Teachers say older students’ numeracy and basic operation gaps are increasingly undermining motivation and slowing progress in middle and high school math, especially when deficits were never addressed early. The reporting uses a classroom example where students understand geometry concepts like the Pythagorean theorem but struggle with basic arithmetic and estimation, making routine problems feel like “a slog.” The story points to NAEP data showing eighth grade math results have not recovered from pandemic-era declines, with the lowest-performing students falling further behind. It also notes high school seniors’ math scores continue to drop and that more students are now performing at the lowest levels. Several states are passing new laws aimed at improving math instruction, including earlier intervention and requirements for evidence-based classroom practices and teacher training. However, the article emphasizes a gap for students who are already in middle or high school without early supports. For districts and school systems, the immediate policy challenge is designing intervention time without derailing grade-level instruction—remediation becomes “so much more complicated” at older grades.