Governors Urge American Academy of Pediatrics to Build on Its Landmark Literacy Guidance with Early Math Recommendations
The group urges the American Academy of Pediatrics to issue national guidance on math-based gameplay to improve numeracy and academic outcomes in young children
ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Six governors today urged the nation's leading public health and pediatric authorities to issue formal guidance supporting families in encouraging and developing children’s early numeracy. In the decade since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) made literacy a key component of a family’s well-child visits, pediatric guidance has helped establish a nationwide culture around reading aloud to young children. It’s now time to do the same for math.
Led by Governors Daniel McKee (RI), Wes Moore (MD), Jared Polis (CO), Ned Lamont (CT), Matt Meyer (DE), and Josh Stein (NC), the group is accompanied by experts and advocates in urging the AAP to issue guidance recognizing that educators and families crave ways to help young learners build foundational math skills. There is an opportunity to cultivate these math skills by harnessing relatively simple tools already used by millions of parents and caregivers: board and card games.
The request addresses a critical issue: while early numeracy skills are among the strongest predictors of a child's long-term academic success, there is no national guidance encouraging families to make numeracy-enriching play a routine part of everyday life. This gap is particularly consequential for low-income children, who arrive at kindergarten with significantly smaller numeracy foundations than their higher-income peers, a disparity that can compound year after year.
The evidence is compelling. Research demonstrates that structured number board games produce measurable improvements in children's counting accuracy, number sense, and mathematical reasoning. What makes games work is the conversation around them: when parents ask, "How did you decide your move?" or "How do you know who's winning?" they're naturally developing their child's logical reasoning and comfort with numbers.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics helped inform a generational shift in parenting by making reading aloud a routine part of childhood," said Jim Cowen, Executive Director of the Collaborative for Student Success. "We now have compelling evidence that simple math conversations and games can strengthen children's early development. Governors are simply asking the Academy to build on one of its greatest public health successes."
The initiative, organized by the Collaborative for Student Success and partners, seeks to bring together policymakers, educators, experts, and the public to advocate for a simple, compelling solution for improving numeracy in children. To learn more and sign the public petition, visit WeAreAllSolvers.org/AAP/.
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About the Collaborative for Student Success
At our core, we believe leaders at all levels have a role to play in ensuring success for K-12 students. From ensuring schools and teachers are equipped with the best materials to spotlighting the innovative and bold ways data are driving systems change, the Collaborative for Student Success aims to inform and amplify policies making a difference for students and families.
Josh Parrish Collaborative for Student Success jparrish@forstudentsuccess.org
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