Going Narrow in Math Improvement: A Practical Playbook from One District

Math improvement plans don’t gain traction just by naming priorities—they gain traction when districts commit to going narrow. For one small district, that meant resisting the urge to spread resources across every grade and instead doubling down on a focused goal: supporting grades 3–5 teachers with the consistent use of problem strings to strengthen student fluency.

In this episode, we explore the critical leadership decisions that fueled momentum: choosing more and better over new, positioning principals as partners, and building long-term sustainability so the work doesn’t disappear if a coach or coordinator leaves.

Listeners will:

• See how a single math priority becomes the filter for PD, PLCs, and walkthroughs.
• Learn the more → better → new sequence to build momentum without piling on.
• Hear how measured success came from cultivating “bright spots”—teacher leaders modeling and sharing success with peers.
• Discover how sustainable supports were layered in by embedding problem strings into PLCs, coaching cycles, and administrator walkthroughs with a co-constructed look-for rubric.

Listen now to see exactly how going narrow creates a math flywheel—so your PD shows up in classrooms and your results compound across the year.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

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Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.