Student struggling with math on blackboard

7 out of 10 Elementary School Kids Will Struggle in Middle School Math—Is Yours One?

Fluency is a prerequisite for all higher-order math. 61% of fourth graders and 72% of eighth graders did not reach NAEP proficiency levels in math1. This is not an issue of motivation or effort. It is the result of a broken system.

What Has Gone Wrong

Coverage over Fluency

Curricula advance before students are ready. The system values exposure to material more than internalization of it. As a result, students accumulate gaps year after year. By the time they reach middle school, many have lost confidence in math entirely. Research from Education Week2 and the Journal of Direct Instruction3 confirms that premature pacing undermines both comprehension and long-term retention.

Delayed Feedback

Most learning platforms and classrooms provide feedback only at the end of a problem or exercise. By then, the moment for correction has passed. Cognitive science consistently shows that feedback is most effective when it is immediate and specific. Without it, misconceptions calcify. Real-time, step-level correction has been shown to significantly improve retention and transfer4, 5, 6.

Superficial Gamification

The dominant model in educational apps is to decorate weak pedagogy with coins, pets, and streaks. These reward systems may boost usage metrics but do little to improve actual fluency. As documented in multiple studies7, 8, 9, extrinsic motivators that are not tied to skill progression fail to produce meaningful gains.

How MathStairs Drives Research-Backed Learning

Unlike systems that rely on delayed correction or superficial gamification, MathStairs supports mastery through structured variation, metacognitive reinforcement, and problem formats that mirror authentic paper-based computation. Students receive precisely the practice they need, when they need it—building fluency, accuracy, and transfer through deliberate design.

Practice

Fluency requires targeted, adaptive practice. Students need to be challenged at the right level. Practice must be frequent, structured, and designed to adapt to individual error patterns. This approach leads to durable learning and transfer, unlike broad coverage models that prioritize exposure over mastery10.

Other Software MathStairs Why It Matters
Covers broad curriculum Focused on arithmetic only Arithmetic is the foundation for all other math. Kids missing fluency here will struggle
Basic input, no carry digits, no paper-like structure Students solve full problems with carry digits, like on paper Builds real-world transfer. Students practice the way they actually solve problems.
Serves only full problems Varies problems by removing answer digits, operand digits, or carry digits Built-in variation and interleaved practice strengthen fluency and flexibility

Feedback

Feedback must be immediate and constructive and be made visible in ways that reflect genuine learning. Adaptive feedback systems reduce cognitive load, accelerate mastery, and support sustained motivation11, 12, 13, 14. They help learners correct misconceptions in real time and build metacognitive awareness, both essential for fluency and long-term retention15, 16, 17.

Other Software MathStairs Why It Matters
Mistakes shown only after submitting the full problem Detects mistakes instantly at the step level, allows correction mid-problem Corrects misconceptions in real time and builds metacognitive awareness
Reviews full problems only Reviews both incorrect steps and full problems Targets the root cause. Fixes broken steps to improve full problem accuracy

Gamification

Progress-based systems tie motivation to effort, accuracy, and growth—fostering persistence without distraction. Unlike extrinsic gimmicks, they reinforce competence, autonomy, and purpose15, 16, 17.

Other Software MathStairs Why It Matters
Prioritizes engagement and user retention over skill development. Learning comes second Prioritizes learning behaviors. Gamification is tightly linked to problem accuracy and fluency Keeps motivation aligned with learning. Students unlock badges and avatar upgrades by mastering content

Stay tuned for more updates.

Sources

  1. National Center for Education Statistics (2024). NAEP Mathematics Assessment Results. U.S. Department of Education. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov
  2. Sparks, S. D. (2023). Flawed Fluency: Why Math Gaps Start Early. Education Week.
  3. Snider, V. E. (2004). The Myth of “Spiral” Math Learning. Journal of Direct Instruction.
  4. Koskinen, P. & Pitkäniemi, H. (2022). Timing of Feedback and Student Performance. Int. Electronic J. of Math Education.
  5. Mitchell, J. et al. (2016). The Timing of Feedback in Math Classrooms. Teacher Magazine (ACER).
  6. McNeil, N. M., et al. (2025). Improving Math Learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
  7. Smiderle, R. et al. (2020). Gamification Pitfalls in Education. Smart Learning Environments.
  8. UCF Today (2024). Why Gamified Learning Often Fails. University of Central Florida.
  9. APS (2025). Why Kids Need Math Feedback—Not Just Fun. Association for Psychological Science.
  10. Khan Academy Blog (2023). Mastery-Based Learning: Real Results.
  11. SmartBrief on EdTech (2024). Personalized Learning Drives Math Gains.
  12. Upadhyay, A. (2023). Why Adaptive Practice Works. Medium.
  13. Ladouceur, J. (2024). Spaced Repetition in K–12 Education. Peterson’s.
  14. Miller, A. (2019). Motivation That Sticks. Edutopia.
  15. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits. Psychological Inquiry.
  16. Domínguez, A. et al. (2013). Gamifying Learning Experiences. Computers in Human Behavior.
  17. Mayer, R. E. (2019). Thirty Years of Research on Online Learning. Annual Review of Psychology.