Who we are

The Coalition for Better Math Education is a coalition of educators, scientists, parents, and families dedicated to improving math education. Together, we advance a vision of teaching that builds deep understanding, nurtures a growth mindset, and makes math accessible and inspiring - supporting classrooms, schools, teacher preparation, and policy to create lasting change.

Why is this so important?

Improving math education is an investment in our children, our families, and our future as a nation. It’s not just about test scores—it’s about creating a more capable, confident, and connected society. Improving our math education system is vital—not just for students, but for families and the future of our country.

Here’s why it matters to kids, parents, and the nation as a whole:

  • For Students

    More Opportunity: Strong math skills open doors to college, careers, and real-world success—from engineering to entrepreneurship.

    Confidence and Problem-Solving: When students learn to tackle hard problems, they build confidence, resilience, and critical thinking.

    Learning for Everyone: A better system ensures that all students—regardless of background—get the support and challenge they need to succeed.

  • For Parents

    Future Readiness: Parents want their children prepared for an uncertain future. Math teaches logical thinking, data literacy, and adaptability.

    Reduced Frustration: When the system works well, children enjoy learning and families experience less stress and confusion around homework and school expectations.

    Informed Participation: A strong math foundation helps children (and parents) understand everyday life—budgets, health decisions, technology, and more.

  • For Our Country

    Global Competitiveness: A workforce fluent in math and problem-solving is essential for innovation, economic growth, and leadership in science and technology.

    Civic Engagement: Math helps people understand data, evaluate claims, and make informed decisions about issues that affect their communities and democracy.

    Social Mobility and Equity: A just and effective math education system helps close opportunity gaps and ensures every child can reach their potential.

In short:

Improving math education is an investment in our children, our families, and our future as a nation. It’s not just about test scores—it’s about creating a more capable, confident, and connected society.

Join the Coalition

We invite you to join the Coalition for Better Math Education, a community of math educators and others who support a conceptual approach to math education in which all students are invited to think critically, reason, problem solve, and experience the beauty of mathematics. Together, we strive to advance this vision of math education in classrooms, schools, districts, teacher preparation programs, and policy initiatives. 

To join our community, we ask that you endorse these two statements:

1. Mathematics is for Exploration, Connection, and Confidence

Math is more than just numbers and formulas – it is a way of thinking, solving problems, and making sense of the world. All students deserve math experiences that build curiosity, confidence, and collaboration, where they can explore ideas, talk about their thinking, and learn through hands-on activities. Struggling with math should feel like a natural part of learning, not a reason to feel discouraged. When students see math as something they can make sense of and enjoy, they develop the skills to think critically and creatively in all areas of life.

2. Every Student Deserves Meaningful and Relevant Math Learning

Math should be accessible, engaging, and connected to real life. Every student deserves math instruction that helps them see its purpose – whether in everyday decisions, future careers, or understanding the world around them. Math should be taught in a way that values different ways of thinking, encourages problem-solving, and reflects students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. To make this happen, we need to support teachers with tools and training to create math classrooms where every child feels capable, included, and excited to learn.

We also plan to share a collection of helpful research summarized for practitioners. Please recommend up to three research studies that you think are important to include. You may also share your personal website if you have one, to let others know about your work as a mathematics educator (no commercial websites, please). 

Join the Coalition for Better Math Education to help all students see themselves as mathematically capable and recognize mathematics as an interesting, joyful, and valuable way of understanding and interacting with the world.