Why are students struggling in math?

Across the country, educators are facing two alarming trends in math learning: more students than ever have foundational skill gaps, and instead of catching up, they are falling further behind each year. For many, it feels like an uphill battle. National math assessment scores have plummeted to historic lows. Students are struggling to meet grade-level expectations, high schoolers are falling short of college-readiness benchmarks, and achievement gaps between demographic groups have widened.

These trends aren’t just abstract statistics; they’re realities playing out in classrooms every day. During our interviews with district leaders from across the country, one thing became clear: progress in math is frustratingly slow, no matter a district’s historical performance.

So what’s driving the decline? Our conversations with district leaders surfaced a range of contributing factors to this widespread struggle. But three distinct challenges emerged, each deeply interconnected and requiring district-level solutions.

1. The Skill-Gap Challenge

Students in 2024 are missing more prerequisite grade-level math skills than they were in 2019. This issue isn’t a one-time hurdle; it’s a snowball, gaining size and speed with every passing school year, making it harder to stop as students progress. The cumulative nature of math means that when students lack foundational skills, they struggle even more as they advance through grades. Without targeted interventions, these gaps widen over time, compounding learning difficulties and making grade-level proficiency feel increasingly out of reach.

2. The Instruction Challenge

Even when students arrive with the necessary skills, instructional time is still a pressing obstacle. Teachers face an impossible balancing act. Do they focus on remediation, potentially leaving some students behind grade-level expectations? Or push ahead, risking that others will fall through the cracks? Each decision carries significant consequences for students’ learning and confidence.

This balancing act is no small feat. Research shows that lingering too long on remediation can prevent students from mastering grade-level material. Yet advancing too quickly leaves others behind. It’s a catch-22 that teachers navigate every day, often with limited support or resources to guide their decisions.

3. The Relevancy Challenge

In addition to the increasing number of students with foundational skill gaps, more students (and even some educators) feel that math taught in school is not relevant to students’ postsecondary pursuits. In our interviews, educators widely agreed that when students struggle to connect learning to their lives, they are less likely to make progress with skill interventions.

But what can educators do?

The challenges are significant, but not insurmountable. Addressing skill gaps, rethinking instructional strategies, and making math relevant to students won’t be quick fixes, but long-term commitments. As district leaders and educators work to turn the tide, their collective efforts can help students regain ground. EAB’s District Leadership Forum offers the resources and expertise you need to drive meaningful change. For more information on math readiness and preparedness, register for one of our District Leaders Roundtables or see our initial report here.