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

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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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  Data: Impact of the Illustrative Math Curriculum on Math Achievement: A Matched-Comparison Study in Massachusetts
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  Data: 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
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  Data: 24
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Curriculum%22">Mathematics Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Mathematics%22">Middle School Mathematics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Evaluation%22">Program Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Core+Curriculum%22">Core Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Implementation%22">Curriculum Implementation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Learners%22">English Learners</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Students%22">Low Income Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+Disabilities%22">Students with Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Group+Students%22">Minority Group Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massachusetts%22">Massachusetts</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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.
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  Data: ED677533
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  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 24
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Mathematics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Core Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Implementation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English Learners
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Impact of the Illustrative Math Curriculum on Math Achievement: A Matched-Comparison Study in Massachusetts
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Noman Khanani
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              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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