At HMH, we fully understand the challenges that come with making a math program. Administrators put a lot of time and money into adopting one, and then many teachers are asked to use it. All of us are invested in answering an extremely important question: does it work? We regularly put HMH Into Math, our core K–8 math curriculum, up to the test.
According to a 2021 impact study out of the Southeastern US, Into Math is associated with improved student math achievement scores and improved teaching outcomes. A similar study found that student learning with Into Math progressed significantly from the beginning to the end of the year, although the level of growth depended on the quality of the curriculum’s implementation.
Into Math is as much for teachers as it is for students. It is designed to not only improve student comprehension but also address teachers’ needs, whether in the classroom, online, or for professional development. In this article, we examine a case study from both the student and teacher perspectives. We investigate the findings from an Illinois school district that implemented Into Math and reflect on both the resulting student growth and the increase in communication and collaboration among its elementary math teachers.
Student growth and teacher empowerment
For 10 years, Ridgeland School District 122 in Illinois did not have an elementary math curriculum. Teachers had gotten used to buying their own teaching materials and knew that better math instruction was possible. The district began an official search for a cohesive core math curriculum in January 2023. Jeannie Perry, assistant principal of Ridgeland’s Columbus Manor Elementary School, described how positively the teachers in her school received Into Math: “It was like the stars aligned.”
Having taught math for over 15 years before taking on the role of assistant principal, Perry was prepared to see a dip in student scores soon after implementing a new program. “Anything new is hard,” she said. “Especially when you’re doing a new role, a new implementation.” To her surprise, student success rose right off the bat after only one full year of program use.
Perry’s story of successful, rapid growth in foundational math skills is reinforced by the data. District-wide, the percentage of students performing at grade level rose from 22% to 43% between September and June. Similarly, students performing above grade level soared from 3% to 35%. These gains are shown in the chart below. “I 100 percent attribute these results to having a good curriculum that math teachers implement with integrity,” says Tracy Flood, the director of teaching and learning and Perry’s colleague. “Into Math works.”
In the 2023–2024 school year, students performing on- and above-grade level rose significantly at Ridgeland School District 122 in Illinois.
Educators at Ridgeland School District 122 quickly grew to love program features like the topic search engine and embedded links to standards. They value having a wealth of resources at their fingertips, especially rich data insights. “We love Into Math’s data reporting,” says Flood. “The reporting capabilities have definitely boosted teacher empowerment. They’re now able to make better instructional decisions and identify students needing support.”
Better math comprehension and collaboration
Beyond raising test scores, Into Math has also proven its worth as a catalyst for student collaboration. According to curriculum coordinator Linda Wagner, students are developing better learning skills and showing greater initiative to understand and embrace different viewpoints. “I recently visited one of our kindergarten classes and saw students working in groups on advanced math concepts,” she explains. “They felt empowered to figure things out together, which tells me that Into Math doesn’t just raise student achievement. It makes them thinkers.”
Into Math’s emphasis on collaboration extends to teachers as well, who are now working together more effectively at Ridgeland School District 122, thanks to the program’s common vocabulary and cohesive, cross-grade approach to elementary math instruction. For Flood, seeing how Into Math has left an impact of improved teacher collaboration has been especially exciting. “Having all teachers use the same program sends a message,” she says. “It says that we embrace communication and encourage working together on the same materials so that everyone’s on the same page.”
A great foundation for achievement
Flood’s personal experience isn’t unique. Perry feels similarly. “I feel like we’re really setting a great foundation for these kids, and also for teachers. The more teachers use Into Math, the more they’ll realize how everything is there for them to make effective instructional decisions together,” she explains.
Flood believes that teachers at Ridgeland School District 122 will continue to feel good about their chosen math program. “They felt better knowing they made a good choice,” she explains, referring to the measurable growth in math proficiency experienced throughout the first year of implementation, shown below. “That confidence has made a big impact on our environment here at Ridgeland,” she says. “Students are strengthening their foundational skills, and teachers have become truly collaborative.”
Students’ assessment scores increased in the 2023–2024 school year after the implementation of the Into Math curriculum in Ridgeland School District 122.
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Discover how Into Math for Grades K–8, and the Spanish version HMH ¡Arriba las Matemáticas!™ raises student achievement and builds productive perseverance.
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