New York

EdTrust–New York is a statewide education policy and advocacy organization focused first and foremost on doing right by New York’s children. Although many organizations speak up for the adults employed by schools and colleges, we advocate for students, especially those whose needs and potential are often overlooked.

West

EdTrust–West is committed to dismantling the racial and economic barriers embedded in the California education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust-West engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice and increases political and public will to build an education system where students of color and multilingual learners, especially those experiencing poverty, will thrive.

Massachusetts

The Education Trust team in Massachusetts convenes and supports the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership (MEEP), a collective effort of more than 20 social justice, civil rights and education organizations from across the Commonwealth working together to promote educational equity for historically underserved students in our state’s schools.

A female student writing complex mathematical formulas on a whiteboard

Campaign

Math Matters: Don’t Count Us Out

Ensuring equitable access to high-quality math education and advanced coursework for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds

The Need

EdTrust believes all students should have access to a high-quality education that is challenging, affirming, and sets them up for success after high school, whether that’s in higher education or the workforce. All students can thrive in school when given the right supports, but too often, students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, and others from historically underserved populations are not given the equal – much less equitable – resources they need to succeed.

One area where U.S. schools have fallen woefully short is math: performance among 15-year-olds on a recent international exam was essentially unchanged from three years prior. Disaggregated data on the Nation’s Report Card showed younger students are similarly insufficiently supported, with large gaps for Black and Latino students, multilingual learners, and students from low-income background, as compared to their more advantaged peers. These results are the consequence of inequitable funding and policy decisions, not a failure of students who are fighting a deck increasingly stacked against them.

These results are unacceptable. All students should have access to educators trained in evidence-backed teaching methods, high-quality curriculum that’s engaging and reflective of student diversity, intervention when needed, and equitable access to advanced coursework throughout their academic journeys. Every student should have the support and education to see themselves as a “math person,” but school systems give too many students the opposite message.

The Conversation

In fall 2024, EdTrust convened the Math Learning Network, a group of equity and civil rights organizations that explored equitable access to, and opportunities for success in, math.

The culmination of the group’s work was a May 2026 discussion with educators and students of how states, districts, and schools can improve math education for all students, particularly those from groups historically underserved by American schools.

Our Work

EdTrust has long undertaken research and advocacy to promote more equity in math education, particularly in access to advanced coursework.

We will soon release a report laying out the specific policy levers states should use, from educator training to high-quality instructional materials to equitable access to advanced coursework.

Read more about work from EdTrust’s national and state offices to improve equitable access to high-quality math and advanced coursework:

Automatic Enrollment Policies for Advanced Coursework