By the Illustrative Mathematics team
In New York City’s District 7 in the South Bronx, the story of math instruction used to be one of inconsistency.
Classrooms looked different from one another. Teachers pieced together lessons from multiple sources. Students moved from grade to grade without a shared foundation. And the results reflected it: Math proficiency rates hovered in the teens and low 20s, leaving most students below grade level.
Today, that story is changing.
In just three years, District 7 has seen math proficiency in grades 3–8 rise from 18% to 42%, a 24 percentage point increase, according to a case study from Columbia University’s Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL). Even more striking: The percentage of students performing at the lowest level has nearly been cut in half.
What made the difference?
A Bold Shift: One Vision
District leaders made a decisive move: adopt a single, high-quality curriculum—IM® Math—across all K–12 classrooms.
But this wasn’t just a curriculum decision. It was a systems decision.
Leaders recognized that inequity often shows up as inconsistency. Without shared materials, routines, and expectations, students weren’t building knowledge over time—they were starting over each year.
By aligning around one curriculum, the district established a stable instructional foundation that allowed teacher expertise to be used more intentionally. Teachers no longer had to spend hours assembling lessons and could instead devote more energy to interpreting student thinking, facilitating rich discussions, and making informed instructional decisions.
As Superintendent Roberto Padilla put it, “Standardizing a curriculum is not about stripping teacher autonomy, but rather providing a gift of time.”
What Coherent Instruction Makes Possible
The shift to IM Math, implemented through Imagine Learning—one of our IM Certified® curriculum distribution partners—paired with aligned supports, changed what teachers and students experienced in classrooms.
Before, instruction often meant teachers demonstrating a procedure and then assigning practice. Now, classrooms are places of exploration, discussion, and sensemaking, with teachers guiding student reasoning and synthesizing key mathematical ideas.
Students use manipulatives. They test ideas. They talk through strategies. They engage with mathematics as something to figure out, not just memorize. Throughout the process, teachers actively support learning by facilitating discussions, anticipating misconceptions, pressing students to explain their reasoning, and helping connect ideas across lessons.
Teachers are also no longer expected to design lessons from scratch, nor work in isolation. They are pedagogical experts collaborating around shared routines and goals.
And that coherence matters—especially in a district where student mobility is high. When students move between schools, they now encounter familiar structures and expectations, creating continuity in their learning experience.
Why It Was Never “Just the Curriculum”
While research shows that high-quality materials do matter, District 7’s success didn’t come from materials alone. It came from building a system around those materials. They:
- invested in coaching and collaborative professional learning
- built routines for analyzing student data and adjusting instruction daily
- aligned tutoring and supplemental supports directly to the curriculum
- created shared expectations across classrooms, schools, and leadership
This system-level coherence is what helped District 7 turn shared materials into changed instructional practice.
Teachers meet regularly to unpack upcoming units, observe each other’s classrooms, and refine practice together. Coaching cycles bring planning, teaching, and reflection into tight alignment.
The result is not just more consistent instruction but a culture of continuous learning among educators.
Consistency as a Foundation for Equity
One of the most powerful insights from District 7 is this:
Consistency is not the opposite of equity—it’s a prerequisite for it.
When instruction varies widely, students’ access to grade-level mathematics depends on the classroom they land in. But when expectations, materials, and routines are shared, every student has a stronger opportunity to engage in meaningful mathematics every day.
For example, in District 7, this consistency has helped unlock both academic growth and a deeper sense of belonging. Classrooms are described as louder now—not with chaos, but with student thinking, discussion, and engagement.
Building for the Long Term (and Making It Stick)
Today, District 7 is focused on sustaining and deepening this work. They’re:
- developing internal expertise through a year-long IM Fellowship, where two teachers per school are trained as certified experts in IM Math
- creating “lab classrooms” where strong instruction can be observed and shared
- standardizing systems so progress doesn’t depend on individual staff members
The goal is clear: ensure that high-quality math instruction is not a moment but a lasting system every student and teacher can rely on.
Conclusion
District 7’s story is not about a quick fix. It’s about what happens when a district commits to coherence, including:
- a shared, high-quality curriculum
- aligned professional learning
- embedded coaching and data use
- a clear, collective vision for instruction
Together, these elements create the conditions for meaningful, sustained improvement.
And perhaps most importantly, they create classrooms where students don’t just do math. Instead, they experience mathematics as something they can understand, explore, and succeed in.
Next Steps
District 7’s story shows what’s possible when systems align around high-quality math instruction.
Ready to see how IM Math and IM Certified® Professional Learning can help your school or district build coherence, strengthen instruction, and drive lasting student impact? Schedule a call with a member of our Client and Partner Success team, or email us at [email protected].
Reference
Center for Public Research and Leadership. (2026). All Systems Go: How shared, high-quality curriculums are helping school districts reach higher, together. https://www.itsallsystemsgo.org/nyc-district-7
