While mathematical talent is abundant, access to rigorous math education remains profoundly unequal.
In Newark and New York City, thousands of talented students, predominantly Black, Latino, and low-income learners, face barriers that limit their pathway to advanced math and STEM success.

📉 Unequal Preparation and Opportunity
In New Jersey, only 47.5% of racially and economically segregated middle schools offer Algebra I before high school—compared to 64.1% of mixed-enrollment schools.
In Newark, only 21% of students in grades 3–9 are meeting math proficiency standards, leaving nearly 79% below grade level.
(Rutgers Policy Lab, 2024; Chalkbeat Newark, 2025)

⚖️ Gatekeeping and Bias
In New York City’s specialized public high schools, which include Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech, Black students received just 3% of admission offers in 2025, despite representing nearly 20% of the city’s public school population.
Hispanic students make up over 40% of city students, but received under 7% of offers.
(NY1, 2025)

💰 Resource Gaps
Schools in low-income communities often lack access to advanced math courses, enrichment programs, and certified math teachers.
In New Jersey, while Black and Latino students account for nearly 40% of 8th graders, they represent fewer than 20% of those enrolled in Algebra I statewide.
(NJ Department of Education, 2024)

💭 Confidence and Belonging
When students rarely see peers or role models who look like them in advanced math spaces, confidence erodes. By middle school, many have stopped identifying as “math people,” even when they show exceptional potential.