edWebinars
«Back to all edWebinars- This event has passed.
Rebuilding Foundational Math Skills to Confront the Global K–12 Math Crisis
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Presented by Dr. Joseph Davis, Former Education Leader, Current President and Chief of Mathematics, KAITLab; and Beau Scott, Experienced Educator, Executive Director of Customer Success, KAITLab
Moderated by Kim Bolz-Andolshek, Chief Executive Officer, KAITLab
Sponsored by KAITLab
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Across the globe—and especially in the United States—mathematics performance in Grades K–12 is facing a historic decline. The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) confirms that math achievement has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite slight recovery in early grades.
Fourth-grade performance in 2024 improved by just two points from 2022 and remains three points below 2019, with only 39% of students reaching Proficient. Eighth-grade results show even deeper concerns: average scores are still eight points lower than in 2019, and nearly 40% of students now perform below the Basic level. Meanwhile, 12th-grade scores have fallen sharply, continuing a downward trajectory that mirrors global PISA patterns. These trends reflect a widening gap between higher- and lower-performing learners and signal a systemic crisis that begins early and compounds over time.
This edWebinar examines the roots of this crisis through the lens of standards-aligned learning progressions from K–8 mathematics through Algebra 1 and Geometry. Viewers explore how strong early number sense, fluency with fractions and ratios, and foundational algebraic reasoning form the bedrock of all higher mathematics. The session also addresses the consistent conceptual throughlines needed to support coherence and readiness across all systems.
A central thread of the session focuses on math anxiety, which disproportionately affects elementary teachers and their students. Research shows that student anxiety can begin in the earliest grades and that teachers’ own discomfort with math directly influences student achievement and identity. Viewers examine how anxiety manifests, how misconceptions solidify without early intervention, and why productive struggle—supported, structured, and visible—is essential for long-term mathematical growth.
Educators gain practical guidance on:
- Building deep number-sense foundations in Grades K–5 to support Algebra and Geometry success
- Understanding how learning gaps widen across grade levels and how to intervene early
- Analyzing standards progressions across states to ensure conceptual coherence
- Reducing math anxiety through instructional clarity, reasoning-focused practice, and supportive learning environments
- Identifying and addressing misconceptions before they impact secondary readiness
Designed for K-12 teachers, interventionists, coaches, and school leaders, this recorded edWebinar offers concrete strategies to strengthen the nation’s mathematics pipeline by addressing the crisis at its source—early learning and foundational mathematical understanding.
About the Presenters
Dr. Joseph Davis is a mathematics-focused education leader, district turnaround strategist, and curriculum designer with more than 30 years in public education. He has served as a math teacher, principal, central-office leader, and superintendent, leading large-scale improvement efforts that connect ambitious learning goals to measurable student outcomes. Most recently, he was Superintendent of the Ferguson-Florissant School District (2015–2025), where he advanced a systemwide math strategy centered on instructional clarity, coherent pathways, and sustained educator development. His work emphasized strong early foundations, aligned K–12 progressions, and expanded access to advanced coursework. Dr. Davis also co-founded two nationally recognized STEAM schools designed to build STEM identity and readiness through rigorous, performance-driven models. He currently serves as President and Chief of Mathematics at KAITLab. His current focus is math anxiety, especially among educators, and strengthening teacher content knowledge and instructional precision to improve student outcomes.
Beau Scott is the Executive Director of Customer Success at KAITLab, where he drives adoption of AI-enabled math assessment and personalized learning solutions for schools nationwide. An educator and instructional design specialist, Beau brings deep experience from classroom teaching, statewide STEM leadership at the Indiana Department of Education, and curriculum development roles across higher education and industry. He is recognized for advancing effective AI use in K–12 learning environments and for building systems that strengthen educator practice. Beau is pursuing his doctorate at Indiana University, focusing on AI-enhanced instructional practice.
About the Moderator
With more than 20 years of experience in the K–12 education space, Kim Bolz-Andolshek brings a unique blend of governance, business leadership, and go-to-market expertise. She has served as an elected school board member in Minnesota for over two decades and has been elected six times, with three years remaining in her current term. Her long-standing service reflects a deep commitment to student outcomes, community engagement, and effective district leadership. In the education technology sector, she has spent more than a decade as a revenue leader, overseeing sales, customer success, and marketing functions. Her work has helped organizations scale impact and build strong partnerships across the K–12 landscape. She currently serves as CEO of KAITLab, where she leads growth, strategy, and innovation.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Join the Building Understanding in Mathematics community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
KAITLab: Revolutionizing Math Education
KAITLab is redefining how math is taught and understood by addressing one of education’s biggest challenges, the lack of visibility into student thinking. Too often, educators only see right or wrong answers and miss the steps and reasoning that reveal true understanding.
KAITLab blends the familiarity of pen and paper with cutting-edge smartpen technology and online training to capture the full problem-solving process in real time. Artificial intelligence then helps analyze student work to uncover misconceptions and detect errors as they happen, giving teachers clearer insight into how students are thinking.
Teachers gain visibility into every step students take, allowing them to better support learning in the moment.
By making student thinking visible, KAITLab helps schools move beyond answers to understanding and close learning gaps while supporting stronger math outcomes for all students.
