Bethany and Cedar Mill families can watch a documentary about the math education crisis for free on Saturday, August 8, just 17 days before Beaverton School District students head back to class.
The Beaverton Education Foundation is hosting a virtual screening of "Counted Out," a feature documentary that examines how math literacy shapes economic opportunity and democratic participation in a technology-driven world.
BEF first screened the film on Monday, July 27, for an invited audience of donors, community leaders, and educators. A panel discussion followed featuring Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read, Aryn Frazier of the Center for Black Excellence, and Dr. Linda Venenciano of Pacific University.
The BEF announcement said the foundation hosted the screening to support math education efforts across the district.
Why it matters locally
Oregon's math proficiency numbers are stark. Statewide, just 31.5% of students tested proficient in math during the 2024-25 school year, down from 39.9% before the pandemic, according to KTVZ.
Oregon ranks 47th nationally on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Eighth-grade math proficiency sat at 28.9%, a figure Willamette Week reported as a key indicator of students' future success.
When those scores were released in October 2025, Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams put it bluntly: "It was low before, it's low after."
The Beaverton School District is investing in a response. Superintendent Michael Schofield's May 2026 budget message identified a math curriculum adoption underway for the 2026-27 school year, part of $4.9 million in budget additions outlined in district budget documents.
About the film
"Counted Out" was directed by Vicki Abeles, a former Wall Street attorney who spent five years producing the documentary after she found she couldn't help her own children with their math homework.
The film has screened at SXSW, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and festivals in Newport and Palm Springs.
"If we can't understand a system that governs us, how much power do we actually have?" Abeles said in a September 2025 statement about the film.
The Monday, July 27 screening was supported by Oregon Community Foundation, Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education, and Vernier Science Education.
How to watch
The free virtual screening is open to the public on Saturday, August 8. Register at beavertonedfoundation.org. BSD's first day of school is Tuesday, August 25.
