The New York State Education Department is facing backlash over its new math guidelines, which critics describe as “woke” and unscientific. Among the controversial recommendations is the suggestion that teachers stop administering timed quizzes, with the department arguing that such tests cause unnecessary stress for students.
The guidelines also question the value of repeated practice of math facts and standard algorithms, proposing instead that students should be encouraged to discover their own methods for solving math problems. Additionally, the new directives discourage the use of “explicit instruction,” favoring “exploratory learning” approaches—such as using blocks and manipulatives—to teach mathematical concepts.
Critics warn that these changes could have damaging effects on student learning outcomes. Benjamin Solomon, a professor at the State University of New York at Albany and a mathematics curriculum expert, expressed serious concerns. In a letter addressed to State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and signed by nearly 200 math academics, researchers, and parents, Solomon called for a “retraction” of the newly released guidelines, describing many of the suggestions as “critically flawed.”
One of the major points of contention is the assertion in the state’s “Numeracy Briefs” that timed tests, often supported for improving fluency and preparing students for real-world deadlines, should be avoided because they cause anxiety and may discourage students from engaging with math. Solomon counters this, stating there is no definitive research linking timed testing to math anxiety and emphasizing that fluency in math facts is crucial for student success.
The briefs also downplay the importance of repeated practice and mastery of standard algorithms like simple addition and subtraction, suggesting that letting students figure out their own solutions is more beneficial. Solomon argues that while this idea “sounds good,” it is ineffective because mastering foundational skills is essential before progressing to complex topics such as algebra.
“Solving algebraic proportions cannot be learned if children have not mastered all the skills that are prerequisite,” Solomon wrote. “The methods in the NY briefs diminish the critical importance of mastering and performing fluently or automatically all the foundational skills that build advanced math performance during primary and secondary education in math.”
The letter further criticizes the guidance’s recommendation to reduce or eliminate explicit instruction in favor of exploratory learning methods. According to Solomon, there is a “50-year consensus” in education research supporting the effectiveness of explicit instruction. He described the guidance as “bizarrely condescending” toward explicit teaching methods and warned that if teachers follow this advice literally, “we’re screwed.”
Danyela Souza Egorov, a fellow at the conservative think tank Manhattan Institute and vice-president of Manhattan’s District 2 Community Education Council, also weighed in, calling on the state to withdraw the guidelines. “They are unscientific and promoting terrible ideas to our teachers at a time of record low-performance among New York students,” Egorov said. She urged the state to improve its process for selecting curriculum providers to ensure that materials distributed to schools “follow the science of learning.”
“Every parent knows it takes repeated practice for kids to memorize the times tables, for example,” Egorov added. “How can our New York State Department of Education discourage this?”
The new math guidance was developed by Deborah Loewenberg Ball, a professor of education at the University of Michigan, along with TeachingWorks, an initiative focused on training teachers to advance equity and social justice. Neither the state Education Department nor its spokesperson responded to requests for comment.
As teachers and parents weigh the potential impacts of these new recommendations, the debate over how best to teach math in New York State continues.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/18/us-news/new-ny-state-math-guidelines-tell-teachers-to-stop-grading-kids-on-speed-solving-problems-because-it-causes-math-anxiety/