USC Rossier School of Education applauds a new collaborative research and development project designed to improve elementary and middle school math education through a partnership between the USC EdPolicy Hub, Great Minds and the Riverside Unified School District. The project aims to enhance equity in mathematics education through two main approaches. First, the collaboration will study the implementation of Great Minds’ Eureka Math², a revolutionary Pre–K to Algebra I high-quality math program based on the widely used Eureka Math curriculum and designed to build enduring math knowledge for all students. Second, the collaboration will build and rapidly test new data tools that enable researchers and practitioners to access implementation and performance data in near real-time to learn what’s working in the classroom. This initiative, a collaboration with (RUSD), is made possible through a $4.5 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant, of which approximately $1.04 million will be utilized by the USC EdPolicy Hub.
The first goal aims to equip Riverside teachers with targeted professional development to improve student engagement and mastery in math. Researchers will evaluate the impact professional learning has on teacher efficacy and curriculum implementation, along with student motivation, engagement, persistence (MEP) and mathematics achievement. The research team will use surveys, interviews and digital usage metrics to analyze the curriculum and inform ongoing improvements.
The second goal focuses on creating and testing innovative data portals and tools. The team at Great Minds will build, and USC researchers will test, the tools that allow for more rapid and thorough research on curriculum implementation and efficacy.
This new research infrastructure will help 1) teachers to reflect on and improve their practice, 2) school leaders to better guide their teachers and 3) district leaders to better support school leaders and teachers—all with lower costs and time requirements than currently possible.
Best practices and key insights that are identified throughout this process will be shared publicly through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Access system to ensure this infrastructure can be replicated at the lowest possible cost.
By leveraging the expertise of Co-Director Morgan Polikoff and Director of Research Anna Saavedra, the USC EdPolicy Hub will spearhead the research arm of the project.
“Equity issues surrounding mathematics education are a persistent challenge that impacts every school system nationwide. According to the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 26% of U.S. eighth graders performed at or above the ‘proficient’ level in mathematics. This proficiency drops even further for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Advancing educational equity through mathematics instruction requires innovative thinking and more rapid and high-quality research,” said Polikoff. “This project will support this goal by learning about what’s working and what’s not as new materials are being implemented, while also building tools to make this kind of difficult implementation research easier for future teams of practitioners and researchers.”
“By engaging directly with teachers and students, we aim to create a responsive research and development process that meets the needs of our classrooms,” said Saavedra. “This collaborative effort will help us learn how to improve teacher’s math instruction, and ultimately enhance students’ math success.”
As part of the project, a staggered rollout of the Eureka Math² curriculum will be implemented across 10 schools within the Riverside Unified School District. During implementation, Great Minds will build and roll out new data tools that will facilitate rapid research on how teachers are using the new materials and how students are responding. The research will focus on critical questions related to professional development, implementation fidelity and student mastery, ensuring that findings are actionable and relevant to educators.
“At Great Minds, we’re deeply committed to advancing educational equity through rigorous and responsive research,” said Sara Pixley, Head of Research and Evaluation at Great Minds. “This partnership allows us to explore the profound impact that innovative math curricula and real-time data tools can have on teaching and learning. By working directly with teachers and gathering insights on the ground, we aim to support educators in fostering a math-rich environment where every student can thrive.”
“Riverside Unified School District is excited about this partnership with USC Rossier School of Education, Great Minds and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This partnership will allow us to continue our equity-focused work supporting student success with engaging, high-quality, standards-based mathematics instruction and resources. We look forward to the continued collaboration with our partners as we start this work in our community,” said Daniel Sosa, Assistant Superintendent, TK–12 Instruction.
The project will commence in spring 2025 and will continue through the 2026–2027 academic year, with findings to be disseminated through various channels, including academic publications and professional development workshops.
About USC Rossier School of Education
The USC Rossier School of Education is committed to preparing leaders to achieve educational equity through practice, research, and policy. With a strong focus on high-quality translational research and collaborative partnerships, USC Rossier strives to create innovative solutions to educational challenges.
About Great Minds
Great Minds PBC is a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of Great Minds, a nonprofit organization. Great Minds teachers and content experts develop PK–12 curricula, applying their experience to create materials that resonate with students, teachers, and families.
About Riverside Unified School District
Riverside Unified School District is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, fostering academic achievement and personal growth through innovative educational practices.
Morgan Polikoff
- Professor of Education
