Illinois Launches Statewide Math Improvement Initiative as 72% of Students Lack Proficiency

Illinois tackles math crisis affecting 72% of students with new statewide numeracy plan. Eight-stop listening tour gathers educator input on evidence-based framework modeled after successful literacy initiative. #education #mathinstruction #Illinois Tweet Now Follow Learning Success

A Systematic Development Process

The development process began earlier in 2025 with a statewide needs assessment survey that engaged more than 3,000 educators, school leaders, and education partners. An invitation-only Numeracy Summit in June convened state and national math experts to review survey findings and shape the plan’s direction. The initiative is modeled on Illinois’ nationally recognized Comprehensive Literacy Plan, which was adopted in January 2024.

The plan will provide guidance to support educators, schools, and districts in advancing student success in mathematics, addressing a gap that has existed since Illinois adopted new math learning standards in 2010 without creating a comprehensive statewide support system. For 15 years, Illinois districts have lacked coordinated state-level infrastructure for math instruction improvement.

Laura Lurns Learning Success Expert

How Coverage Could Have Been More Accurate

• Multiple Sources: Headlines emphasized "improving math scores" and "boosting performance" without clarifying that the plan won't be finalized until June 2026 and implementation will take additional years. The reality is that any measurable student improvements are 3-5 years away minimum, not imminent as the action-oriented framing suggests.
• Various Outlets: Coverage repeatedly framed math underperformance as "proficiency rates have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels" when the reality is more severe - even at the 2019 peak, 68% of Illinois students were NOT proficient in math. This isn't just pandemic recovery; it's a chronic, systemic crisis that existed long before COVID.
• Press Release Echo: Sources touted the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan as the successful model without clarifying whether the literacy plan's implementation actually caused the ELA score improvements or if multiple factors were involved. The causal relationship was assumed rather than demonstrated, potentially creating unrealistic expectations for the numeracy plan.

Stakeholder Engagement and Timeline

The listening sessions welcome teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, counselors, parents, community advocates, and other stakeholders to provide input that will directly inform the final plan. State Senator Kimberly Lightford emphasized that engaging with educators and experts ensures the approach will be both effective and responsive to students’ needs across the state.

All sessions begin at 4 p.m., and participants can register online through the Illinois State Board of Education website. The final numeracy plan is scheduled for presentation to the state board for approval by June 2026, with implementation timelines to be determined following adoption. This comprehensive planning approach represents Illinois’ recognition that math instruction requires the same systematic, evidence-based framework that has supported literacy improvements.

The Long Road to Implementation

However, translating the plan from approval to classroom implementation and measurable student outcomes will require sustained commitment, adequate funding, professional development infrastructure, and several years before achievement gains become visible in statewide assessments. The journey from planning to measurable impact is long and uncertain, requiring sustained political will, adequate funding, and patience from all stakeholders.

Illinois is taking an important first step toward addressing a critical problem, but success depends on whether they can implement this plan with fidelity across urban, suburban, and rural districts serving vastly different student populations. The systematic approach provides reason for cautious optimism, but only if followed by years of consistent implementation support. We’ll know in 2030 whether this ambitious effort actually changed outcomes for Illinois students.

The journey from planning to measurable impact is long and uncertain, requiring sustained political will, adequate funding, and patience from all stakeholders. Illinois is taking an important first step, but success depends on whether they can implement this plan with fidelity across urban, suburban, and rural districts serving vastly different student populations. The systematic approach – needs assessment, expert input, stakeholder engagement, evidence-based methods – provides reason for cautious optimism, but only if followed by years of consistent implementation support. For more insights on educational innovation, evidence-based instruction strategies, and how to advocate effectively for better math teaching in your child’s school, explore our All Access Program.