Senator Hutton announces bill to improve math achievement in Wisconsin schools

MADISON, Wis. – Senator Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) on Tuesday circulated legislation for co-sponsorship that strengthens early math education in Wisconsin by requiring schools to implement consistent math assessments and intervention plans for students who fall behind.

LRB-4840 and LRB-5288, co-authored with Rep. Karen Hurd (R-Withee), builds upon the bipartisan Right to Read Act enacted last session by extending a similar evidence-based approach to mathematics education. The goal is to ensure that students from kindergarten through eighth grade are screened regularly for numeracy skills and provided with targeted tutoring and personalized learning plans when they show signs of struggling.

“Wisconsin took a big step forward in literacy with the Right to Read Act,” said Hutton. “Foundational math skills are also critical to a child’s success in school and throughout their life. This bill provides a statewide framework for identifying if a student is falling behind and helping them catch up before those gaps become permanent.”

Under the bill, school districts would administer three numeracy screening assessments per year and provide quality math tutoring to students identified as at-risk. Students who remain below grade level after two consecutive assessments would receive a personal mathematics plan—a structured, individualized roadmap similar to the personal reading plans required under the Right to Read Act.

Districts where fewer than 51 percent of fourth-grade students score proficient in math on the statewide Forward Exam would also be required to develop a district-wide mathematics achievement plan, using a model created by the Department of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin’s math achievement levels are still struggling, with less than half of students meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations in math on state testing despite last year’s adjustment of testing standards. Nationally, only about one-third of high school seniors are ready for college math. Perhaps most concerning is Wisconsin’s severe racial achievement gap that persists in the most recent data.

“A good understanding of math is essential to a prosperous life and career, and that will become increasingly true in a future of high-skilled labor,” Hutton said. “Detecting math struggles early and responding with a plan that acknowledges a child’s unique needs can change not just educational outcomes, but it can change a person’s entire life.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.