Statement from Kristin Umland, CEO of Illustrative Mathematics, on the 2025 NAEP results

On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, the National Center for Education Statistics released the Spring 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card”), which showed a 3-point drop in math for students across all achievement levels. 

Kristin Umland, CEO and cofounder of Illustrative Mathematics®, issued the following statement:

“The latest NAEP scores echo what educators already know: The path to academic recovery in mathematics is long and requires sustained investment. They remind us of the unfinished work ahead.

“Despite these aggregated results, I see a reason for hope. Districts that have committed to coherent instruction and sustained professional learning are seeing a different story—one of accelerated progress.

“In Los Angeles, for example, where IM® Math has been implemented with integrity, students improved at rates 2.5 times the state average. This isn’t about a single curriculum; it's about a strategy that works—equipping teachers with the resources and support to engage every student in grade-level learning through reasoning, discussion, and problem-solving.

“The data show us that recovery is possible when we invest in evidence-based solutions and commit to them over the long haul. Our focus now must be on scaling what works: ensuring every teacher has the tools to help their students build math proficiency and every student has the opportunity to see themselves as a capable mathematician.”