Math Instruction and Intervention

The Science of Reading reshaped how we approach literacy. The Science of Math is now catching up, backed by its own growing research base and a wave of state legislation.

See what's changing

Mississippi — SB 2294, the "Mississippi Math Act"

SB 2294

Establishes the Moving Mathematics in Mississippi (M3) Program: statewide math coaching, K–5 screening, algebra readiness indicators, and mandatory MTSS use for both math and reading.
Districts must maintain individualized intervention plans, progress-monitoring data, and annual reporting, with FERPA-aligned privacy requirements.

Learn more: ExcelinEd, "How Mississippi's 2026 Legislative Session Transformed Literacy and Math Policy"

SB 1360, the "Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act"

SB 1360

Mandates universal math screening, including dyscalculia screening, in grades 2–5, and creates a new state Office of Mathematics Improvement to oversee implementation.
MTSS is codified as the funding and intervention framework, with required data-driven progress monitoring and family engagement.

Learn more: Oklahoma State Department of Education, Math Achievement and Proficiency Act

Ohio — SB 19, “Regards academic intervention, math improvement and intervention”

Requires districts to administer approved mathematics diagnostics and provide intervention to students who are not making satisfactory progress.
Schools with no more than 51% of third graders proficient in mathematics must submit improvement plans using approved and listed curricula beginning in 2026–2027.

Learn more: The Fordham Institute: Ohio Lawmakers Just Passed a Sweeping Math Reform Bill

Georgia — HB 1030, the "Math Matters Act"

HB 1030

Mandates the adoption of evidence-based math instruction standards, the integration of interventions in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, and the use of student data for instructional decisions in Georgia's K–12 schools.
Requires local education agencies to implement advanced math courses and provide instructional supports and interventions such as high-dosage tutoring, small-group instruction, and technology-enabled activities, along with robust progress monitoring and reporting.
Revises teacher certification standards to include training in evidence-based math instruction, intervention strategies, and data-driven decision-making, and requires disaggregated student data reporting along with family communication about advanced math opportunities.

Learn more: ExcelinEd, "Georgia Passes Comprehensive K-12 Education Policies"

California — SB 1067*

SB 1067*

Would require K–2 schools to adopt evidence-based, developmentally appropriate math diagnostic assessments, with the State Board of Education setting approval criteria.
Explicitly encourages MTSS as the model for intervention and progress monitoring, meaning California districts would have direct state backing for the same tiered approach many are already building, once signed.

*Not yet passed. As of this writing, the bill has cleared the Legislature and is on the Governor's desk.

Learn more: EdSource, "California bill to catch math struggles in youngest students heads to governor's desk"

Indiana — HB 1634

HB 1634

Requires teacher preparation programs to align math instruction with evidence-based strategies such as conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and real-world problem solving.
Mandates K–2 math screeners and MTSS-based intervention that moves from less to more intensive support based on ongoing data analysis.

Learn more: ExcelinEd, "Indiana Passes Comprehensive Math Reform to Boost Early Learning and Accelerate Student Success"

Math intervention only works when it has a strong Tier 1 foundation of core classroom instruction. Even with a growing supply of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), only 51% of math teachers report using an aligned curriculum at least weekly, according to EdReports' most recent State of the Instructional Materials Market report.

Source: https://edreports.org/resources/article/state-of-the-instructional-materials-market-2023

In addition, observational research from TNTP's Opportunity Myth study found that students spent a majority of classroom hours on below-grade-level content. It’s no wonder that intervention caseloads stay high.

Source: TNTP, "The Opportunity Myth" — https://tntp.org/publication/the-opportunity-myth/

High-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials, used with fidelity

Regular "math walks" to confirm rigor and alignment match what was adopted, not just what's convenient

A shared, schoolwide understanding of what evidence-based math instruction looks like in practice

Like literacy, numeracy has its own growing research base. The starting premise of this math research is that access to learning math is a basic educational right, and most U.S. students currently don't meet minimum proficiency levels.

Learn More: The Science of Math is a research clearinghouse maintained by researchers and practitioners in math education and school psychology, focused on using objective evidence about how students learn math to guide instruction and policy.

Explicit instruction has an exceptionally strong research base for students who struggle with math, and likely benefits all students. It combines clear modeling, guided and independent practice, and specific supports like frequent student responses and immediate corrective feedback.
Universal screening in math should function the same way strong reading screening does — an early, reliable signal of who needs support, tied directly into MTSS tier placement rather than sitting in a separate system.
Classwide math instruction has a defined set of "active ingredients":
- Guided practice with corrective feedback
- High rates of opportunity to respond
- Targeting skills a student has partially but not fully mastered
- Building in regular opportunities for a student to beat their own prior performance

Math Instruction Mythbuster

Myth: Timed tests and timed practice cause math anxiety, so they should be reduced or removed for anxious students.

