Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced legislation yesterday (Monday) aimed at improving math proficiency among Iowa students and requiring basic civics education for high school graduation. The bill comes in response to declining math scores reported by the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, which shows Iowa fourth graders have dropped from seventh to 30th nationally and eighth graders from 15th to 23rd. Reynolds’ bill mandates early screening and targeted interventions for struggling math students. It also directs the Iowa Department of Education (DoE) to support schools in identifying at-risk students and developing personalized learning plans. Teachers would receive training in evidence-based instructional strategies, and resources would be provided to help parents support math development at home. Reynolds says, “Next to early childhood literacy, nothing is a more proven indicator of future success than math proficiency. More than a quarter of Iowa fourth graders are not proficient in math—that is unacceptable. We must provide math instruction in the way we know it works to keep our students competitive and set them up to excel in life after school.” Her proposed bill also requires high school students to score at least 60 percent on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test to graduate. The legislation now moves to the respective House and Senate committees for consideration.
Gov. Reynolds Introduces Bill Targeting Math Proficiency, Civics For Iowa Students
