Nebraska Invests in K-8 Math Acceleration and Analyzes Impact

It is a common misconception that math is not a linguistically demanding subject. The English Learner Success Forum develops free resources designed to illustrate activities and scaffolds that can be strategically built into lessons and units to deepen and accelerate ELs’ content area learning over time and focuses on both math and ELA. It would be helpful to know to what extent ELs were able to access this program and whether EL teachers were participating in the program. It would also be helpful to know how ELs’ needs were integrated and addressed in these additional instructional programs.

Nebraska is using program evaluation data in real-time to expand a successful math intervention to more students. By making evidence-informed decisions, the Nebraska Department of Education is ensuring that the state is investing in effective programs for its students.

Nebraska has prioritized high-quality instructional materials and teacher training in pandemic recovery - and is studying the impact in real time.

Nebraska has taken a smart approach by purchasing and providing Zearn Math to school districts free of charge. The effort includes both content for students and training for educators and to its credit, the state has made these resources available to both public and non-public schools. The evidence from the multi-year investment seems promising—other states would do well to look at how Nebraska structured its program to maximize availability to schools across the state.

Purchasing training and licenses in high-quality instructional materials is a good use of one-time federal funds. Students can access the materials and get back on track, and the investment does not add any recurring financial obligations.

States making fully funded statewide investments in high quality instructional materials systematizes instructional strategies for teachers across school systems, regardless of the local resources or challenges. This practice also stands out because it is supported by research.

This is a worthwhile effort to maintain programming that is showing promise. States looking to replicate this practice should be careful not to over-emphasize or over-incentive the use of tech products to take the place of core instruction but rather craft policy that appropriately places a program like this in the toolkit for educators.

We are encouraged by this practice that offers all schools instruction, tutoring, and summer learning resources, while avoiding remediation, and we are excited that early evaluation shows specific benefits for students of color, English learners, and students from low-income backgrounds. We give a “thumbs-up” to high-quality interventions and teacher supports.