Great Minds, Riverside Unified, USC Receive Gates Foundation Grant to Study Eureka Math², New Tools to Improve Math Instruction

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Dec 04, 2024, 09:00 ET

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Minds PBC^® is working with researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and the Riverside Unified School District to fuel innovation and improvement in elementary and middle-school math instruction.

Through this collaboration, researchers from USC's EDPolicy Hub will study the implementation of Eureka Math²^® and the impact of targeted professional development on curriculum use, teacher efficacy, and student achievement and engagement.

The research team will also analyze the effectiveness of new tools developed by Great Minds to provide educators and school leaders with key data from math classrooms and allow researchers to more quickly evaluate curriculum implementation and efficacy.

"This collaboration represents a remarkable convergence of expertise and dedication, aimed at empowering teachers with resources and tools to enhance their instructional practices. Our team is honored to lead this research at Great Minds and deepen our understanding of how best to support educators and students," said Sara Pixley, Head of Research and Evaluation, who will be leading this work at Great Minds.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding the $4.5 million project. The foundation, USC, and Great Minds will publicly report insights and best practices identified.

Riverside Unified will roll out Eureka Math² in 10 schools starting in spring 2025, along with the tools provided by Great Minds to capture data regarding the use of the TK through Algebra 1 math curriculum and its impact on teaching and learning. "This is an exciting opportunity to bring innovative resources to our classrooms," said Daniel Sosa, assistant superintendent of TK–12 instruction at Riverside Unified. "We're eager to see how these tools will enhance instruction and improve outcomes for our students."

"Riverside Unified is an ideal partner for this research-to-practice collaboration," said Great Minds Chief Success Officer John White, who previously served as Louisiana State Superintendent of Education. "The USC team also brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to ensuring their findings improve the work happening in US schools."

USC EdPolicy Hub Co-Director Morgan Polikoff and Director of Research Anna Saavedra will lead critical aspects of the research agenda, which will get underway in spring 2025 and run through the 2026–2027 school year. "This project is a unique opportunity to advance the field of education research by connecting rigorous study with real-world classroom practices," said Polikoff. "By collaborating with Great Minds and Riverside Unified, we aim to set a new standard for how research can drive meaningful change in schools."

Eureka Math² is designed to transform how students learn and engage with mathematics. It presents math as a coherent story that builds enduring knowledge, connects big ideas, and answers critical questions, such as "Why does this work?" and "How do you know?" With tasks that challenge and engage all learners, it fosters curiosity, reasoning, and real-world problem-solving while helping students develop math fluency and confidence. Built with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, Eureka Math² ensures inclusive, accessible learning for all students and has earned CAST's UDL Product Certification.

Great Minds is developing Eureka Math²® California Edition, specifically crafted to bring the California Mathematics Framework to life in California classrooms.

About Great Minds
Great Minds PBC is a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of Great Minds, a nonprofit organization. Teachers and content experts write Great Minds curricula, applying their experience to create materials that resonate with students, teachers, and families. Great Minds curricula include Eureka Math², Eureka Math^®, PhD Science^®, Arts & Letters®, Wit & Wisdom^®, and Geodes^® books for emerging readers developed in cooperation with the Fundations^® foundational reading program from Wilson Language Training.