AI emerges as a bright spot in the struggle to improve math performance in schools

AI shows strong promise in math education, with K-12 leaders increasingly viewing it as a potential solution to address persistent student struggles and below-average math performance revealed in recent national assessments. Technology-assisted approaches could offer a path forward as schools continue to battle learning deficits that remain below pre-pandemic levels.

The big picture: A new Education Week survey reveals that nearly 70% of K-12 leaders believe AI will positively impact math instruction, signaling growing acceptance of AI technologies in addressing academic recovery.

• The nationally representative study surveyed 137 district leaders and 217 school leaders in late 2023 to understand their views on AI’s potential in mathematics education.
• This optimistic outlook comes against a backdrop of continued math performance challenges shown in “the nation’s report card,” with both 4th and 8th-grade scores remaining below pre-pandemic levels.

Key priorities: District and school leaders most strongly favor AI math products that identify struggling students and assist teachers with resource creation.

• 64% would recommend math products that help identify students needing extra support.
• 61% want AI to help teachers create lessons or classroom resources.
• 59% desire AI-enabled ways to help students understand their mistakes.

What they’re saying: Learning scientists see AI’s potential to reinvigorate student engagement with mathematics through personalization.

• “Students are losing interest in math,” noted Jie Chao of the Concord Consortium, suggesting AI could help with “feedback, guiding, tutoring, and personalization.”
• Chao emphasized AI’s ability to create engaging lessons centered on real-world problem solving and personalize curriculum to fit a student’s community context.

Behind the numbers: School size significantly influences administrative views on AI’s value in mathematics education.

• Leaders from smaller districts (under 2,500 students) show substantially more interest in AI for math lesson planning, with 74% supporting such technologies.
• Only 41% of leaders from larger districts express similar enthusiasm for AI-assisted lesson planning tools.

The counterpoint: Despite growing enthusiasm, uncertainty remains about AI’s appropriate role in K-12 education.

• Many educators continue to express concerns about whether AI might undermine students’ critical thinking abilities.
• Questions persist about AI potentially reinforcing biases in educational contexts.