The math problem: Kids are still behind. How can schools catch them up?

  • Aggie Gambino, left, helps one of her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Aggie has often found herself searching YouTube for math videos to help her children with math. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Aggie Gambino, left, helps one of her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Aggie has often found herself searching YouTube for math videos to help her children with math. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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  • U.S. schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report via AP)
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    Education Math Scores

    U.S. schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report via AP)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • The Gambino family works on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Across the country, schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    The Gambino family works on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Across the country, schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Aggie Gambino, right, helps her ten-year-old daughter, Giada, left, work on math worksheets as twin sister Giuliana, center back, gets a snack in the kitchen as they do homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. “The more parents understand how they’re being taught," she says, "the better participant they can be in their child’s learning.” (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Aggie Gambino, right, helps her ten-year-old daughter, Giada, left, work on math worksheets as twin sister Giuliana, center back, gets a snack in the kitchen as they do homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. “The more parents understand how they’re being taught," she says, "the better participant they can be in their child’s learning.” (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Giada Gambino, 10, left, becomes frustrated with a problem on a math worksheet from school as her mother helps her work through it at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Giada Gambino, 10, left, becomes frustrated with a problem on a math worksheet from school as her mother helps her work through it at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Giada Gambino, 10, left, uses her smartphone to consult a voice assistant about a math problem as her mother, Aggie, center, and twin sister Giuliana, right, look on while they work on math worksheets from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Giada Gambino, 10, left, uses her smartphone to consult a voice assistant about a math problem as her mother, Aggie, center, and twin sister Giuliana, right, look on while they work on math worksheets from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Aggie Gambino, center, sits with her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, at their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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    Education Math Scores

    Aggie Gambino, center, sits with her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, at their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
    ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aggie Gambino, left, helps one of her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Aggie has often found herself searching YouTube for math videos to help her children with math. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
U.S. schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report via AP)
The Gambino family works on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. Across the country, schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Aggie Gambino, right, helps her ten-year-old daughter, Giada, left, work on math worksheets as twin sister Giuliana, center back, gets a snack in the kitchen as they do homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. “The more parents understand how they’re being taught," she says, "the better participant they can be in their child’s learning.” (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Giada Gambino, 10, left, becomes frustrated with a problem on a math worksheet from school as her mother helps her work through it at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Giada Gambino, 10, left, uses her smartphone to consult a voice assistant about a math problem as her mother, Aggie, center, and twin sister Giuliana, right, look on while they work on math worksheets from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Aggie Gambino, center, helps her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school at the dining room table in their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Aggie Gambino, center, sits with her twin ten-year-old daughters, Giada, left, and Giuliana, right, at their home Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
ARIEL GILREATH of The Hechinger Report and JACKIE VALLEY of The Christian Science Monitor
Updated

On a breezy July morning in South Seattle, a dozen elementary-aged students ran math relays behind an elementary school. Now, he says math is challenging, but he likes it. Across the country, schools are scrambling to catch up students in math as post-pandemic test scores reveal the depth of missing skills.