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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.
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