Reality: No research has established that timed tests cause math anxiety. Math anxiety is more closely tied to weak skill proficiency — students with weaker skills report more anxiety, and reducing exposure to challenging, fluency-building practice tends to worsen skill development and, with it, anxiety. Well-aligned instruction that matches a student's actual skill level reduces anxiety more reliably than removing timed practice does.

Explicit Instruction

Clear modeling ("I do, we do, you do"), think-alouds, and frequent checks for understanding

Manipulatives and Visual Models

Connecting procedures to conceptual understanding, especially for fractions, place value, and proportional reasoning

Flexible Grouping

Regrouping students based on current data rather than keeping them in fixed groups for a full grading period

Progress Monitoring on a Consistent Cadence

Weekly for Tier 3, every other week for Tier 2, so intervention plans can be adjusted before gaps widen

$Example math intervention toolkit for Tier 2 and Tier 3 support in MTSS$

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Math Intervention Strategies for MTSS

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elementary math intervention support to students using research-based MTSS strategies

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Elementary Math Intervention: Best Practices & Research-Based Strategies for Success

Elementary Math Intervention: Best Practices & Research-Based Strategies

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Secondary math intervention strategies to support struggling students through research-based instruction and progress monitoring.

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Addressing the Top Four Challenges in Secondary Math Intervention

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Math Intervention Mythbuster

Myth: Struggling students need remediation — reteaching below-grade-level content until they catch up.

Reality: Research comparing over 100,000 classrooms found that students in acceleration models, which bridge prior knowledge to grade-level content, completed more grade-level lessons and faced fewer challenges than students in remediation models. Just-in-time support outperforms just-in-case support.

Source: TNTP, "Accelerate, Don't Remediate" (May 2021)

"Math fluency" is often used interchangeably with "math fact fluency," but the two aren't the same thing. Fact fluency is automaticity, like quickly recalling that 5 x 7 = 35. Math fluency is broader: it includes fact fluency, but also procedural fluency and the ability to flexibly apply strategies across problems.

Weak skill proficiency is a stronger predictor of math anxiety than any single instructional method, and building automaticity through consistent, well-aligned practice is one of the most reliable ways to build the skill proficiency that keeps anxiety down.

Comprehensive fluency-building includes:

Timed and fluency-focused practice as a regular part of instruction.
Gradual release of responsibility when teaching new strategies, to catch misconceptions early
Deliberate practice: short, focused, feedback-rich practice sessions paired with reflection and rest
Instruction and practice matched to a student's actual measured skill level. A mismatch may drive math anxiety up.
Flexible grouping based on real-time data, so practice stays targeted as students grow

Math fact fluency is automaticity — quickly and accurately recalling basic facts from memory. Math fluency is broader: it includes fact fluency, but also procedural fluency and the flexibility to apply strategies across different types of problems. Strong instruction builds both, not just one.

Remediation typically reteaches below-grade-level content in isolation from what's happening in class. Intervention, done well, is “just-in-time” support that bridges specific skill gaps while keeping students connected to grade-level instruction. Research consistently favors acceleration models over remediation models.

Learn more: TNTP, "Accelerate, Don't Remediate" (May 2021)

Strong screening looks beyond a single grade-level test. It should include number sense, basic operations and place value understanding, and screening for dyscalculia risk. Screening data should feed directly into MTSS tier placement, not sit in a separate system.

There's no universal number, but a common structure is 20–30 minutes of intervention, 3–5 times per week, combining a short fluency warm-up, focused skill instruction, guided practice, and a quick exit check. Consistency matters more than session length.

A growing number do, including Mississippi, Oklahoma, Georgia, Indiana, and California, each with different specifics around screening grades, reporting requirements, and funding structures. Check your state's current requirements, since new legislation is passing regularly.

Strong universal math screening should include dyscalculia risk indicators alongside number sense, basic operations, and place value, so students at risk aren't missed by a general screener alone. States like Oklahoma have already codified dyscalculia screening into law as part of their MTSS requirements. Once identified, students benefit from the same evidence-based practices that support all struggling math learners, explicit instruction, targeted intervention matched to specific skill gaps, and consistent progress monitoring, delivered with the intensity and frequency their level of need requires.

Success Story

How CCSD 59 Flipped Its Triangle and Transformed Student Support

"The systemic change had a huge impact on morale, teacher confidence, confidence in what they’re doing, our collaborative practices as a team, and how we support students."

Products / Features Used

MTSS Core Platform Leadership Dashboard and Board Reporting

Community Consolidated School District 59 and Branching Minds

Success Story

How “Know Every Student” Became a Reality at Springs Charter Schools

"Once we could see the whole child in one place, we could finally identify what students really needed."

Products / Features Used

MTSS Core Platform Early Warning System (EWS) Leadership Dashboard and Board Reporting Canopy Case Management

Math Instruction and Intervention