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Beyond Curriculum Adoption: What District Leaders Are Saying about Using Illustrative Mathematics

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Title: Beyond Curriculum Adoption: What District Leaders Are Saying about Using Illustrative Mathematics
Language: English
Authors: Maggie Hannan, Sarah Rainier, Rebecca Perry, WestEd
Source: WestEd. 2026.
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: 30
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Gates Foundation
Intended Audience: Administrators
Document Type: Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Grade 7
Grade 8
Descriptors: Mathematics Curriculum, Mathematics Instruction, School Districts, Curriculum Implementation, Administrator Attitudes, Instructional Materials, Educational Quality, Middle Schools, Middle School Mathematics, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8
Geographic Terms: Massachusetts
Abstract: High-quality instructional materials like Illustrative Mathematics hold real promise for improving student learning, yet putting them to work effectively remains one of the hardest challenges districts face. Meaningful adoption involves far more than selecting a set of materials. It is a long-term, systemwide process that engages instructional actors across every level of a district, from central office leaders to classroom teachers. This report draws on interviews with administrators across seven Massachusetts districts to examine how they implemented Illustrative Mathematics in grades 6 through 8. The findings underscore the importance of a shared instructional vision, clear and ongoing communication of expectations, and sustained coaching while highlighting a persistent challenge: Even where teachers use materials with fidelity, Multilingual Learners and students with disabilities may lack the scaffolds they need to access grade-level content. The report offers practical guidance for district leaders, technical assistance providers, and funders.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED681318
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED681318
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  Data: Beyond Curriculum Adoption: What District Leaders Are Saying about Using Illustrative Mathematics
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maggie+Hannan%22">Maggie Hannan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Rainier%22">Sarah Rainier</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+Perry%22">Rebecca Perry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22WestEd%22">WestEd</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22WestEd%22"><i>WestEd</i></searchLink>. 2026.
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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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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 30
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: Gates Foundation
– Name: Audience
  Label: Intended Audience
  Group: Audnce
  Data: Administrators
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  Data: Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
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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>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Curriculum%22">Mathematics Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Implementation%22">Curriculum Implementation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Materials%22">Instructional Materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Mathematics%22">Middle School Mathematics</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>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massachusetts%22">Massachusetts</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: High-quality instructional materials like Illustrative Mathematics hold real promise for improving student learning, yet putting them to work effectively remains one of the hardest challenges districts face. Meaningful adoption involves far more than selecting a set of materials. It is a long-term, systemwide process that engages instructional actors across every level of a district, from central office leaders to classroom teachers. This report draws on interviews with administrators across seven Massachusetts districts to examine how they implemented Illustrative Mathematics in grades 6 through 8. The findings underscore the importance of a shared instructional vision, clear and ongoing communication of expectations, and sustained coaching while highlighting a persistent challenge: Even where teachers use materials with fidelity, Multilingual Learners and students with disabilities may lack the scaffolds they need to access grade-level content. The report offers practical guidance for district leaders, technical assistance providers, and funders.
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED681318
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED681318
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 30
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
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      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Implementation
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Instructional Materials
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
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      – SubjectFull: Middle Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Mathematics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts
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      – TitleFull: Beyond Curriculum Adoption: What District Leaders Are Saying about Using Illustrative Mathematics
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