If your child is in NYC public schools and suddenly struggling in math this year, you're not imagining it.

Something changed in 2024-2025. And it's not your child.

NYC Department of Education rolled out new math curriculum: NYC Solves (powered by Illustrative Mathematics).

Goal: Improve math proficiency across all students.

Reality: Lots of kids who were doing fine are now drowning.

Here's what NYC DOE isn't telling you—and what you can do about it.

What is NYC Solves?

NYC Solves is the city's standardized math curriculum, launched 2024-25.

Before: Each school/teacher chose their own curriculum and pacing.

Now: All NYC middle schools must use approved curriculums (Illustrative Math is most common).

By Fall 2027: All middle schools will be required to use city-approved curriculum.

The Official Goal

Per NYC DOE: "Ensure all students develop math skills critical for educational, career, and lifetime success."

Sounds great, right?

The Reality

As of 2023-2024 test results:

77.6% of Asian American students demonstrated proficiency
70.2% of white students demonstrated proficiency
34.3% of Black students demonstrated proficiency
35.7% of Latino students demonstrated proficiency

Two-thirds of Black and Latino students aren't meeting grade level.

The curriculum designed to help everyone is actually widening achievement gaps.

Why Kids Are Struggling With NYC Solves

Problem 1: Pace is Too Fast

Teachers are saying (off the record): "The curriculum moves too quickly."

Illustrative Math is designed to cover concepts deeply. But NYC's pacing guide doesn't give enough time.

Example: 6th grade curriculum expects students to master:

Ratios and rates
Dividing fractions
Negative numbers
Expressions and equations
Geometry
Statistics

...all in 180 school days, including state tests, holidays, assemblies.

Teachers have maybe 2-3 weeks per major unit. If a kid doesn't "get it" in week 1, there's no time to reteach. Class moves on.

Problem 2: Not Enough Support for Struggling Students

The curriculum is designed for students working AT grade level.

What if your child is 6 months behind? A year behind?

NYC Solves doesn't have built-in intervention for students who are behind. Teachers are told to give "grade-level instruction" and "differentiate."

But what does "differentiate" mean when you have 28 students, 10 of whom don't understand fractions?

According to New Classrooms (education policy org): "NYC Solves doesn't do enough for students who have fallen behind. We need evidence-based tools to help students learn skills they missed in previous years."

Problem 3: Teaching Style is Different

Illustrative Math uses "inquiry-based learning."

Old way: Teacher shows how to do it. Students practice.

New way: Teacher poses problem. Students explore, struggle, discuss. Teacher guides them to discover method.

This works great for students who:

Have solid foundation
Are confident
Enjoy problem-solving

This is TERRIBLE for students who:

Have gaps in foundation
Lack confidence
Need explicit instruction

Those kids sit through class confused. They don't "discover" the method. They just feel dumb.

Problem 4: Homework Looks Different

Parents are texting me screenshots: "I don't understand my child's math homework. What even is this?"

Illustrative Math homework:

Lots of word problems
Less drill and practice
More "explain your reasoning"
Different strategies than what parents learned

Students who used to get help from parents at home now can't. Parents don't recognize the methods.

What Teachers Are Saying (Privately)

According to Ed Week reporting, teachers' union has pushed back:

"Curriculum moves too fast"
"Not enough support for struggling students"
"Teachers don't have flexibility to differentiate for kids with varied abilities"

Teachers want to help. But they're locked into pacing guides and curriculum scripts.

If your child asks a question that isn't in the lesson plan? Teacher might not have time to address it deeply—they have to keep pace.

Who's Doing Fine With NYC Solves

This curriculum IS working for some kids:

Students with strong elementary foundation - If they enter 6th grade already solid on fractions, decimals, basic operations, they can keep up
Students in enriched/gifted programs - Slower pace, smaller classes, more support
Students with tutoring support - Private tutors fill gaps outside school

But for average student with typical gaps from elementary school? It's a struggle.

What Parents Can Do

1. Don't Blame Your Child

If your child was doing okay in math before this year and suddenly struggling, it's probably not them.

The curriculum changed. The teaching style changed. The pace changed.

Your child didn't suddenly "get bad at math."

2. Request Parent-Teacher Conference

Ask specifically:

"What foundational skills is my child missing?"
"Is the pace of the curriculum a challenge for them?"
"What can I do at home to support them?"

Get concrete answers. Not "they need to try harder." That's not helpful.

3. Fill Gaps at Home or With Tutor

The curriculum won't slow down for your child. That's just reality.

If they have gaps (fractions, decimals, negative numbers), those need to be filled OUTSIDE class time.

Options:

Khan Academy (free, self-paced)
IXL or similar programs ($10-20/month)
Private tutor ($75-125/hour in NYC)

Focus on foundations first, then current classwork.

4. Check NYC DOE's Own Resources

NYC created resources for NYC Solves at: schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/math/nyc-solves

They have:

Family guides in multiple languages
Practice problems aligned to curriculum
Videos explaining new teaching methods

Might help you understand what your child is learning and how to support.

5. Advocate for Your Child

If your child is significantly behind and school isn't providing intervention, you can request:

Small group instruction - Some schools offer pull-out support
After-school programs - Free tutoring offered by many schools
AIS (Academic Intervention Services) - Schools required to provide for students significantly below grade level

Don't wait for school to offer. Ask directly.

The Bigger Picture Problem

Here's the uncomfortable truth about NYC Solves:

It's a grade-level curriculum for students who aren't AT grade level.

NYC has students entering middle school who:

Can't add fractions
Don't know multiplication tables
Struggle with multi-step word problems

These are 4th-5th grade skills. But middle school curriculum moves forward assuming students have them.

The achievement gap compounds every year. By high school, students who entered 6th grade behind are 3-4 years behind.

NYC Solves doesn't address THIS. It's designed to teach grade-level content well—but only if students are ready for grade-level.

What Needs to Change (My Opinion)

NYC needs to pair NYC Solves with:

Mandatory diagnostics - Test every 6th grader for gaps at start of year
Intervention tiers - Students 1+ years behind get intensive small-group support
Flexible pacing - Teachers need permission to slow down if students aren't ready
Summer bridge programs - Free intensive math prep before 6th grade for students behind

Without this, NYC Solves will keep failing the kids who need help most.

For Students Entering Middle School

If your child is finishing 5th grade and entering 6th in Fall 2025:

Get them ready THIS SUMMER.

Check if they can:

Add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions
Convert between fractions, decimals, percents
Solve multi-step word problems
Understand negative numbers
Know multiplication tables fluently

If shaky on any of these? Summer tutoring or intensive review.

NYC Solves will NOT reteach these. It assumes they know them.

Final Thoughts

NYC Solves isn't inherently bad curriculum. Illustrative Math is used successfully in many districts.

The problem is: NYC is implementing it without proper supports for students who aren't ready.

If your child is struggling, it's not their fault. The system isn't set up for them to succeed.

Your options:

Wait and hope it gets better (it won't)
Fill gaps with tutoring/programs outside school
Advocate loudly for better supports at school level

I'm doing all I can at tutoring level. But parents need to demand systemic change too.

Your kids deserve a curriculum that meets them where they are—not where they're supposed to be.

What the NYC Solves Math Curriculum Doesn't Tell You