Maryland children may soon lose the ability to take advanced math classes in public elementary schools, according to a sweeping new draft policy unveiled Tuesday by the state’s top education officials.

They say the change is needed because too many students have historically been excluded from high-quality math classes, and achievement has suffered. Only 1 in 4 Maryland children in third through eighth grades are proficient in math.

“This policy extends a deep commitment to instructional equity,” a report detailing the plan states.

But at least one member of the State Board of Education acknowledged during a Tuesday meeting that accelerated coursework is a “lightning rod.” Any plan to restrict access is certain to draw criticism from parents whose young children take the advanced courses now and thrive.

“The question of acceleration is deeply personal to so many people and communities for so many reasons,” board member Samir Paul said.

Maryland’s math test scores have been stubbornly low in recent years. In 2011, nearly half of fourth graders were proficient in math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and Maryland ranked fifth in the nation. Roughly a decade later, math proficiency rates plummeted and the state’s ranking slipped to 43rd.

Maryland’s student performance on state and national reading tests has improved since the start of the pandemic, when student learning was disrupted nationwide, but math scores haven’t recovered.

Under the proposed plan, students would no longer be separated into math classes of different levels in pre-K through second grade. Instead, small group instruction would be used to deepen student learning.

In third to fifth grades, schools would only be permitted to regroup students for math class on a periodic basis. These children should “never be permanently grouped by ability,” according to the policy.

Starting in sixth grade, schools would be required to offer accelerated mathematics courses and maximize the number of students on track to start Algebra I in eighth grade.

If adopted, these parts of the plan would take effect this fall, meaning a child enrolled in advanced math classes now would not be next school year.

Moving forward, students’ access to accelerated coursework would shift again.

By fall 2026, schools would be required to screen all students in third to seventh grades annually and offer advanced math coursework to anyone deemed qualified. In addition, high scores on state tests would trigger an evaluation by a school-based committee for accelerated learning.

The year after that, state education officials want to roll out another big change for middle and high school students. The plan would require schools to start offering Algebra I and Algebra II back-to-back in hopes of speeding students’ access to courses like statistics. The current sequence requires Geometry after Algebra I.

The plan also calls for increased communication between parents and schools about students’ math achievement. Starting in fall 2026, parents would be notified at least twice a year if their child is not progressing sufficiently in math.

Other elements of the plan include: a minimum number of minutes of math instruction per day, extensive training for teachers on all the proposals, and a statewide public relations effort aimed at engaging families about the importance of math proficiency.

This is not the first time Maryland has made a push to boost math proficiency. In 2023, the state education department launched a grant program that gives millions of dollars to school systems to hire hundreds of math tutors.