School boards should ensure teachers receive high-impact professional development for math
Adopting High-Quality Instructional Materials is only the first step in preparing students for success in a rapidly changing world, writes NSBA's Jinghong Cai. Their success depends on whether teachers receive sustained, high-quality professional learning that enables them to use the materials effectively, she explains.
September 15, 2026
As technology, workforce demands, and student needs continue to evolve, educators play a critical role in preparing students for success in a rapidly changing world. To meet these evolving expectations, teachers need ongoing professional learning that strengthens their instructional practice and helps them implement high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials with confidence. High-quality curricula have the greatest impact when they are placed in the hands of well-supported educators who know how to use them effectively.
Improving U.S. Math Education —An URGENT Priority
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the economy and the workplace, strong math skills are becoming essential for student success. Many of the world's highest-performing education systems—including Japan, Singapore, and South Korea—are modernizing their K-12 math curricula by integrating computational thinking, data science, and AI concepts. U.S. school leaders face a similar imperative.
Recent national assessments underscore the urgency. According to the 2025 NAEP long-term trend assessments, only 40% of 9-year-olds demonstrated foundational math proficiency, while just 26% of economically disadvantaged students reached that level. Performance declines further by age 13: Only 25% of students—and 13% of economically disadvantaged students—demonstrated proficiency in fractions, percentages, geometry, basic algebra, and data analysis.
These findings raise serious concerns about whether students are developing the mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills needed in an AI-driven world. Research consistently shows that math achievement is a strong predictor of high school graduation, college enrollment, career readiness, and future earnings. Strengthening math instruction is therefore an urgent priority. High-quality instructional materials (HQIM), implemented by well-supported educators, are among the strongest strategies for improving math teaching and learning while creating a coherent, standards-aligned instructional system.
Professional Development for HQIM
HQIM have the greatest value when they are implemented by well-trained educators. According to the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ, 2025), HQIM provide a roadmap for teaching and learning by helping educators structure lessons and deepen student understanding. NCTQ recommends that states require districts to adopt high-quality math instructional materials, provide guidance on curriculum selection, collect and publish information on district curriculum use, and invest in implementation. Yet nearly half of all states (24) provide little or no guidance on the math curricula used by local school districts.
Professional development is essential to helping educators implement HQIM successfully and adapt them to meet the needs of their students and communities. The Council of Chief State School Officers identifies four complementary approaches to professional learning: teacher collaboration, instructional coaching, training workshops, and leadership consultation and support. These approaches reinforce one another throughout the implementation process. For example, workshops often introduce newly adopted instructional materials, while coaching, teacher collaboration, and leadership support sustain strong classroom implementation over time.
Simply put, HQIM and high-quality professional learning enable educators to strengthen instruction and improve student learning outcomes.
School Boards Drive High-Impact Professional Development
RAND research found that most principals purchased professional development bundled with curriculum materials when adopting a new math curriculum. Bundled professional learning was especially common in schools that adopted HQIM. According to principal interviews, this training helped teachers learn the basics of their new curricula, such as navigating instructional materials and understanding lesson structures. However, many principals reported that the training alone was not sufficient to support deeper instructional improvement or sustained changes in teaching practice.
These findings carry an important message for school board members: Adopting HQIM is only the first step. Their success depends on whether teachers receive sustained, high-quality professional learning that enables them to use the materials skillfully. More broadly, district leaders should provide multiple opportunities for professional learning that go beyond an initial introduction to the materials and support teachers in implementing the curriculum in ways that improve student learning (RAND, 2026).
School boards can support successful HQIM implementation by asking key questions about professional development (California School Boards Association and Learning Policy Institute, 2025), including:
· Does the board have scheduled opportunities to review math professional development plans as part of the HQIM adoption process?
· What policies or regulations may need to be updated to align with the board's goals for professional learning?
· Has the district allocated sufficient funding to prepare teachers for successful curriculum implementation?
· How will progress be monitored through the Local Control and Accountability Plan process?
· What is the district's plan for evaluating the effectiveness of math professional development?
To ensure quality, school boards also may consider evidence-based professional development resources provided by states and research organizations. For example, the New Mexico Public Education Department's High-Quality Professional Learning (HQPL) Marketplace helps districts identify vetted professional learning programs that support both the adoption and ongoing implementation of HQIM. The marketplace includes curriculum-based programs that have been reviewed for evidence-based practices and demonstrated results, providing districts with a valuable starting point when selecting professional learning opportunities.
While school boards do not manage day-to-day instruction, they play a critical governance role by setting priorities, allocating resources, and monitoring results. By establishing clear goals, communicating expectations, supporting a culture of continuous learning, and evaluating the quality and impact of professional development, school boards can help ensure that investments in HQIM lead to stronger math instruction and improved student outcomes.
Read previous articles in this series on HQIM:
· Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Math https://www.nsba.org/resources/asbj/asbj-august-2025/august-2025-research-defining-high-quality-instructional-materials-for-math
· Vetting High-Quality Instructional Math Materials https://nsba.org/resources/asbj/october-2025-vetting-high-quality-instructional-math-materials
· High-Quality Math Instructional Materials Boost Rural Schools https://www.nsba.org/resources/asbj/asbj-february-2026/february-2026-high-quality-math-instructional-materials-boost-rural-schools
Jinghong Cai, Ph.D. is the senior research analyst of NSBA's Center for Public Education.