What Happens When Big-District Leaders Join Forces on Math Improvement?
In Whiteboard Notes, W/A Co-founder Anna Kimsey Edwards reflects on a chance meeting and the birth of the National Math Improvement Project.
Sometimes, chance meetings can have a profound impact. I met my husband on an airplane. And in the fall of 2022, I helped make an offhand introduction between three district leaders that might just reshape the future of math education. Districts were, at the time, still reeling from COVID.
Then, the NAEP data confirmed our fears. From 2019 to 2022, 4th grade math scores had dropped by 5 points. For 8th graders, the drop was even steeper: 8 points over the same period.
For months, we had been hearing from district leaders who were taking heroic steps to equip educators with resources and strategies that could move the needle in math. The challenge and complexity of their jobs had multiplied. And many of them were navigating common challenges.
At the time, I was surprised to learn that three leaders of the nation’s largest districts — former NYC Public Schools Deputy Chancellor Carolyne Quintana, Chicago Public Schools Deputy Chief of Teaching and Learning Mary Beck, and then Houston Independent School District Chief Academic Officer Shawn Bird, Ed.D. – didn’t know one another.
In the minutes that followed that chance introduction, a bond was formed as three dedicated educators shared their commitment - and strategies - for transforming math instruction and improving outcomes for all students. And so the seeds of the National Math Improvement Project were planted.
This week, we had the chance to help facilitate what is now an ongoing community of practice among the six largest districts in the country. Together, the leaders of Chicago Public Schools, Houston Independent School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, New York City Public Schools, and the School District of Philadelphia have committed to coming together on a consistent basis to collaborate around shared interests and challenges, with the goal of accelerating – and sustaining – improved math outcomes.
Beyond learning from one another and driving change from within their districts, the district leaders are hopeful that their collective actions can drive demand for the sort of curriculum, supports, and interventions that are needed to improve math outcomes for the nation’s most vulnerable learners.
Through NMIP, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Education Trust and experienced education changemakers, including Dr. Dia B. , Peter Gorman and Kaya Henderson. The project is funded with support from the Gates Foundation. More on their math work here.
This week, the NMIP convened in Chicago and presented at the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), which overlapped with the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM).
As part of the week’s activities, I had the humbling experience of moderating a discussion with Kaya and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Director of K-12 Education, Robert Hughes, before an audience of NMIP district leaders responsible for doing the hard work of implementing a new math curriculum, professional learning experiences, and student supports.
As LA Unified School District Chief Academic Officer Frances Baez shared: “Being a part of this community of practice with like-minded leaders in similar districts allows us to not only share in the challenge but support our collective agency to create sustainable systemic change.”
During the convening, which was facilitated by Dr. Bryant and Hillary Knudson, districts focused on not just shared challenges – but the greatest levers – for overcoming persistent (and pervasive) gaps in math outcomes.
Here are a few takeaways:
Quality and Alignment of Materials. Students don’t (yet) have equitable access to the sort of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that enable the most effective instruction. Alignment across multiple dimensions of the student experience is also a challenge. For example, lack of cohesion across materials used during core instruction, intervention, and after-school tutoring can hinder acceleration
Educator Capacity Building. Building the capacity of educators goes beyond professional learning. It has to include both current - and future - leaders. Many teachers are not (yet) steeped in math pedagogy and best practices, and many lack the content knowledge necessary to support students with grade-level content.
Math Mindset. There is a popularized narrative, echoed by both district leaders and the general public, that math is not for everyone.
Interested in learning more about NMIP? You can check their website here.