Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** June 24, 2025
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Students Are Bored with Math. What Can Educators Do About It?

According to new RAND survey data, 49 percent of students in middle and high school are losing interest during their math lessons about half or more of the time. Seventy-five percent lose interest at least some of the time. Further, 30 percent said that they have never considered themselves to be a "math person."

"Although boredom is not unique to math, routine boredom is a problem," says RAND's Heather Schwartz, lead author of the study. "These findings emphasize the importance of boosting student engagement to improve academic outcomes."

So, what could lead to high-quality, engaging math instruction? RAND researchers suggest a mix of activities that include face-to-face interactions between teachers and students, offline and online lessons, and real-world math problems. "It may sound surprising in today's high-tech environment," says RAND's Robert Bozick, who coauthored the report, "but online math activities might be less motivating than face-to-face instruction."

These findings come from the first-ever survey fielded for the new RAND American Youth Panel, which asks young people ages 12-21 about school, college, entering the workforce, and more.
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Five Ways NATO Can Advance Its Mission in Space

NATO has been throttling up its efforts in outer space, focusing on sharing space data among allies and developing the forthcoming NATO Space Doctrine. This progress is notable, but according to RAND experts, it remains insufficient in light of several factors facing the alliance: "the degrading security environment, the breakneck speed at which the commercial space industry is evolving, and the high level of interest in space from allies." As NATO leaders meet for their annual summit today, our researchers outline five priorities to help ensure that NATO continues to advance in space.

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How Will AI Reshape Work?

No matter how helpful it is, new technology has always generated anxiety among workers. For instance, tailors once rioted against quick-stitching sewing machines. And the invention of mechanical switching bred desperation among telephone switchboard operators--that is, until their jobs ceased to exist. Today, it's artificial intelligence that's prompting worker apprehension. But what do we really know about AI's potential effects on the workforce? We shed light on this question in the latest episode of the Policy Minded podcast.

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** RAND Recommends
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- Most clicked last week: a Q&A with RAND experts published last Monday that highlights key issues related to the Israel-Iran conflict.
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- On LiveNOW from Fox this weekend, RAND's Heather Williams discussed the U.S. strikes in Iran, how Iran might respond in the long term, broader security risks in the region, and more.
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- RAND's Jeffrey Hornung explains how Japan's tendency for nemawashi--the act of gathering consent by all parties before a decision is made--could affect a potential U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan.
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At the RAND School of Public Policy, you'll gain the skills and knowledge needed to shape a better tomorrow. Full-time and part-time master's degree programs are available at our campuses in Santa Monica, CA, and Arlington, VA.

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