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Five states — Georgia, California, Tennessee, Utah and Oregon — have better aligned high school and college math courses in recent years, with measurable results, according to an equity-focused nonprofit.
Each has implemented at least one of five strategies to boost student participation and success in the subject, according to Just Equations in its recent Aligned By Design report.
Some, through these efforts, have reduced the need for remediation at the college level. This is particularly relevant for low-income students and those of color, who are more likely to be placed in these noncredit courses, which can derail their college trajectories.
Concern over the issue has risen in recent years thanks to COVID: More than 900 students at the University of California San Diego needed catch-up math classes in the fall of 2025 compared to just 32 five years earlier. And their lack of understanding wasn’t confined to high school: they were missing material they should have mastered in middle and elementary school. Other universities reported similar problems.