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New Brief: Massachusetts Faces Math Crisis, Students Falling Behind at Alarming Rates

Boston, MA — April 24, 2025 — A new brief released today by EdTrust in Massachusetts sheds light on a growing and urgent crisis: students across the Commonwealth are falling behind in math at alarming rates. This troubling trend threatens not only students’ academic futures but also their long-term economic stability and career success. Research indicates that proficiency in math is one of the strongest predictors of future opportunities, often outweighing even reading scores. Mastery of math is directly linked to overall academic achievement, college readiness, career opportunities, and the pursuit of high-paying STEM careers.

While significant attention has been given to addressing the literacy crisis in Massachusetts, this brief serves as a wake-up call: numeracy must be treated with the same urgency and investments as reading. In addition to highlighting data trends, the brief outlines policy recommendations for policymakers, advocates, and education leaders to drive transformative change. Recommendations include sustained investments in high-quality instructional materials, comprehensive professional development, and targeted supports for students to ensure every child can develop the fundamental math skills necessary to thrive—both in the classroom and later in their careers.

EdTrust in MA’s brief, “The State of Math in Massachusetts: A Data-Driven Look at Massachusetts’ Math Crisis and What Can Be Done,” draws on comprehensive data from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), national trends from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), and insights from a recent statewide poll of over 1,500 K–12 parents. Together, these findings offer a stark picture of a system falling short—especially for students in underserved communities.

“For years, Massachusetts students have consistently outperformed their peers across the nation on the NAEP exam, but a closer look at the data reveals what many of us have known all along: our education system is only working for some students and continues to leave underserved students behind,” said Jennie Williamson, state director for EdTrust in Massachusetts. “These students are just as capable and ambitious, but are often denied the rigorous instruction, supportive school environments, and equitable opportunities they deserve. Our research indicates that many Black and Latino students are eager to pursue college and careers in STEM fields, yet they are often pushed out of the pipeline by barriers that should not exist. It’s time for us to do better.”

Key takeaways include

1. In 2024, Massachusetts tied for first with another state for the percentage of 8th graders scoring at or above proficiency in math on NAEP—yet nearly two-thirds (63%) of students still fall below grade-level benchmarks. Moreover, this high national ranking only applies to white students.
2. Massachusetts is experiencing one of the largest widening achievement gaps in 8th grade math. While top-performing students show modest improvement, those in the bottom 10% have seen significant declines.
3. NAEP data reveal early math proficiency gaps in Massachusetts, with only half of fourth graders achieving proficiency. These gaps are further influenced by disparities based on race and income.
4. More than half (59%) of Massachusetts students fall below mathematics benchmarks on the MCAS—with persistent achievement gaps among different student groups.
5. A recent statewide poll indicates that Massachusetts parents are increasingly aware of their children’s challenges in math and frequently seek additional support. One in three K-12 parents (33%) has sought extra math help outside of school, with tutoring being the most common form of support. However, access to these resources differs based on income level.

In recent focus groups, parents shared that their children face not only challenges with math skills but also significant emotional barriers, including math anxiety, negative perceptions of how math is taught, and learning loss exacerbated by the pandemic. Math anxiety, in particular, emerged as a key obstacle to learning—many students experience intense stress, emotional distress, or even panic attacks when faced with math tasks. As a result, many students begin to dread math class, leading some to feel overwhelmed and disengage from the subject altogether.

One Boston parent reflected, “When my daughter was in 3rd or 4th grade, she would get incredibly anxious just doing math—especially when it was timed. Even when she knew the material, if the teacher said, ‘Five minutes left,’ she would freeze. It became more about stress than the math itself.”

Recommendations for policymakers and education leaders

The brief urges education leaders to effectively address the math challenges across the state by:

• Establishing a permanent state funding stream to support the ongoing development, implementation, and evaluation of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), ensuring long-term impact and effectiveness in schools.
• Implementing mandatory statewide early numeracy assessments to identify struggling students and provide timely, targeted interventions—building on the proven success of literacy screenings in closing learning gaps.
• Expanding investment in professional development (PD) to deepen math content knowledge, build inclusive pedagogical skills, and foster positive math mindsets—while ensuring all PD supports the effective HQIM implementation and reinforces the belief that all students can succeed in math.

“If we want to help our students here in Massachusetts succeed in math, we must do more to support their teachers,” said Dr. Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). “Many teachers graduate from their teacher preparation programs and get their license without having spent sufficient time learning the fundamental math content they’re expected to teach students. Strengthening teacher preparation and supporting current teachers will translate to better math outcomes for our students.”

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About EdTrust: EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the American education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where students will thrive.