{"id":502,"date":"2025-10-24T11:54:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T15:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/?p=502"},"modified":"2025-11-06T20:45:02","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T01:45:02","slug":"discover-a-pta-fundraiser-to-raise-ny-state-math-test-scores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/discover-a-pta-fundraiser-to-raise-ny-state-math-test-scores\/","title":{"rendered":"Brand New PTA Fundraiser Raises NY State Math Test Scores"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>What are the New York State Math Exams and why are they important?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>What does the PTA have to do with the New York State Math Exams?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>My kids hate math. Why would they want to do even more math than they are doing now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>We don&#8217;t live in New York. Is this relevant to me?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Those are great questions, and it is fair to be skeptical.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll address each of them and hopefully turn you from a skeptic to a supporter.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Basics<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>ForOurSchool.org helps schools host Read-A-Thons and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/mathathon-fundraiser-guide\/\">Math-A-Thons<\/a>, fundraisers where students read or solve math problems for pledges from friends or family.<\/p>\n<p>With our latest update, schools can now host a Math-A-Thon aligned with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/nys-math-test-practice\">New York State Math Exam<\/a>, giving students a fun, motivating way to practice the same skills tested each spring.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>What are the New York State Math Exams and why are they important?<\/h2>\n<p>The New York State Math Exams are federally required tests that measure whether students in grades 3-8 meet state learning standards. They&#8217;re usually given in late April or early May.<\/p>\n<p>Results can influence what academic support a student receives, and fo selective schools like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hunterschools.org\/high-school\/admissions\/eligibility\">Hunter College High School<\/a>, 5th-grade math and ELA exam scores are part of the admissions criteria.<\/p>\n<p>These exams are often students&#8217; first exposure to state-level testing. Even when the results don&#8217;t directly affect their future, schools want students to feel confident and prepared, which is where fun practice opportunities like Math-A-Thons come in.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>What does the PTA have to do with the New York State Math Exams?<\/h2>\n<p>PTAs don&#8217;t administer the exams, but they play a big role in helping students succeed. Hosting fun, school-wide events, like Read-A-Thons, Book Fairs, or Math-A-Thons, bring families together while supporting learning.<\/p>\n<p>By running a Math-A-Thon that aligns with the state test, PTAs can raise money and help students feel more confortable with the kinds of math questions they&#8217;ll see in April. Win-win!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>My kids hate math. Why would they want to do even more math than they are doing now?<\/h2>\n<p>As Mr. Ed, a 5th grade math teacher at P.S. 107 in Brooklyn, says:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>To be a math person, you only need to take two steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Be a person<\/li>\n<li>Do math<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Many kids say they dislike math because they are afraid of making mistake. Math-A-Thons give them a safe, supportive way to practice that includes hints, step-by-step guidance, and encouragement for every problem solved.<\/p>\n<h2>We don&#8217;t live in New York. Is this relevant to me?<\/h2>\n<p>Absolutely! Math is math.<\/p>\n<p>Even if your school isn&#8217;t in New York, you can still host a Math-A-Thon using the other programs available. Students everywhere can benefit from extra practice and schools everywhere benefit from a fundraiser that is both fun and educational.<\/p>\n<p>Did we convince you? Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\">ForOurSchool.org<\/a> to see how easy it is to get started.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding: 1rem 0 0; text-align: center; margin: 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"margin-bottom: 1.5rem; font-size: calc(1.375rem + 1.5vw); font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.2;\">Make Fundraising Fun and Educational<\/h4>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 3rem; font-size: 0.975rem;\">ForOurSchool.org is a Math-A-Thon and Read-A-Thon platform focused on enhancing math skills, promoting literacy, and fostering community spirit<\/div>\n<div style=\"--bs-gutter-x: 1.625rem; --bs-gutter-y: 0; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-top: calc(-1* var(--bs-gutter-y)); margin-right: calc(-0.5* var(--bs-gutter-x)); margin-left: calc(-0.5* var(--bs-gutter-x)); justify-content: space-between !important;\">\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); width: 50%; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important; background-clip: padding-box; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12); position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; word-wrap: break-word; background-color: #fff; border-radius: .5rem; padding: 1rem;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 20px 20px 1rem; height: 100px; border-radius: 50%; margin: 0 auto; align-items: center; justify-content: center; display: flex; border: 2px solid #FDE; background: #FEE;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;\" title=\"Donation request icon\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/donation.png\" alt=\"Outstretched hand with heart over it signifying requesting donations\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: bold; padding: 1rem 0 .5rem;\">Personalized Donation Pages<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: .9375rem;\">We provide the most secure platform at the best price. That means more money for your school and students!<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); width: 50%; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important; background-clip: padding-box; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12); position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; word-wrap: break-word; background-color: #fff; border-radius: .5rem; padding: 1rem;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 20px 20px 1rem; height: 100px; border-radius: 50%; margin: 0 auto; align-items: center; justify-content: center; display: flex; border: 2px solid #e7e6be; background: #f0f0d9;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;\" title=\"Leaderboard icon\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/leaderboard.png\" alt=\"Podium with star above first place signifying leaderboard\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: bold; padding: 1rem 0 .5rem;\">Flexible Setup<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: .9375rem;\">We offer a range of customization options, allowing you to tailor your event to perfectly suit your school&#8217;s needs.<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); width: 50%; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important; background-clip: padding-box; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12); position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; word-wrap: break-word; background-color: #fff; border-radius: .5rem; padding: 1rem;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 20px 20px 1rem; height: 100px; border-radius: 50%; margin: 0 auto; align-items: center; justify-content: center; display: flex; border: 2px solid #b5dfba; background: #daf0dd;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;\" title=\"Arithmetic icon\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/arithmetic.png\" alt=\"Plus, minus, multiplication, and equal sign operators signifying arithmetic math problem\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: bold; padding: 1rem 0 .5rem;\">Extensive Math Practice<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: .9375rem;\">Students can access over 400 math games online or via printed worksheets, with problems aligned to their grade level and ability.<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5); width: 50%; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important; background-clip: padding-box; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12); position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; word-wrap: break-word; background-color: #fff; border-radius: .5rem; padding: 1rem;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 20px 20px 1rem; height: 100px; border-radius: 50%; margin: 0 auto; align-items: center; justify-content: center; display: flex; border: 2px solid #badfea; background: #e1f8ff;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%;\" title=\"Progress bar icon\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/progress-bar.png\" alt=\"Progress bar steadily growing representing personal goals that can be set\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: bold; padding: 1rem 0 .5rem;\">Personal Reading Goals<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: .9375rem;\">Students are encouraged to reach their personal reading goals through motivational messages and unlockable avatars.<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the New York State Math Exams and why are they important? What does the PTA have to do with the New York State&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=502"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":513,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502\/revisions\/513"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}