ERNA DC Deputy Director Victor Horton Testifies at Public Hearing on "Mathematics Education Improvement Amendment Act of 2024"

Victor Horton
Deputy Director – DC
Education Reform Now Advocacy

Committee on Executive Administration and Labor Hearing on:

• B25-800 "Mathematics Education Improvement Amendment Act of 2024"

Good Afternoon, Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, as well as community members. My name is Victor Horton, and I am a Ward 7 resident. I am testifying today on behalf of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), where I serve as the Deputy Director. ERNA is an organization advocating for a just and equitable public education system for all students in Washington, D.C. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to testify.

I am a former DC math educator with over a decade of experience who has dedicated his career to improving student outcomes and supporting educators. I’ve had the privilege of serving as an instructional coach and math building lead, where I provided hands-on guidance to fellow educators. I have also delivered district-wide presentations on math pedagogy to share best practices and innovative approaches to teaching math. Recognized for my commitment to excellence, I have been honored with several accolades underscoring my deep dedication to advancing math education. In each role I have had, I have seen firsthand the challenges we face in math achievement, as well as the potential that exists when we invest in strategies and resources that truly support our students, their families, and our teachers.

In the District, only 22 percent of students who took the math DC CAPE assessment met or exceeded grade-level expectations. This is slightly higher than in the 2022-2023 school year. The difference in DC CAPE proficiency rates between students who identify as students with disabilities and those who do not is 21 percent. Further, one in three adult DC residents struggle with basic math skills. If adults themselves struggle with math, how can we expect them to effectively support their children’s math learning?

Our math challenges stem from various factors. First, many still believe the problematic myth that math is only for certain “math people”—a mindset that creates anxiety and limits potential. In 2019, cognitive scientist Sian Beilock wrote in a Harvard Business Review article, “Americans Need to Get Over Their Fear of Math.” Beilock found that nearly half of first- and second-grade students said they are “moderately nervous” or “very, very nervous” about math, and a quarter of college students report moderate or high levels of math anxiety.

Second, students need additional support in school and at home. Culturally, parents are much more likely to read to their children than to practice math. Further complicating this, each math skill level builds on the previous one—to understand multiplication and division, a student must learn addition and subtraction—and there are many more levels of explicit skill knowledge in math than in reading. Once a student falls behind, it takes time to catch them back up. As you well know, the pandemic exacerbated inequities, and learning was impacted, with an 11 percent drop in math proficiency rates from 2019 to 2022. 

Although our students, educators, and parents are confronted with these challenges, we believe that everyone can be a math person. Several schools are doing an incredible job of supporting their students with growing math skills. In EmpowerK12’s DC Bright Spots for Math Growth 40 schools are highlighted.

Still, without a clearly defined or well-funded statewide math strategy, however, we fear that DC is allowing a near-crisis in our education system to unfold. This urgent situation demands a unified and strategic approach from the Mayor and DC Council to make a real, lasting impact. Otherwise, we are putting our students' futures at serious risk.

Bill 25-800 “Mathematics Education Improvement Amendment Act of 2024

I am supportive of the bill itself. It will ensure that the District puts students first and develops a statewide strategy. However, any such strategy should include the following 4 pillars:

• High-Impact tutoring

• Tutoring that is intensive, frequent, personalized, curriculum-aligned, and delivered by a skilled educator. Data shows that DC Economically disadvantaged students, who participated in high-impact tutoring (HIT) programs saw a median increase of three points in math scale scores on the DC CAPE assessment, compared to a median increase of only one point for students who did not participate in HIT programs.

• High-Quality Instruction Materials (HQIM) and professional learning opportunities that support students with disabilities. (ZEARN)

• DC should develop a list of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and require that LEAs choose from this approved list. Investing in and adopting high-quality instructional materials provides teachers with easy access to top-tier content and assignments, ensuring that students engage daily with grade-level material. 

• This approach helps students build conceptual understanding, develop procedural skills and fluency, and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. It is critical that not only do teachers have access to these materials, but they are also trained on how to apply the materials to the classroom. These professional learning opportunities should focus on teaching how to catch students up who are already behind.

• A high-quality math teacher pipeline. 

• DC is in need of a high-quality math teacher pipeline. In the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE) recent Educator Workforce report, it is revealed that there were slightly less math teachers (12 percent) than English Language Arts teachers (15 percent) in the 2023-2024 school year. Having high-quality educators is essential. Teachers are the number one in-school factor for student academic achievement.  

• Support for parents and caregivers by establishing a list of easy-to-use high-quality tools, resources, and games to support caregivers at home.

• These resources empower caregivers to reinforce classroom lessons, making learning more engaging and accessible for students. By equipping parents with effective strategies and materials, we can help bridge the gap between school and home, fostering a stronger partnership that promotes academic success and supports students' overall development.

It is my understanding that the OSSE is currently convening an interagency Math Task Force that is modeled after the success of the Early Literacy Education Task Force. I am delighted to learn that there will be some alignment with this bill given its focus on access to high-quality instructional materials, effective professional learning supports, the student math experience, on-the-job support for math educators, and family engagement strategies. These recommendations are essential.  I am concerned that the task force plans to meet for 10 months, before offering recommendations. If this is the case, then students will have to wait a full year before District leaders coalesce around a citywide strategy that includes investments. Instead, the task force should convene no later than February and issue budget recommendations in time for the Mayor to propose the FY2026 budget. 

Later today, you will hear from members of the Math 4 All Coalition - a growing group of individuals and organizations calling for urgency from District leaders to change how math is taught and supported in the District of Columbia. I urge the DC Council to follow their recommendations, support the bill, and make the necessary investments. I appreciate the opportunity to testify and am available to answer any questions you may have.