The aims of this study were (a) to measure the extent of the acquisition of basic mathematical skills encountered in the mathematics curriculum of the elementary, preparatory, and scientific track secondary educational stages in Jordan by students who completed each of these stages at the end of the school year 1984/85, and (b) to determine the effects of the educational stages on the development of basic mathematical skills of students proceeding from one educational stage to another. One hundred and forty‐eight students completed the elementary stage, 273 students completed the preparatory stage, 432 students completed the scientific track secondary stage, 91 students completed second year junior college, and 54 students completed fourth year university at the end of the school year 1984/85.