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A report Tuesday from the National Council on Teacher Quality rated Oregon “weak” in math instruction, particularly at the elementary levels.
NCTQ evaluated five criteria to determine whether instructional programs were effective. Researchers examined whether teacher prep programs used detailed and specific math standards; if there was a system in place to review these programs; if the state adopted a strong elementary math licensure test; if it required high quality curricula in schools and provided teachers with support; and if the state had ongoing professional development for teachers “to sustain effective math instruction.”
Oregon scored a weak or unacceptable rating on every one of those categories except professional development, where it received a moderate.
“Far too many elementary teacher prep programs fail to dedicate enough instructional time to building aspiring teachers’ math knowledge—leaving teachers unprepared and students underserved,” the report reads.
NCTQ rated most U.S. states as weak or moderate, with Alabama receiving the only strong rating, and seven states rated “unacceptable” for their “lack of math policy action.”
It recommended that Oregon define key standards around four math content topics (numbers and operations, algebraic thinking, geometry and measurement, and data analysis and probability). It also urged the state to support school districts with better curricula and more professional development resources.
The report comes as Oregon’s young learners are still struggling with math—just 37.7% of the state’s fourth graders tested proficient in mathematics during the 2023–24 school year.
The NCTQ report points out that math scores are one of the best indicators for future earnings, retention in school, and achievement in other subjects. “Despite this evidence for how much math matters, state policy and support for strengthening math instruction severely lags nationwide,” it reads.
