Superintendent Arntzen Recognizes the Importance of Math in Education

• Brian O'Leary
• September 19 2022

HELENA, MT – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen is working to increase the teaching and learning of mathematics in Montana schools through Math Innovation Zones (MIZ). This will provide additional professional development opportunities to teachers in Montana that will raise confidence in teaching math. MIZ offers students individualized learning and allows them to build on their knowledge to avoid unfinished learning.

“Focusing on getting back to the basics, such as math, will help our Montana students achieve the constitutional promise of reaching their full educational potential,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “My top priorities as Superintendent have been my Montana Learn and Montana Ready initiatives. Montana Learn focuses on student achievement and Montana Ready focuses on college and career readiness. Math Innovation Zones will ensure our Montana students achieve educational excellence and are Montana Ready!”

The 2021-2022 summative assessment scores for Montana show that 36.5% of Montana 3-8 grade students are performing with a C or better in math. Among 8th-grade students, 30.7% are proficient and among 11th-grade students, 25.3% are proficient.

According to the Nation’s Report Card, math scores dropped seven points between 2020 and 2022, which was the first ever recorded drop. On a scale of 500 possible points, the 2022 score average was 234. This test was given to 9-year-old students across the nation.

Unfinished learning in math is problematic to students’ academic success and has led to a drop in math scores. MIZs aim to solve the learning gap by assessing student learning across grade levels. Traditionally students learn math by grade level, for example, students learn addition and subtraction in one grade then multiplication and division in the next. If students haven’t mastered addition and subtraction they will not be ready for multiplication and division which puts them behind and unprepared for algebra. MIZs help students master one math concept before moving on to the next.