Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—high schoolers all wish they could go back to the simpler days of math. However, MCPS math scores have recently been dropping across the board, especially among young elementary students. While high schoolers may be struggling with algebra or calculus, elementary-aged students are having a difficult time adding numbers together. Something must be done.
Post-COVID-19, test scores have steadily fallen due to a lack of hands-on instruction and the loss that was incurred due to online learning. While these scores have been dismissed for many years as MCPS went through an extremely long recovery period, they can no longer be dismissed. These kids are struggling with some of the most basic and foundational math skills that will be needed for the rest of their lives. MCPS must allocate a larger portion of its budget to prioritizing young students’ basic math skills.
According to the Bethesda Magazine, math testing data through the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) shows that kindergarten students have significantly lower math scores in the fall of 2024 compared to previous years. Five years post-pandemic, students should be showing progress, but instead, they are falling further and further behind.
This school year, MCPS has hired 12 math coaches to help get to the root of these issues. These coaches have begun to teach teachers different methods of instructing to give students different ways of solving math problems. This has created a small step in the right direction however it is not yet enough. More of these math coaches must be hired in order to make noticeable changes that will push MCPS in the right direction.
Not only have the teachers and students struggled through the new methods of math, but parents also have experienced difficulties in trying to help their kids with homework. The way that they learned math and the way it is taught now is very different, and instruction to parents has proven to be critical if teachers want their students to practice their math skills at home.
Minority students have shown even more struggle, being disproportionately impacted by the lack of instruction. According to Montgomery Perspective, only 15 out of 131 MCPS elementary schools have reported Black students being proficient in math and only 16 out of 131 schools have reported Latino students being proficient in math. These shocking statistics prove that MCPS must take immediate action in combating this education crisis to set students up for success in the future.
Minority students had previously struggled pre-pandemic but MCPS should see these post-pandemic statistics as a wake-up call to catch them up to other students in MCPS. This should be seen as a priority as these students will continue to fall further and further behind in the coming years and will only struggle more if action is not taken now.
Lately, the MCPS budget and spending have been rather controversial. A solution that involves spending more money on things like teacher training or increased math resources may not seem practical, however, it is the best solution for this education crisis.
While the county has hired 12 math coaches this year, they need to hire more in order to reach all elementary schools. More classroom help should also be taken into consideration so that more students can receive one-on-one attention from an adult while learning.
Basic math must be mastered by elementary school students to set them up for success in middle school, high school and beyond. MCPS must take more initiative in this situation and help teachers in order to see improvement. They should be prioritizing the county’s money toward this cause and hiring more math coaches for this coming summer to prepare teachers for the 2025-2026 school year.
