Mathematics Education

The successful teaching and learning of mathematics plays an important role in ensuring that U.S. students have the right skills required to compete in a 21st century global economy.
 

Our Work

We conduct research and evaluations of math professional development, curriculum, and supplementary programs designed to improve student learning of math concepts and skills. We also conduct international comparisons and disseminate learning through training and technical assistance.

Our recent work focuses on the development and impact of technology-enhanced professional development models, student-centered teaching techniques in secondary math classrooms, Algebra I policy and practice, U.S. student performance compared to other countries, and the impact of curricular resources on student outcomes.

View our latest work on mathematics teaching and learning, curriculum review, research-based instructional practices, and international comparisons.

Contact
Image of Toni Smith

Toni M. Smith

Principal Researcher
Related Topics
Education
Related Work
Teacher checking in on students writing

Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies

Researchers from AIR's CALDER, Harvard's Center for Education Policy and Research, and NWEA are partnering with a coalition of districts across the country to help determine which COVID recovery interventions are working (or not working), which students they are helping, and why.
Little engineers

Advancing the Long-Term Potential of Fundamental STEM Education Research: The NSF ECR Hub

National leaders have urgently called for more workers with educational training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields to address the needs of an economy that increasingly relies on technology innovation. Unfortunately, the current U.S. STEM education system fails to meet the needs of even current workforce demands. Systemic ...
Little girl makes graduating grandfather laugh

Alaska Adult Education Content Standards

The intent of contemporary standards-based education reform is to ensure that learners have access to instruction that supports them in developing the skills necessary for success. While the K–12 standards provide a strong foundation, adult learners need specific knowledge and skills to meet the demands of postsecondary training and employment ...

White Paper to Provide Context for NAEP Achievement Levels by Reviewing State and International Practices

14 Mar 2022
The National Assessment Governing Board has recently turned increased attention towards the NAEP achievement levels and associated achievement level descriptors. This white paper offers two specific contributions for NAGB to consider as they move forward with plans to develop evidence to support removal of the trial status of the NAEP ...
Teacher and young student doing math problems

Understanding the Varied Effects of Mathematics Interventions Through Meta-Analysis

21 Jan 2022
Mathematics is a foundation that is necessary for learning and employment in other technical disciplines, but U.S. student math achievement often falls behind many other industrialized nations. Researchers at AIR’s Methods for Synthesis and Integration Center (MOSAIC) conducted the largest-ever quantitative synthesis of these math interventions’ effects on U.S. preK-12 ...

Examining the Relationship between STEM Coursetaking in High School and Grade 12 NAEP Mathematics Performance

17 Dec 2021
This study linked school-reported transcript data to student item responses on the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to examine the relationships between high school coursework and end-of-high school mathematics achievement. The findings showed that high-level coursework in mathematics and science were significantly related to mathematics achievement even ...

College Enrollment Benchmarks for the NAEP Grade 12 Mathematics Assessment

01 Dec 2021
Using data from High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 and the 2013 NAEP overlap sample, this study identifies college preparedness benchmarks on the Grade 12 NAEP mathematics assessment including college enrollment, selectivity of the college enrolled, remedial course-taking, enrolling in STEM major, and persistence in postsecondary education. Results provide validity ...

Mathematics Motivation and its Relationship with Mathematics Performance: Evidence from the National Assessment for Educational Progress-High School Longitudinal Study of 2019 Overlap Sample

This study investigates how mathematics motivation (mathematics identity, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics interest) at grade 9 and 11 related to grade 12 NAEP mathematics performance using nationally representative data. The overall SEM models reveal that mathematics motivation in grade 11 was statistically significantly associated with grade 12 NAEP mathematics ...

Choosing a College STEM Major: The Roles of Motivation, High School STEM Coursetaking, NAEP Mathematics Achievement, and Social Networks

16 Jun 2021
The study uses nationally representative data to investigate how high school STEM motivation, STEM course taking, STEM achievement and social networks are associated with the decision of students who go on to enroll in 4-year colleges to choose a STEM major or not. The study findings highlight the important role ...

What Educators Need to Know About Students’ Mathematics and Science Achievement

28 Apr 2021
U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade students made long-term achievement gains in mathematics, but not in science, according to the U.S. results on the 2019 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study. In this Q&A, AIR’s Tad Johnston, senior technical assistance consultant and a math specialist, and Danielle Ferguson, researcher and a science ...