Friends—
As we all fit that last long summer weekend in, spend time with our families or finish that embarrassingly trashy beach novel, thoughts of autumn and the beginning of school creep back into our minds. It's a great time to take stock—and review last year’s efforts as we prepare for the next.
As you know, parents, teachers and the public view math as critical to prepare students for the real world (73%) and develop skills like reasoning and critical thinking (66%) (Gallup, 2025). With good reason. Math occupations have median annual wages that are more than double those of all occupations ($99,590 vs. $46,310) and substantially higher projected employment growth over the next decade (30 percent vs. 3 percent). And understanding math is more critical to citizenship than ever before.
Against this backdrop of public support and clear need, major US cities are showing progress! In Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York City—three of the nation’s largest public school systems—we’re seeing encouraging signs in math. In Los Angeles Unified School District, recent scores show consistent gains in both English Language Arts and math, and the details are even more promising. In Dallas Independent School District, the district continues to build on its nationally recognized approach to school improvement, with rising proficiency rates and narrowing gaps. And in New York City, early data shows math growth, a testament to both targeted learning interventions and a city-wide focus on instructional quality. These are gains on a significant scale—which makes them even more critical to celebrate.
These early signs of progress demonstrate that we can raise student achievement—bright spots matter. They are a testament to the hard work of students, parents and teachers. With the right tools and focus, we can get this done—even in the face of real challenges.
To be sure, there is a lot to be done. Nevertheless, thank you for all that you do to move this work forward in your classroom, your district office or your state agency. Together we can do this.
In partnership,
Bob Hughes
Director, K-12 Education
P.S.—Be sure to check out Bill Gates’s conversation with the Washington State Teacher of the Year. This teacher’s commitment to finding ways to meet the needs of her students every day is a true inspiration.
Quick takes
Charting the course: math pathways matter
Why it matters: A timely new report, Charting the Course, from ESG & the Dana Center highlights how state efforts to diversify math pathways—like robust options in statistics or quantitative reasoning—boost college completion and workforce readiness. But only 10 states publicly track course-taking patterns.
The bottom line: The right math at the right time can transform a student’s future. This new report makes recommendations for the foundation for building equitable, relevant mathematics pathways that support student success.
NCTQ’s newest math report: five policy levers to improve math instruction
Why it matters: Early math skills are a key predictor of long-term success, yet student performance is stagnating—especially among underserved groups. Strong math instruction starts with well-prepared teachers, but most states fall short in ensuring they get the training, content knowledge, and curriculum support they need.
The bottom line: NCTQ’s new report finds only one state—Alabama—fully meets five key policy levers for strong math teaching. Most states have major gaps in teacher prep, licensure, and curriculum guidance. The message is clear: states must strengthen math policy to set up teachers—and students—for success.
The AIMS Collaboratory—Allan Golston’s take
Why it matters: At the June Advancing Innovative Math Solutions (AIMS) Collaboratory in San Francisco and a follow-up visit to Stanford University, Gates Foundation U.S. Program President Allan Golston explored how student-centered innovation can reshape math learning. Whether it’s through AI-powered tutoring, teacher supports like CoTeach.ai, or real-time tools like Magma Math and Goblins—Allan underscores the need to co-design engaging, tech-enabled tools with students and educators.
The bottom line: Transforming math education requires bold collaboration between educators, researchers, innovators, and students. The Gates Foundation is investing in high-quality instructional materials and R&D that make math more relevant, motivating, and accessible. As Allan puts it, this work isn’t just about better math grades—it’s about unlocking future opportunity for every student.
What we're reading
California’s Linda Darling Hammond: It’s time to change the math calculus: how the U.S. can finally get math education right
Listen here! New NCSM podcast: Everyone Belongs in Mathematics!