The mathematics consultation represents a powerful opportunity for mathematics teachers to leverage the knowledge base of special education professionals to advance equity for students with special education needs. Yet, most teacher preparation programs do not specifically prepare prospective teachers to engage in mathematics-specific consultations. We provided an opportunity for prospective elementary teachers of mathematics and prospective special education teachers to engage in a written consultation about the mathematics learning of a student with special education needs. We analysed the characteristics of these consultations and found that the prospective teachers' questions and responses lacked focus on the mathematics context and largely ignored student engagement in mathematical practices. Based on the evidence from this baseline study, we provide recommendations for how mathematics teacher educators might more effectively prepare prospective teachers for the questioning and answering stages of mathematics consultations.