In 2022–23, Florida schools fully moved to Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards from the previous Math Florida Standards. The math skills outlined in the B.E.S.T. Standards are assessed through the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, or FAST.
Your experience with Florida’s math standards may depend on your child’s age. Families with older children may notice both familiar expectations and new changes under B.E.S.T. For younger students, B.E.S.T. is the only math framework they have known.
Either way, you need to understand what the standards expect from your student: what they are learning now, what future courses will build on, and which skills deserve closer attention along the way.
Today, our education specialists will walk you through what B.E.S.T. means in practice: what the standards ask of students in Grades 3–5, how the demands change in middle school, what the two high school pathways involve, and what you can watch for along the way.
In grades 3–5, Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards ask students to build the skills for later math, like multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and problem-solving. At this stage, learners are expected to build both conceptual understanding and fluency with these skills.
Your child should master these topics well enough to use them confidently, without having to stop and rebuild the idea each time a new concept depends on it. Make sure your student is comfortable with these core skill areas in grades 3–5 because middle school math will build on them quickly.
Place value is the base layer of all arithmetic. B.E.S.T. expects students to understand what each digit in a number means, how the position of a digit changes its value, and how that system extends in both directions: into larger whole numbers and into decimals.
Solid number sense helps your child compare numbers, estimate, and reason about size without relying on a step-by-step procedure every time. If they have difficulty comparing two four-digit numbers, it can be a sign that place value needs more attention.
Third-graders need to add and subtract whole numbers with fluency. These skills should be accurate and automatic enough that the computation doesn’t slow down more complex work.
We suggest giving your child three addition or subtraction problems, one after another, for example, when you are in the car. Try something like "What's 30 plus 45? What's 62 minus 20? What's 47 plus 35?" Notice whether the answers come easily or whether they need to stop and calculate.
The first two should come quickly and without hesitation. The third requires regrouping, and a brief pause is normal, but it should not take long.
Multiplication and division fluency is an important elementary milestone. Under B.E.S.T., students need to know multiplication facts by the end of Grade 3 and use them flexibly in Grades 4 and 5 as problems become longer and more challenging.
Fractions, ratios, and algebra all rely on these skills. Next time you're in the car or at dinner, just call out a times table question, e.g., “What’s 6 × 7?”, then immediately follow with "What is 42 ÷ 7?"
A student with true multiplication and division fluency moves between the two quickly, without needing to recalculate from scratch. That connection between multiplication and division is what fraction and ratio work will rely on.
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Fractions are built progressively across Grades 3–5, moving from what a fraction represents, to comparing and ordering them, to all four operations.
Your student needs to develop a conceptual understanding of this topic. They should be able to explain the size and meaning of a fraction rather than simply follow a set of steps.
Fraction fluency is one of the key predictors of later math success, according to the 2012 research by Robert S. Siegler et al. This matches what we often see at Mathnasium. Earlier gaps tend to show up most clearly in fractions.
Try this to check your child’s fraction understanding: ask whether \(\Large\frac{3}{4}\) is closer to 0 or to 1. A child with solid fraction sense answers immediately without calculating.
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Your fifth-grader should work fluently with decimals to the thousandths and apply the base-ten system flexibly. This foundation carries directly into percentage work, measurement, and data interpretation in middle school.
A simple check we suggest is to ask your child roughly how much 3.7 × 4 is, without a pencil. If they have a solid decimal sense, they can estimate that the answer is close to 15.
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Under B.E.S.T., students build geometry concepts across the elementary years: shapes, area, perimeter, angle measurement, and units of measure.
These topics lay the groundwork for the more demanding geometry in middle school. Spatial reasoning grows when students work with shapes, measurements, drawings, and real objects, alongside calculation practice.
Ask your child to estimate the area of a room in square feet. Their approach to the task is as important as the final answer: Can they picture the space, choose a reasonable unit, and think about length and width together? That tells you whether their spatial and measurement thinking are starting to connect.
