Columbia Public Schools

The case study examines the implementation of Everyday Mathematics in Columbia Public Schools, a public school district in Columbia, Missouri. The program was adopted for grades K–5 across 23 elementary schools, serving 18,555 students, 43.6% of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch. Columbia Public Schools selected Everyday Mathematics after a rigorous review process, including piloting the program in one school and select classrooms in 19 others during the 2016–2017 school year. Feedback from teachers and quantitative data led to its district-wide adoption in 2017–2018.

Student performance on Renaissance Star Math computer-adaptive assessments for grades 2–5 was examined from January 2017 to January 2018. Results showed significant improvements: second-grade scores increased from 374.2 to 498.1, third-grade scores from 481.9 to 576.9, fourth-grade scores from 568.5 to 649.9, and fifth-grade scores from 640.3 to 712.7. Teachers reported high levels of engagement and satisfaction with the program’s spiral approach, which revisits standards across multiple lessons to support developmental learning.

Parent engagement was emphasized during the pilot phase, with meetings and activities designed to help families understand the program’s approach. McGraw Hill provided ongoing professional development, including training sessions and a summer users conference. The case study highlights Everyday Mathematics' effectiveness in improving math proficiency and fostering teacher and parent support.