Week In Review: Inside the ‘science of math’ and teacher salaries

“Most-clicked story of the week: Math reforms, as well as differing approaches to math teaching and curricula, are at the center of a growing and complex debate. These “science of math” conversations follow the intense attention given to science of reading in literacy instruction. Supporters of the science of math approach say math instruction should be guided by empirical research and cognitive science. The issues demand attention from stakeholders who will be setting policy and supporting instruction in the subject, according to a report released April 28 by the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Number of the week: $74,495 That was the average pay for teachers nationwide in the 2024-25 school year — an increase from $71,985 in 2023-24, according to the National Education Association. Despite ongoing salary gains in actual dollars, teacher pay dropped 5% over the past decade when inflation is factored in. Teachers and schools Education leaders typically cite science, technology, engineering and math when listing the high-need areas of teacher shortages . During the 2024-25 school year, for example, science and math were the second and third most-frequently reported subjects for states facing teacher shortages, according to a Learning Policy Institute analysis of U.S. Department of Education data. That challenge comes as other research suggests a contracting of the STEM teacher workforce pipeline in recent years. The Education Department on April 30 released final regulations excluding graduate education programs from its definition of “professional degrees,” making them ineligible for higher federal student loan caps. As a result, borrowing for these programs will be capped at $100,000. The final rule sticks with a limited and contested definition of professional students who can borrow up to $200,000 in federal loans for their programs. Iowa’s Cedar Rapids Community School District board approved a plan April 27 to close or consolidate seven schools in the face of a $10 million to $12 million budget deficit and declining enrollment. State data shows the district’s enrollment fell 4.3%, from 14,567 to 13,945 students, between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. The district projects a loss of another 642 students by the 2030-31 school year. The closures and consolidations are to take effect for the 2027-28 school year. Curriculum corner As the push to curb screen time and ed tech in schools gains momentum, district leaders need to be alert and proactive in communicating about the issue with their communities, said Barbara Hunter, executive director of the National School Public Relations Association. With the spotlight on ed tech, Hunter said, now is an opportune moment for districts to show how technology is benefiting students in the classroom. But that requires strategic communication, she added. Teachers have grown more knowledgeable of the science of reading in recent years, but gaps remain in curriculum adoption and educator training in this area, according to a Thomas B. Fordham Institute report released last month. A survey developed by Fordham and conducted by Rand Corp. found only 52% of K-3 teachers say their classroom reading instruction reflects the science of reading. And about 30% of teachers said they equally favor phonics and cueing.

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