A study published in Educational Researcher found that higher teacher math teaching anxiety correlates with slightly lower student performance, with modeled effects potentially compounding over multiple years. Researchers analyzed test scores for 106,000 Indiana students and a statewide survey of 3,300 teachers, using fixed effects to compare students taught by teachers with different anxiety levels. The findings suggest “reproduction of math anxiety” through instructional comfort—an issue with equity implications, since students who are Black, Hispanic, or from low-income families are more likely to be taught by teachers uncomfortable with math. While the study focuses on K-12, it directly affects higher education pipelines, teacher-prep program priorities, and how universities evaluate teacher workforce readiness as a lever for improving college-readiness outcomes.