to see what these scores will look like going forward.
Motivation for improvement
New Mexico has immense career opportunities for the future and is vying to be a leader in growing areas such as solar, wind power and hydrogen energy. There is no doubt that mastering elementary and secondary math skills is an integral component of preparing for these careers. To be considered college ready, it is a minimum requirement. Upon reviewing the graduation requirements for a UNM engineering degree, the journey begins with taking Calculus I in the first semester. To be prepared for that level of math, students need to be at least grade-level proficient throughout grades K-12. The college and career opportunities are there, but the data consistently shows our students are simply not prepared to handle the math necessary for success. This is a problem that must be solved.
Improving math education
It is imperative that educators and parents both work to make math achievement a priority. High quality daily instruction is the most important component for improving academic results. All teachers should be qualified in their curriculum area and must have the curriculum materials, professional development and technology needed to teach effectively. However, the chances of success are diminished when students are consistently late and absent from school or lack the motivation or discipline to learn. Parents must play a role in supporting their child’s education, ensuring that attendance and discipline issues are not barriers to learning. If the need arises to supplement the instruction provided by the school, there are lots of free videos and worksheets online. If other resources such as counseling or family supports are needed, many schools have lists of organizations that can help. Parents may also consider including math enrichment as a priority when deciding on summer programs. Any additional learning will help to ensure more students are at or near grade level when school starts in the fall. Lastly, parents are encouraged to hold their district’s leadership accountable. Attend board meetings and challenge officials to provide the strategies, resources and supports necessary to not just change things but improve the math performance of all students. Every year, 80% of New Mexico K-12 students tell the adults this is an urgent matter. How many more students must remain undereducated in math before appropriate solutions are implemented?