Throughout April, the Tennessee Department of Education invites Tennesseans to celebrate Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, proclaimed by Governor Bill Lee. All month long, the department will highlight meaningful math gains due to Tennessee’s ongoing commitment to K-12 mathematics education and launch key initiatives: the Math Implementation Network and the state’s new mascot, Marty the Mathematician.
“Tennessee students are leading the nation in mathematics proficiency thanks to our state’s investments in combating learning loss and teachers’ dedication to supporting students,” said Gov. Lee. “Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, and in the month of April, we’re celebrating our continued commitment to mathematics and ensuring that every child can reach their full potential.”
Over the past five years, Tennessee has been committed to improving math scores, especially in response to combat learning loss, using innovative and research-based approaches to mathematics instruction.
This year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) administration, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card, shows the percentage of fourth and eighth grade Tennessee students meeting grade level expectations has increased and is performing above the national average in mathematics. Additionally, on the 2023-2024 TCAP in grades 3-8, 40% of students are meeting grade level expectations in math, with a nearly three percentage point gain for 5th and 7th graders.
“Thanks to Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for passing necessary legislation to enhance mathematics instruction along with the hard work of districts and educators, Tennessee is seeing increased and historic scores in math,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “I encourage all Tennesseans to get involved this month and engage with Marty the Mathematician to continue building on this success to further improve student outcomes.”
This week and month, the department and Marty the Mathematician will celebrate the work happening to boost math scores across the state. Tennesseans are encouraged to join the conversation on social media throughout the month using the hashtag #MathWithMarty.
