AUSTIN, Texas — A new report shows Texas students are struggling with math.
The report, released by Texas 2036, shows students have underperformed in national assessments like the SAT and ACT, but have also underperformed in statewide tests like the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
More than half of Texas students are still below grade level in math despite the state's recent investments in students following the pandemic. Not only are Texas students still below pre-pandemic levels of math, but the report also shows parents don't believe their children are behind due in part to a disconnect between the assessments and report cards.
About 90% of Texas parents believed their children were performing at or above their grade level, according to the report. It also found in Houston that 92% of parents believed their students were at grade level, but only 45% of students in the Houston Independent School District performed at or above grade level on the STAAR test in the same year.
There have also been consistent declines in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, which states have been taking since 2002. The assessment has been required for math and reading for states to receive Title 1 funding from the federal government.
Recently, students in Dallas started learning Eureka Math as part of a new curriculum. According to The Texas Tribune, it emphasizes helping students get a better grasp of math concepts instead of how they perform on the state's standardized test. About 400 other school districts statewide are also using the method.
Eureka Math's ultimate goal is to help students do better on the math portion of the STAAR test, where the number of students who "mastered" the subject fell below 20% in 2023.
The Texas 2036 report also states that Texas could improve its math performance by strengthening its teacher corps. A majority of Texas math teachers have less than 10 years of experience teaching the subject, while 25% of teachers have three years of experience or less.
