Impact of the Illustrative Math Curriculum on Math Achievement: A Matched-Comparison Study in Massachusetts

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Impact of the Illustrative Math Curriculum on Math Achievement: A Matched-Comparison Study in Massachusetts
Language: English
Authors: Noman Khanani, Dalia Zabala, Shannon Stackhouse, Jena Gu, Kirk Walters, WestEd
Source: WestEd. 2025.
Availability: WestEd. 730 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1242. Tel: 877-493-7833; Tel: 415-565-3000; Fax: 415-565-3012; Web site: http://www.wested.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Grade 7
Grade 8
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Mathematics Curriculum, Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Instruction, Middle School Mathematics, Program Evaluation, School Districts, Core Curriculum, Institutional Characteristics, Program Effectiveness, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Curriculum Implementation, Barriers, English Learners, Low Income Students, Students with Disabilities, Minority Group Students, COVID-19, Pandemics
Geographic Terms: Massachusetts
Abstract: This study is the first to explore the impact of the Illustrative Math (IM) curriculum on student math performance. IM is one of the nation's most widely adopted high-quality math curricula. Using survey, state, and public town data from districts in Massachusetts, researchers explored how student math performance changed in 71 schools after they began implementing the IM curriculum in middle school grades compared to similar schools using a different high-quality math curriculum. The difference between schools that adopted IM before the pandemic and those that adopted IM after it likely reflects implementation challenges during COVID-19, including disrupted professional development, remote learning complications, and reduced collaborative planning time, which are all critical for successful curriculum adoption. The findings suggest that with proper implementation support and stable conditions, IM can deliver meaningful academic gains.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED677533
Database: ERIC
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