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Spatial reasoning grows when students work with shapes, measurements, drawings, and real objects, alongside calculation practice.
In grades 6–8, Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards ask students to use the skills they built in elementary school in more demanding ways. Fractions, decimals, multiplication, and place value now support bigger ideas such as ratios, proportional reasoning, expressions, equations, and geometry.
In our work with students, we often see earlier gaps become more noticeable in middle school. A skill your child could work around in Grade 5 may start getting in the way in Grade 6, when math moves faster and connects more ideas at once.
Grade 6 brings negative numbers fully into the picture, and students are expected to work with fractions, decimals, and integers together. Without a secure understanding of fraction operations, work with rational numbers can become much harder than it should be.
A simple check we suggest is to ask your student what −3 + 7 equals, and then what −3 × (−2) equals. Fluency with signed numbers tells you whether the negative number concept has landed.
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Sixth- and seventh-graders focus on proportional reasoning: ratios, rates, percentages, and scale. At this stage, elementary school gaps become clearly visible because your child needs to manage basic computation and the new concept at the same time.
Ask your child roughly what 15% of $60 is: a student with true proportional sense estimates $9 without setting up a formal problem.
The transition from arithmetic to algebraic thinking happens gradually through Grades 6–8, as students move from computing with known numbers to reasoning with unknowns.
Under B.E.S.T., they learn simple expressions in Grade 6, one- and two-step equations in Grade 7, systems, and more complex relationships in Grade 8.
Your student needs to understand that a variable stands for a quantity they can reason about, rather than a letter they simply solve for by following a procedure.
Try this to check their understanding: ask if three bags of apples cost $12 total, how much does one bag cost? Listen for whether they can set up an equation or solve it by reasoning through the relationship.
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In grade 8, B.E.S.T. asks students to work more on linear relationships and functions, which include:
understanding how two quantities relate,
representing that relationship in multiple forms (equations, graphs, tables), and
reasoning about what each form reveals.
This work leads directly into Algebra 1. Your learner is ready for it when they can describe a pattern or relationship in words, such as “each time x increases by 1, y increases by 3,” before relying on a formula.
In middle school, learners are expected to grasp these geometry topics:
the Pythagorean theorem,
and volume.
Make sure your child can visualize what happens to a shape when it is reflected or rotated, rather than relying purely on rules. Ask them to describe, without drawing, what a rectangle looks like after it’s been rotated 90 degrees.
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From grade 6 onward, students have more practice with data interpretation, distributions, and basic probability. These topics require reading and reasoning about information rather than computing an answer.
At this level, a learner should be able to look at a graph and draw a reasonable conclusion, without being told exactly what to look for.
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In middle school, Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards ask students to apply the skills they built in elementary school to more complex and connected math.
As your child moves into high school, Florida’s B.E.S.T. math standards can be organized into different course pathways, including the familiar Algebra 1–Geometry–Algebra 2 sequence and, in some districts, more integrated course options that combine strands across grades.
We recommend finding out what each one involves and requires in advance to make an informed decision about which path fits your student’s goals and preparation.
Looking into these options early is especially important in competitive districts like our local Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS), which has been designated as an academically high-performing district.
The traditional high school math sequence moves through Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, followed by options such as Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, and other advanced courses. This is the math pathway most families are familiar with, and it is the sequence colleges and universities are used to seeing.
Algebra 1 is the key starting point. A student entering 9th grade without true algebra readiness may struggle early because each course in the sequence builds on the one before it. Learners completing Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus with a strong foundation are generally well prepared for college-level math in many fields.
Some districts offer integrated B.E.S.T.-aligned math courses. They weave algebra, geometry, and statistics together across three years rather than treating them as completely separate subjects. On this path, your child may develop mathematical thinking in a more connected way.
