Pi Day shines a light on US math crisis as scores hit 40-year low
The Brief
National Pi Day highlights declining U.S. math scores due to pandemic learning loss and AI reliance, as noted by Numerade CEO Nhon Ma.
Washington state scores slightly exceed national averages, but concerns over accountability, large classes, and reduced funding impact educational equity.
Ma stresses the need for equal opportunities and practice, with AI platforms like Numerade providing affordable tutoring alternatives.
SEATTLE - March 14 marks National Pi Day, celebrating the mathematical constant 3.14, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. While the day is often observed with pizza and pie, it also highlights the significance of math education — an area where U.S. students are struggling.
According to Nhon Ma, CEO and co-founder of Numerade, a hybrid AI STEM learning platform, math scores across the country are at a 40-year low.
"It's a stark reality," Ma said. "We're actually seeing scores plummeted in a big way."
The backstory
Experts cite multiple factors for the decline. Ma points to learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence.
"Certainly, learning loss from the pandemic is a contributing factor, but then also with the rise of what's happening now with AI, you are actually getting a lot of cheating that's happening, lack of critical thinking that's developing," Ma said.
Washington state is no exception. According to the latest Nation's Report Card, last year's fourth-graders scored an average of 238 in math, just one point above the national average. In reading, eighth-graders scored 259, nearly matching the national average of 257.
What they're saying
"There is an overarching lack of accountability in terms of ensuring that every single student gets the marks and grades and they're actually learning," Ma said. "If I would have pointed in one single thing, it's a lack of accountability across these measures to hold students accountable to achievement that has not been there across the board."
Beyond test scores, classroom sizes are a growing concern, making individualized attention more difficult. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education saw nearly a 50% budget cut under the Trump administration — something Ma fears will negatively impact educational equity.
"Now, I think what some of the biggest risk is around Title One schools and funding for lower-income students," he said. "It's going to trickle down to teacher training when it comes to STEM and Special-Ed, teachers will be less equipped and so these are items that we have to be very mindful of as it could be very disruptive."
What's next
If current trends continue, Ma predicts more students will fall behind by more than a grade level — something already happening in the Highland and Auburn school districts. A decline in STEM proficiency, he warns, could hinder future societal advancement. FOX 13 Seattle asked if it's too late to fix our education system to which Ma said, "I would say it's too late. I think what's very important is that we have to make sure that there is equal opportunity for every single student."
For students struggling with math, he emphasizes the importance of practice. While private tutors may be unaffordable for many families, Numerade's AI-powered technology offers an alternative.
"The Numerade platform walks that student through that problem in a visual format versus spoon-feeding the answer to the student," Ma said.
The Source
Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman.
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