Too many kids are struggling in math. We can solve that by getting back to basics.

Recent state math tests (CAASPP) show many Monterey County districts reporting low percentages of K-12 students proficient in math: Only 22 percent in Salinas, 19 percent in King City, 17 percent in North Monterey County (NMCUSD). Essential foundational skills aren’t being taught and practiced to mastery.

One such skill is math fact fluency, specifically memorizing single-digit addition facts, like 3+4=7, and memorizing single digit multiplication facts, like 6x8=48 (“the times tables”).

California’s Math Content Standards, the content students are expected to learn, define fluency as “fast and accurate,” explicitly requiring students to “know from memory” these math facts by the end of third grade.

Despite this, when students in NMCUSD were assessed, only 25 percent had their multiplication facts memorized by the end of fourth grade. For NMCUSD fifth-graders with multiplication facts memorized, 63 percent scored in the top half of CAASPP’s “Standard Nearly Met” level or better, while for students without the facts memorized, only 7 percent reached this level.

Math fact fluency plays a significant role in student achievement. Research explains this with the concept of limited working memory. Think of performing a precision task, like measuring out ingredients while cooking or entering an intricate password, while simultaneously attempting a conversation. This is nearly impossible because working memory is limited.

Math fact fluency plays a significant role in achievement.

In the classroom, I routinely see non-fluent students interrupting their problem-solving to calculate needed simple math facts, like 7x9. Then when they return to the problem, they’ve forgotten their place because the calculation consumed their limited working memory.

Educators should ensure students achieve this automaticity. However, resistance to this harkens back to the “Math Wars” where some influential educators disparage memorization, disregarding the extensive research showing that some memorization is required.

The California Math Framework, which is supposed to “offer guidance” to districts “for implementing content standards,” instead removes “know from memory,” and doesn’t mention once in its 1,000 pages that students should “know from memory” their math facts. No help here.

Parents should urge school districts to take steps to advance students’ grasp of math. First, they should screen all students for math fact fluency, like what’s done with reading. Second, they should implement programs that prepare students in math fact fluency. The Monterey County Office of Education should provide strong guidance endorsing this.

If not, students hit the same wall, the ordeal of trying to learn math without math fact fluency.

With a simple refocusing on math fact fluency, students can get an opportunity to excel.

DAVID MARGULIES is a volunteer at NMCUSD’s Elkhorn Elementary. He has a Ph.D. from UCSD in materials science and is a former IBM research staff member. He has numerous publications in scientific journals and has co-authored 34 U.S. patents.