This math track is generally recognized by Florida colleges and universities, but less familiar to admissions offices out of the state, and less widely offered across districts. Keep this in mind if your student is planning to apply broadly beyond Florida.
Whichever pathway a learner follows, the foundational skills built in Grades 3–8 are what determine how smoothly the high school sequence goes.
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Some signs are useful to notice right away. Other patterns become clearer over time as your child moves through the B.E.S.T. standards and math becomes more connected, abstract, and demanding.
In elementary school, watch for procedural fluency alongside understanding. Your student may understand a concept and still need more practice using it efficiently.
Under B.E.S.T., fluency means they can explain the idea, carry out the steps accurately, and work at a steady pace when the problem calls for it. Fractions deserve especially close attention, since gaps there often show up later in middle school math.
Florida’s FAST assessments in grades 3-5 measure these skill areas, reflecting where fluency is solid and where gaps exist. Treat FAST results as useful diagnostic information rather than a verdict on your elementary school student’s ability.
In the middle school years, look for the moment when effort increases sharply without a corresponding increase in understanding. Middle school math moves faster than elementary school. Skills that felt “almost there” in earlier grades can cause bigger problems if they are not addressed.
In the high school years, watch early Algebra 1 performance specifically. In the first semester, you’ll see whether the middle school foundation is solid. Early difficulties in high school math may point back to gaps from Grades 6–8.
If you notice knowledge gaps in more than one topic or recognize a pattern across stages, structured support may be the right next step.
A structured learning environment gives your child consistent, real-time guidance, instruction that adjusts to their pace and understanding, and a clear map of which skills to build and in what order.
Mathnasium offers exactly that. Every student begins with a diagnostic assessment that looks beyond the current grade level to identify which foundational skills are solid and which still need attention — and everything that follows is built around what that picture reveals.
At Mathnasium, our specially trained tutors help students master the skills they need for the next step in their math path under the B.E.S.T. standards.
At Mathnasium, a math-only learning center, we work with K–12 students of all skill levels, including students who need to catch up, keep up, or get ahead within Florida’s math standards.
Through the Mathnasium Method™, our proprietary teaching approach is built around personalized learning and proven instructional techniques that help students get the deep understanding of math B.E.S.T. expects.
Here is what it looks like in practice:
Personalized Learning: Each student starts with a diagnostic assessment that identifies exactly where their understanding stands, which skills are secure, and which should be mastered. From there, we build a personalized learning plan tailored to your child’s specific learning needs.
Teaching for Understanding: Our specially trained tutors use natural language and a mix of verbal, visual, mental, and written techniques so concepts land in a way that makes sense to each student.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Our tutors know when to offer support and when to let students push through on their own. That balance is what builds lasting independence.
An Engaging and Fun Learning Environment: Sessions are designed to keep students motivated and enjoying the process. We celebrate every bit of progress, and consistent recognition builds confidence with each session. Over time, many students start feeling more confident and positive about math.
Families see measurable results:
94% of parents report an improvement in their child’s math skills and understanding
93% of parents report their child’s improved attitude toward math after attending Mathnasium
90% of students saw an improvement in their school grades
With over 1,100 learning centers across North America, there is likely a Mathnasium close to you.
Families across Winter Springs and the surrounding communities trust Mathnasium of Tuskawilla to help their children build lasting math confidence and a deeper relationship with the subject.
If you’d like a clear picture of where your child stands within the B.E.S.T. progression, a free diagnostic assessment is the right place to start.
📅 Schedule a Free Assessment at Mathnasium of Tuskawilla!
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Mathnasium of Tuskawilla is a math-only learning center for K-12 students in Winter Springs, FL. Trusted by over a million parents, Mathnasium uses personalized learning plans and the proprietary Mathnasium Method™ to help students catch up, keep up, and get ahead on their math journey.
Our specially trained tutors deliver face-to-face instruction in a supportive and fun small-group environment, working with students to develop a deep understanding of math, build confidence, and improve academic performance.
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