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Dear John,

While the Science of Reading is more than just phonics, to this day I remember sounding out words as a very small child on the way to becoming a strong early reader. Indeed, the recent rediscovery and recommitment to evidence-based reading practices across the country is a rare and sweeping policy triumph that deserves to be celebrated as we work to make sure every American student knows how to read.

Sadly, that does not hold true for math, and I know it firsthand. Though I have forgotten my middle school math teacher’s name, I never forgot how she embarrassed me in front of my classmates for my math struggles. And while I worked hard to recover in high school, my childhood love of math had been extinguished by graduation. I picked a college, in part because it had no math requirement, and washed my hands of it all when I took my first job in publishing. But the math anxiety never went away and still remains. It is a debilitating feeling.

Today, only 28% of America’s 8th graders are proficient in math, a statistic that reveals a deep divide between those who will be prepared for future opportunities in an age of artificial intelligence and rapidly improving technology, and those who won’t. Advanced math skills, no longer optional, are increasingly essential for success in fields ranging from data science and engineering, to healthcare and skilled trades. So, while the reading revolution has been incredible, we believe it’s time to put the same effort, focus, and attention in for math as well.
Read the Full Mathways Report ([link removed])

That’s why I’m proud to share with you ([link removed]) our new Mathways report, authored by 50CAN’s Vice President of Policy, Liz Cohen. This report takes a deep look at what we believe is a math crisis and offers a common-sense framework for tackling it, built around three strategic pillars:
* Start, improving foundational math instruction in K–8
* Strengthen, expanding advanced math pathways in middle and high school, and
* Show, measuring success with transparency and accountability

Drawing on lessons from states like Utah, Maryland, and Alabama, Mathways represents our belief that we can design math systems where every student is supported, challenged and ultimately equipped with the skills they need to be capable, knowledgeable, and successful.

I encourage you to read the full report and share it with your networks. Together, we can ensure that math instruction receives the same treatment as reading has, and that every child has the opportunity to say with confidence: “I am a math person.”

Derrell Bradford
President of 50CAN

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