Improving Math Outcomes

Computational fluency refers to students’ ability to compute with accuracy, flexibility, and efficiency (Adding it Up, 2001). This ability grows and develops as students progress in the mathematics learning, particularly when students are provided opportunities to engage with appropriate practice and discuss their strategies. Computational fluency begins with operations on single digit numbers but extends to work with operations on multi-digit numbers, decimals, and rational numbers.

Computational fluency is critical because it provides access to strategies that are available to explore a given situation. Students are able to use foundational skills to solve richer, more meaningful problems thereby contributing to success in higher level mathematics.

While the Science of Math does not yet have the research foundation available for the Science of Reading, there is a need to understand the research-based practices regarding how students learn mathematics.

Students require access to grade-appropriate content which is aligned to their rostered grade. Teachers are tasked with preparing students for subsequent grades and, often, the level of preparation is measured via standardized assessments on grade level content. Therefore, students need to access grade level content but should also be bolstered with pre-requisite content support, as needed. Students who are multiple grades behind, particularly in certain domains, should work through adaptive practice to build up proficiency in content that aligns with their ability level in that domain.

The disruptions in school certainly exacerbated proficiency gaps, but the gaps have existed for quite some time. Recent studies have reviewed the range of ability levels in a typical grade and shown that the pandemic added several months (depending on the grade level) to that range. In other words, there has always been a wide range of student ability levels in a single class and that has grown just a bit over the past several years. There is still a lot of work to be done to minimize the gaps that existed before, and now after, pandemic disruptions.

While we know that all math skills are critical, there are some that are more important than others when it comes to success with future math skills. Teachers need to identify these priority standards and focus on ensuring students have mastered those skills in their current course, as well as previous courses. Ideally, the prerequisite priority standards are covered at the appropriate time during their current grade-level practice, but they can also be highlighted during extra math practice blocks to ensure students are prepared for grade-level work.