Illinois education officials say they’re working to close a long-standing performance gap in student math scores with a new statewide “numeracy plan” aimed at improving how math is taught, learned, and supported in schools.
Each year, the Illinois State Board of Education releases a statewide report card showing student performance in reading, writing, and math. And year after year, one trend remains consistent: students score lower in math than in English language arts.
On the 2025 report card, just 38.4% of Illinois students met proficiency standards in math, compared to 52.4% in English language arts.
That pattern isn’t unique to Illinois. National data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows eighth-grade students perform better in reading than math. International assessments, including the 2023 TIMSS exam, found U.S. students also trail behind peers in countries such as Singapore, Japan, Sweden, and Australia.
Why math scores lag
Experts say the problem is rooted in both culture and instruction.
Latrenda Knighten, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said American culture often treats math struggles as normal — even humorous — which can influence how students view their own abilities.
“It’s become socially acceptable to say, ‘I’m not a math person,’” Knighten said. “But that mindset has a huge impact on young people and their confidence.”
Beth MacDonald, an education professor at Illinois State University, believes the issue is tied closely to how math is taught. She links current challenges to teaching practices that emerged after the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, which pushed schools to follow strict pacing tied to standardized tests.
“What’s been removed is the need to understand where students are in their own learning,” MacDonald said.
A statewide plan to improve numeracy
To address the problem, ISBE is developing a comprehensive numeracy plan that will guide classroom instruction, teacher training, and district-level math programs. The initiative was launched by State Superintendent Tony Sanders and modeled after the state’s newly adopted literacy plan.
Work began in the spring with a statewide needs-assessment survey of teachers, administrators, and regional education leaders. A planning summit followed in June, and ISBE released an initial draft in October.
The draft defines numeracy as a student’s ability to confidently “understand, interpret, and apply mathematical concepts” in real-world and academic settings — not simply memorize formulas.
The 94-page document also notes potential costs tied to improving math achievement, including the need for additional resources in underfunded districts and expanded training for teachers.
ISBE held listening sessions through November and plans to present a second draft of the plan to the state board in February. A final version is expected in June.
