Math Scores Down Since Pandemic

​The results of national testing are in. Math scores for 13-year-olds are down by 9 points since just before the start of the pandemic. For lower-performing students, declines are even larger: 12-14 points.
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​The NAEP’s Long-Term Trend Assessment for Mathematics looked at the math performance of 13-year-olds across the US in 2020 and again in 2023. In every region of the country, and in every gender and racial group, students have declined in their math performance.

​According to Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, the pandemic accelerated the math decline, virtually wiping out the performance gains students made from the 1970s to 2020.
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How do educators help students turn this around so kids can start building math success during the K-8th grade years? Brick Math is a solution that has been shown to increase test scores and improve students’ mathematical knowledge base. It’s a complete K-8 curriculum that teaches math by modeling math with LEGO® bricks. It’s fun to learn and easy to teach!

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The 13 math subjects in the Brick Math curriculum start with Counting and Cardinality for the earliest learners and go through Pre-Algebra (typically taught in late middle school). Students and teachers can start at any point in the curriculum. The materials are simple and very affordable:

• A Teacher Edition for each subject with complete step-by-step lesson plans and student tracking
• A Student Edition for each student with space for drawing brick models, additional problems, and chapter assessments
• A Brick Set for 1 or 2 students with all the bricks needed for the entire 13-subject curriculum

​In-person and online professional development is available for schools that want to fast-track the program into their curriculum.
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The 13 subjects in Brick Math include:
Grades K - 2:

• Counting and Cardinality
• Addition
• Subtraction

Grades 3 - 4:

• Multiplication
• Division
• ​Basic Fractions
• Basic Measurement

Grades 5 - 6:

• Fraction Division
• Fraction Multiplication
• Decimals
• ​Advanced Measurement and Geometry

Grades 7 - 8:

• Data and Statistics
• ​Pre-Algebra

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​Dr. Shirley Disseler, author of the Brick Math series, developed the concept after years of working with LEGO® Education. “I wanted to use LEGO® bricks to teach the basics of the math curriculum. It’s the perfect manipulative for teaching students the why behind the math to help them develop true mathematical understanding.”
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​Students and teachers around the world are using Brick Math: as a whole-school curriculum, for students who are struggling to learn math, and for gifted education. The program aligns with state and national standards and is based on research from the most respected educators in the field. Homeschoolers are also using Brick Math with great success.

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For more information, check BrickMath.com or contact [email protected].