Math Scores Are Falling. Here's How to Help Your Child Fall in Love With Math

If you've seen this month's headlines about falling math scores, you might be looking at your child's homework a little differently. Are they on track? Should you be doing more? Do they need a tutor?

Take a breath. One international report doesn't define your child's future, and the most important thing you can do doesn't have to cost a fortune. Kids who feel confident in math practice more. Kids who practice more get better. And kids who get better start to actually like math.

Below, we'll walk through what the new results mean for families, why confidence comes before scores, how tutoring compares to practice at home (including real costs), and simple ways to help your child build math skills this school year.

What do the PISA 2025 results mean for my child?

PISA 2025 found that math performance across OECD countries has dropped to its lowest average ever recorded. PISA is a global assessment of 15-year-olds run by the OECD. Released on 8 September 2026, it showed that math scores across OECD countries fell by the equivalent of just over a year of learning between 2015 and 2025. In the United States, about one in three 15-year-olds didn't reach the baseline level of math proficiency.

What it doesn't mean is that your child is destined to struggle. The skills PISA measures at age 15 are built one step at a time in the elementary and middle school years. That's great news, because those are exactly the years when a little regular practice at home can make a real difference.

The report also found that how kids use technology matters. Students did less well when device use became excessive or wasn't about learning. Purposeful use, with a clear learning goal, is what counts.

Source: OECD press release, 8 September 2026; PISA 2025 Results (Volume I): United States country note.

Why does confidence matter so much in math?

Many kids who struggle in math aren't missing ability. They're missing confidence. When math feels stressful, kids avoid it. When they avoid it, they fall a little further behind, and math feels even harder. It's a loop, and it's one of the most common reasons kids say "I'm just not a math person."

The good news: the loop works in reverse, too. Small wins build confidence. Confidence makes practice feel less scary. More practice brings more wins.

That's why the feeling of math practice matters as much as the practice itself. If your child dreads it, even the best workbook won't get opened.

"As a parent, I have seen that Prodigy can take a struggling math student and turn them into a math star."

Stephanie Butler, Parent

Is a math tutor worth it? Comparing your options

Tutoring can be wonderful. A great tutor explains concepts one-on-one, spots misunderstandings and adapts on the spot. If your child needs that kind of support, it can be worth every penny.

But tutoring also has real limits for many families:

• Cost. Private math tutoring is typically billed by the hour, and rates vary widely by location and tutor experience.
• Frequency. Most families can manage one session a week at most. Math skills grow through regular practice between sessions.
• Logistics. Scheduling, driving and waitlists add up.

Here's how the options compare at a glance:

Prices checked on the Prodigy Memberships page on 24 September 2026.

The two aren't either/or. Many families use a tutor for deep explanations and use daily practice at home to keep skills sharp between sessions.

Is Prodigy safe for my child?

Before any learning tool earns a spot in your family's routine, you want to know it's safe. Prodigy takes that seriously:

• Prodigy has been awarded the Common Sense Privacy Seal - a prestigious designation recognizing companies that exceed industry standards for online privacy.
• Prodigy has been certified by iKeepSafe as being fully compliant with key privacy regulations, including COPPA, FERPA, and CSPC.
• Prodigy is a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to safeguarding student privacy.

It's also the EdTech platform trusted by more than 800,000 teachers, so there's a good chance your child already knows it from school.

Does Prodigy actually improve math skills?

Prodigy isn't just a game your child enjoys. It's backed by research. Prodigy Math is a curriculum-aligned math game for grades 1 to 8, where kids answer math questions to power up their character and move through the adventure. The questions adapt to your child's level, so they're challenging without being overwhelming.

Here's what the research shows:

In a year when many states saw scores slip, schools using Prodigy saw the opposite.

And kids with a membership tend to go even further:

5 simple ways to help your child with math at home

You don't need to be a math expert to make a big difference. Try these:

1. Make it a little and often habit. Around 20 minutes of intentional learning time a day beats a long weekend cram. Pick a regular time, like after snack or before dinner.
2. Praise effort, not "being smart." "You kept trying on that one!" builds the belief that math skills grow with practice.
3. Talk about math in everyday life. Cooking, shopping and sports scores are full of fractions, percentages and estimates.
4. Know what they're working on. Ask your child to show you a problem they solved today. With a Prodigy parent account, you can see the skills your child is practicing and where they need help.
5. Set goals and celebrate them. Small, achievable goals (like mastering a new skill this week) turn progress into something your child can see and feel proud of. Prodigy members can set goals and choose from over 40 in-game rewards for hard work.

The bottom line

The headlines are a reminder that math matters, but they aren't a verdict on your child. With a little regular practice, the right encouragement and a tool your child actually wants to use, math can go from the subject they avoid to the one they're proud of.

Prodigy is the math your child wants to do, and needs to. It's backed by research, trusted by teachers and free to start.

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Common Questions About Helping Your Child With Math

What is PISA?

PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) is an international test run by the OECD. It measures how well 15-year-olds can use reading, math and science to solve real-world problems. The 2025 results were released on 8 September 2026.

How can I help my child with math if I'm not good at math myself?

You don't need to teach the math to help. Your biggest role is building a regular practice habit, staying encouraging and celebrating progress. Tools like Prodigy handle the questions and adjust to your child's level, while you cheer them on.

How much does a math tutor cost?

Private math tutoring is usually billed by the hour, and rates vary depending on where you live and the tutor's experience. Weekly sessions can add up quickly over a month.

Can Prodigy replace a math tutor?

It depends on what your child needs. A tutor is great for one-on-one explanations of tricky concepts. Prodigy is great for the regular, engaging practice that builds skills and confidence day to day. Many families use both, and for kids who mainly need more practice and more confidence, Prodigy can be an affordable place to start.

Is Prodigy free?

Yes. Prodigy's Math and English content are free. Memberships add extra game features, and Core membership starts at $4.91/month, billed annually at $58.95/year.

How much time should my child spend practicing math each day?

Short and regular works best. Around 20 minutes a day, a few days a week, is a realistic and effective goal for most elementary and middle school kids.