SRI is studying an immersive math curriculum for middle school students

Eligible schools will have:

• No prior experience using Core Curriculum by MidSchoolMath.
• At least one Grade 7 math class and at least one Grade 8 math class, each with at least 15 students per class.
• A one-to-one (1:1) student device access ratio and a robust internet connection during math classes.

Participation is designed to minimize burden on schools while providing meaningful instructional support and resources. All eligible schools who participate will receive:

• A full-year, no-cost pilot of Core Curriculum in grade 7 or grade 8 during the 2026/27 school year, plus free access to Core Curriculum for grade 6
• Full training and ongoing technical support for teachers piloting Core Curriculum
• $1,000 stipends for piloting grade 7 and grade 8 teachers, if district policy allows   
• Gift cards for all teachers and administrators completing surveys ($25) and participating in interviews ($50)
• An opportunity to contribute to rigorous, federally funded research to inform math instruction nationwide 

Core Curriculum by MidSchoolMath is a purpose‑built middle grades math curriculum (grades 5–8) that blends digital and print materials. At the heart of the curriculum is The Math Simulator™, an interactive experience that embeds mathematical ideas in rich, contextual scenarios to help students truly understand how math works and why it matters.

Research shows this approach has produced some of the highest learning gains in middle school math studies, outperforming typical instructional models in randomized controlled trials. The curriculum is currently used by nearly 100,000 students across 300 schools in the U.S. It is highly rated by independent reviewers for focus, coherence, rigor, and usability—and was awarded a perfect score by EdReports. Learn more about Core Curriculum and watch a demo on the MidSchoolMath website.

Each participating school will be randomly assigned to pilot Core Curriculum in either grade 7 or grade 8 throughout the 2026/27 school year, while the other grade continues with their usual instruction. This allows for a fair comparison within the same school and ensures all schools are given an opportunity to pilot to the curriculum.

All participating schools, regardless of their randomly assigned group, will also have free access to Core Curriculum by MidSchoolMath for Grade 6 math classrooms for the 2026/27 school year.

Teachers and administrators in participating schools will be asked to participate in research data collections during the 2026/27 school year. These activities will take about one hour for most teachers and no more than four hours total. Some administrators will participate in a virtual/phone interview (up to one hour).

All participating teachers will:

• Participate in a teacher survey.
• Support administration of a survey of students.

In addition, some participating teachers will:

• Use the Core Curriculum as their primary math curriculum throughout the 2026/27 school year.
• Participate in approximately 2 days (up to 16 hours) of professional learning during summer 2026.
• Participate in a virtual/phone interview.  

These activities are designed to align with typical math instruction and require minimal additional time beyond normal teaching responsibilities.

To indicate your interest in participating in this study, please complete a study interest form by June 1, 2026. A member of the research team will contact you about next steps.