Union, Sand Springs Schools Trying Out New Math App

The Tulsa area is one of only five locations in the United States to test a new education math app. It'll be rolled out in both Union and Sand Springs public schools.

The app is called Bedtime Math; and even though school districts use it, anyone else can too.

When it's time to do math homework, experts say kids and their parents often experience math anxiety.

"This will change the stigma of math in general, and just encourage kids and parents, like, ‘Hey, math isn't scary,’" said Sabrina Bevins with the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance.

Educators say Bedtime Math will help with that.

With the app, parents can read a bedtime story to their children, then, at the end, there's a math question.

The difficulty level ranges from pre-K to fifth grade.

Jaisy Myers with the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance said, "A lot of parents now realize that reading with their kids is necessary. They don't necessarily understand doing math with their kids also sets their kids up for success in the long term."

For about a year, schools in New Jersey have been testing it out.

Research shows children who use the app just five minutes a day, saw an improvement in math over a three month period.

"Math is the underlying concept the rest of STEM relies on, so, without math, there is no science, engineering and technology," Meyers said.

Due to the success of the app, the company is expanding it to 17 districts spread through five cities. In Tulsa, Union and Sand Springs public schools will present it to parents sometime in October.

"We're really interested in what we can put in parents hands to partner with them that is easy, fun, that will promote student learning," said Sand Springs superintendent, Sherry Durkee.

There are three books in the series, but if you use the app a new story is uploaded every night.

You can find more information here.