This content is sponsored by the Collaborative for Student Success.
An expert is weighing in on the state of math education in Maryland, and his message carries both urgency and optimism.
Joshua Michael, president of the Maryland State Board of Education and a former math teacher, said more students in the state are having a hard time with math now.
In Maryland, “some kids are doing really well,” Michael said. “But what we’ve seen, particularly in the past 15 years, is that we’ve kind of lost focus, and we have significantly more students struggling in mathematics now than we had 15 years ago.”
He said the gap has been growing between students who do well in math and those who don’t. Assessment scores highlight the dip: in 2011, about 43% of fourth graders in Maryland were considered proficient in math, according to Michael. That number is about 35% now, he said.
Michael pointed to a series of curriculum and assessment changes in the 2010s which resulted in many students falling behind. That was compounded by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But what we know is that there’s big room for us to improve, if we have very strong, consistent instruction,” he said.
Every student will be challenged by math at some point, Michael added, but whether they have the support at home or in school to work through that challenge, can make all the difference. He said it also matters how students see themselves.
“We’ve got a lot of young people that don’t see themselves as math people,” Michael said, echoing a common theme among guests in WTOP’s Math That Works series. Michael applauded Maryland Governor Wes Moore for recently joining other governors in calling for the development of stronger guidance to families and caretakers about the critical importance of building foundational numeracy skills in early years at home through tactics like playing numeracy-based board and card games, using math-based language in daily life, and bringing families into the math classrooms earlier and more frequently.
While he says that “self-efficacy” piece actually starts at home, the state is making policy changes to help math performance, too. Michael said new standards put a stronger focus on making sure every student is strong in Algebra.
Now, “we’re really doubling down on this idea that students need to be successful in Algebra I,” Michael said. “That’s the first piece, and that’s somewhat new.”
Maryland is also revamping high school math “sequencing.” Students will have more choices, including a pathway for those interested in STEM fields, another for those on data and statistics tracks, as well as an “applied math” track for real-world careers.
Michael emphasized that education and the economy in Maryland are deeply connected.
As Maryland confronts its math challenges, leaders say refocusing on foundations, relevance, and support—both in classrooms and at home—will be critical to reversing years of decline. With that renewed focus, stronger foundations and a shared belief in students’ potential, Maryland leaders say the state is well positioned to help more students succeed in math—and beyond.
