Written by Dr. Dia Bryant and Hillary Rinaldi

Ask district leaders what makes math professional learning different, and you will likely hear a version of the same answer: in math, it’s not just about pedagogy.

Moving from procedural, memorization-focused teaching to conceptual, sensemaking-centered instruction represents a notable shift in how educators understand mathematics. For many teachers and leaders, it means unlearning habits and beliefs formed during their own schooling. And for systems serving hundreds of thousands of students, the challenge is doing it at scale, and making it last beyond any single workshop, coaching cycle, or partner contract.

This report looks at how all six NMIP districts developed their high-quality math professional learning programs, each operating with their own context, constraints, internal champions, and vision for success. Together, their stories trace a continuum of capacity-building, from focused, immediate support to deep, systemwide co-development with professional learning partners.

This overview introduces the continuum, shares a snapshot of each district’s approach, and offers five principles for district leaders planning their own math PL.

Full report forthcoming in late 2026!