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Mathematics Reports Student Achievement in Math: 5 Trends in K-12 Education
Based on a 2026 survey, this report highlights challenges that students have in math as they move from early grades to secondary schools.
May 5, 2026
Students at Washington Junior High School use the unlocking mechanism to open the bags their cell phone were sealed in during the school day as they leave school for the day on Oct. 27, 2022, in Washington, Pa. Citing mental health, behavior and engagement as the impetus, many educators are updating cellphone policies, with a number turning to magnetically sealing pouches.
Students at Washington Junior High School use the unlocking mechanism to open the bags their cellphones were sealed in during the school day as they leave school on Oct. 27, 2022, in Washington, Pa. A new study suggests that cellphone restrictions in school don't seem to boost student achievement or attendance.
Keith Srakocic/AP
Classroom Technology Do Student Cellphone Bans Improve Academic Achievement?
Researchers recommend continued examination of cellphone policies, which are still relatively new.
Alyson Klein, May 4, 2026
4 min read
Images of impact on students during the COVID-19 pandemic including wearing masks, social distancing, empty classrooms, and some symbols of executive function.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Charles Krupa/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement What the Research Says Kids' Executive Function Skills Took a Hit During COVID. What Can Schools Do?
Children are struggling to master skills related to memory, attention, and self-control.
Lauraine Langreo, May 4, 2026
6 min read
McNeal Stewart, one of the math teachers at Algebra Lab at Adams High School, was teaching an Algebra class on Friday, April 17, 2026 at South Bend, IN.
McNeal Stewart, one of the math teachers at Algebra Lab at Adams High School, teaches an Algebra class on April 17, 2026 at South Bend, Ind.
Arthur Maiorella for Education Week
Mathematics From Our Research Center Elementary Math Has Been in Focus. But Middle and High School Students' Struggles Are Daunting
An EdWeek Research Center survey finds that educators see older students' lack of progress in the subject as an acute problem.
Evie Blad, May 4, 2026
4 min read
A student at Annandale High School in Virginia takes on a math assignment on April 8, 2026. An EdWeek Research Center survey of educators found that many believe students have particular weaknesses in fractions, overall pre-algebraic skills, and fluency in basic operations.
A student at Annandale High School in Virginia takes on a math assignment on April 8, 2026. Many students wrongly see fractions "as things that sit outside the number system," said one researcher.
Marvin Joseph for Education Week
Mathematics From Our Research Center Fractions Scuttle Many Students' Math Ambitions. New Models Can Clear the Way
Pre-algebraic skills and basic operations also are stumbling blocks, the EdWeek Research Center finds.
Evie Blad, May 4, 2026
4 min read
Children drawing images of faces with emotions.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement From Our Research Center 6 Reasons Teachers Don’t Feel Equipped to Teach SEL
Lack of time and limited resources make it hard for teachers to emphasize social-emotional skills.
Arianna Prothero, April 30, 2026
1 min read
Four-year-old Ethan Quinn leaves home for his daycare center in Concord, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Ethan's parents opted to keep him in a private daycare center instead of enrolling him in “transitional kindergarten” — a program offered for free by California elementary schools for some 4-year-olds. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A four-year-old prepares to leave home for his daycare center in Concord, Calif., on Nov. 1, 2023. His parents chose private daycare over California’s free “transitional kindergarten” program for some 4-year-olds—a decision that reflects how families often navigate limited time, work demands, and early education options in shaping school readiness.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Early Childhood Teachers Blame Parents for Young Learners' Deficits. But There's a Bigger Story
Teachers and parents are experiencing similar levels of stress caring for and educating kids.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 30, 2026
5 min read
A middle school student unlocks a Yondr pouch on an unlocking base at Bayside Academy while others wait in line for their turn to unlock their pouch at the end of the school day on Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif. Gavin Newsom sent letters Tuesday, Aug. 13, to school districts, urging them to restrict students’ use of smartphones on campus.
A middle school student unlocks a Yondr pouch to retrieve a cellphone at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024. Most educators are supportive of schools putting restrictions on student cellphone use during school hours.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
Recruitment & Retention From Our Research Center Want to Recruit Teachers? Restrict Student Cellphone Use During School
Many school districts now limit student cellphone use during school hours.
Alyson Klein, April 29, 2026
2 min read
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025. New research shows significant shifts in how teachers are teaching reading, as well as the materials and PD they receive, but some still use older methods.
Niki Chan Wylie for Education Week
Reading & Literacy How the Science of Reading Is Reshaping Teaching: What the Data Say
A nationally representative survey shows how reading curriculum, PD, and teacher practice have shifted.
Sarah Schwartz, April 29, 2026
9 min read
A student takes notes on their cell phone during class at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024.
A student takes notes on a cellphone during class at a high school in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. The vast majority of educators say their school districts now have policies that restrict cellphone use during school hours.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Classroom Technology From Our Research Center What Happens When Schools Restrict Cellphone Use
New survey sheds light on how cellphone restrictions are improving student behavior and engagement.
Arianna Prothero, April 28, 2026
5 min read
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Young student in a school computer lab concentrates on a laptop while wearing pink headphones; classmates work nearby in a bright, collaborative learning environment focused on technology and study.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
Assessment Students Can Hear Questions Aloud When They Take Many Tests. Does It Help?
Text-to-speech tech helps some students answer questions correctly, but hurts others' performance.
Alyson Klein, April 27, 2026
2 min read
The likeness of George Washington is seen on a U.S. one dollar bill, March 13, 2023, in Marple Township, Pa. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says it expects the federal government will be awash in debt over the next 30 years.
Newly published budget documents show the U.S. Department of Education, in the first year of President Donald Trump's second term, took roughly $1 billion Congress appropriated for specific education programs and spent it differently than how lawmakers intended—or didn't spend it all.
Matt Slocum/AP
Education Funding Trump Sidestepped Congress on More Than $1 Billion in Ed. Spending Last Year
Newly published documents show how the Ed. Dept. departed from Congress' plans.
Mark Lieberman, April 24, 2026
13 min read
vertical collage of scales weight knowledge comparison book stack artificial intelligence, AI cyber innovation, workload balance
iStock/Getty
Artificial Intelligence Opinion We Studied How AI Shapes Teachers’ Well-Being. Here’s What We Found
Stop asking if AI will help teachers save time. Ask if it will make the job more sustainable.
David T. Marshall & Tim Pressley, April 24, 2026
4 min read