Math proficiency in the United States has reached a breaking point, and fragmented reforms are no longer enough. A new report from K12 Coalition™ and Bellwether calls for urgent, system-wide action to ensure every student gains the math skills they need to thrive in school and beyond.
Released today, How We Solve America’s Math Crisis: A Systemwide Approach to Evidence-Based Math Learning is a guide for transforming how math is taught and learned nationwide. The report makes one thing clear: we already know what works in math instruction. The challenge is implementing it effectively and consistently across schools.
Drawing on decades of research, the report emphasizes that meaningful change in math instruction depends on alignment, consistency, and systems that truly support the educators doing the work. It outlines an evidence-based approach designed to help education leaders move from isolated efforts to scalable impact.
With a focus on partnership, the report aims to unite leaders, teachers, and systems around a shared definition of success and a coordinated approach to delivering lasting improvement in math outcomes for all students.
The Roadmap to Math Proficiency
Sustainable math success depends on three evidence-based practices that must be implemented consistently in classrooms:
- Identity: Cultivate educator and student math identity—the belief that all learners can be capable mathematicians—through a growth mindset and supportive classroom culture.
- Balance: Combine conceptual understanding with procedural fluency, providing students with both the “how” and the “why” of mathematics.
- Logical Progression: Ensure learning builds logically and cumulatively over time, deepening knowledge through a coherent scope and sequence.
These classroom priorities thrive only when supported by aligned leadership. District and school leaders can set the conditions for success by defining a shared vision for math instruction, aligning curriculum and assessments to that vision, and building professional learning systems that empower educators to deliver it.
A Call for Coherence in Math Instruction
The authors stress that this is a moment for focused action, not for chasing untested solutions. Beth Zhang, Co-President of Lavinia Group, a division of K12 Coalition, draws on her experience working with schools across the country:
“Improving math outcomes isn’t about the next new idea, it’s about doing the right things consistently,” Zhang explains. “Schools that align teaching, curriculum, and supports around these core principles see real results, sometimes double-digit gains. The key is creating the conditions where effective math instruction can take root and grow over time.”
Jessica Slaton, an associate partner at Bellwether, echoed this focus on systemic change, acknowledging, “Meaningful improvement in math instruction is hard and complex, but it is possible when leaders and teachers work toward a shared set of proven strategies. This report offers leaders a research-backed roadmap for making that happen.”
As systems align around this shared vision, K12 Coalition stands out for driving real results. Partnering schools have seen significant increases in student math proficiency, showing that with focused support and practical implementation, progress isn’t just possible–it’s happening.
The full report, How We Solve America’s Math Crisis: A Systemwide Approach to Evidence-Based Math Learning, provides a comprehensive look at the evidence and the system-level supports required to accelerate student math proficiency. Read it here.
