Improving Math with HQIM

Has a child ever asked you when they will ever use math in the real world?

You can tell them this: math is more than formulas and computations. It teaches critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills — the very skills that help students graduate, succeed in college, build a career, and earn more over a lifetime.

Yet too many students are not getting the math instruction they need. Without clear guidance on what counts as strong, research-backed math materials, schools struggle to give every student the foundation they need.

High-quality math materials are the core resources teachers use to guide learning. They align with state standards, build deep understanding, strengthen skills, and help students apply math to real-world problems. These materials also help teachers address learning gaps step by step, ensuring students are not left behind.

The consequences of falling behind are serious. Research shows that 81 percent of students who fail a math class in sixth grade do not finish high school. U.S. students are also trailing their global peers. Only 13 percent of fourth graders reach the highest achievement level, far below students in Singapore and Japan. Students in urban, rural, and other high-need districts often spend hundreds of hours on lessons that do not match grade-level expectations, widening opportunity gaps.

Schools can close these gaps by defining and adopting strong math materials that actively engage students in learning. When districts provide teachers with the right resources, students can build conceptual understanding, develop procedural skills, and apply what they learn to real-world problems. States like Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Mexico offer models for defining and implementing these materials so districts know what works and students gain the skills they need.

Math is not just about test scores — it is about preparing students for life and the jobs of the future. By prioritizing strong instructional materials and giving teachers the tools they need, we can help every student succeed in school, college, and beyond. High-quality math instruction is an investment that pays off for students, families, and communities alike.

To improve learning outcomes for public school students through increased access to high-quality instructional materials, NSBA has curated a variety of resources to better equip school board members with the necessary knowledge and understanding to vet, adopt, and evaluate the quality of their district’s math curriculum and allocate the appropriate funding to provide high-quality professional learning experiences that prepare educators to teach the curriculum effectively.

ASBJ ARTICLES

• Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Math
• Vetting High-Quality Instructional Math Materials: School boards' pivotal role in the review and approval process
• High-Quality Math Instructional Materials Boost Rural Schools
• Promoting Systemic Coherence: What high-quality instructional materials in math look like in practice

CPE REPORTS

• Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Math: A School Board Priority
• Adopting High-Quality Math Instructional Materials: The Role of School Boards

UPCOMING CONFERENCE SESSIONS

• CUBE 59th Annual Conference in Chicago | October 1-3
  • Education Session
  • Focus Group

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Building Coherence: How High-Quality Math Materials Drive System-Wide Student Success

June 9 | 3 p.m. EST

When every part of a school system tells the same instructional story, teachers are more confident and students learn more. But for most districts, that kind of coherence remains out of reach. Join us for a conversation on how high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in math can serve as a unifying force across curriculum, professional learning, teacher evaluation, and student support. Drawing on NSBA's American School Board Journal article, Promoting Systemic Coherence, this session explores what HQIM adoption looks like in practice and what it takes to align the instructional system around shared goals. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how school boards can use HQIM as a central mechanism to build consistency, reduce instructional uncertainty, and create more equitable learning experiences across classrooms and schools.

Register here.

PAST WEBINARS

Raising the Bar in Math: How School Boards Can Define and Support High-Quality Instructional Materials

With U.S. students continuing to lag behind international peers in math achievement, school boards are uniquely positioned to lead the charge toward academic excellence. Research shows that access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in math is one of the most impactful, and often overlooked, levers for improving student outcomes, particularly for historically underserved students. 

This NSBA webinar features experts from around the country to explore what truly defines HQIM in math and why establishing a shared definition is essential for ensuring rigorous, equitable instruction across all schools. After watching this webinar, viewers will learn the right questions for school board members to ask when evaluating materials, understand what research and leading states say about effective curriculum design, and discover how strong board leadership can bridge opportunity gaps. Whether shaping districtwide instructional vision or making strategic decisions about funding and support, this session will empower board members to lead with clarity, coherence, and a focus on long-term impact.

Speakers:

• Jeff Livingston, CEO, EdSolutions and Founder of the Center for Education Market Dynamics (CEMD)
• Dr. Alma Castro, Director of California Initiatives, English Learner Success Forum (ELSF) and former Vice-President of the Lynwood Unified School District Board of Directors
• Eric Hirsch, CEO, EdReports
• Dr. Simone Wright, Chief of Academics, Denver Public Schools

Additional resources:

• Webinar slides from Eric Hirsch, CEO, EdReports
• EdReports: Selecting for Quality: 6 Key Adoption Steps
• English Learners Success Forum: Resources for School Board Members
• California School Boards Association: Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Mathematics to Meet the Needs of English Learners
• NSBA's American School Board Journal: Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Math

Recalculating Math Success in Rural Schools: Blending Quality Instructional Materials and Digital Access

Rural schools educate nearly one in five U.S. students, yet limited staffing, inadequate digital infrastructure, and inconsistent access to rigorous math curricula continue to widen achievement gaps. Research and real-world success stories point to one powerful solution: adopting high quality instructional materials (HQIM) designed for both in-person and digitally enabled classrooms. This webinar explores how rural school boards can lead the way in using HQIM to ensure equitable learning opportunities, strengthen teacher capacity, and improve student outcomes. It features experts and rural board members who have navigated the unique challenges of small multigrade districts and limited resources. Whether you lead a single district or multiple rural communities, you’ll gain practical strategies for defining HQIM, asking the right questions when evaluating materials, and using technology strategically to connect students and educators more effectively.

Speakers:

Additional resources:

• High-Quality Math Instructional Materials Boost Rural Schools
• EdReport Math Reviews
• Evidence for ESSA Quarterly Newsletter