Florida Schools Invited to Participate in Math Study from UF Lastinger Center and Kiddom

A new research grant embeds the UF Lastinger Center's Math Language Routines directly into Kiddom's B.E.S.T.-aligned Florida Math curriculum. Florida schools and districts are invited to participate in the study.

GAINESVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kiddom and the University of Florida Lastinger Center announced a research partnership studying if and how embedding professional learning at a teacher's precise point-of-need impacts instruction and student outcomes in middle school math.

Kiddom built Florida's B.E.S.T.-aligned math curriculum to give teachers their core instructional materials, assessments, and insights in one coherent system. This partnership goes further, weaving Lastinger Center's instructional nudges directly into the places where teachers plan and prepare. The research examines a key question districts ask: does timing and placement of professional learning change how teachers make instructional decisions, or how students learn?

"Teachers work hard enough. They shouldn't have to switch between separate systems to do the critical work of lesson planning, delivery, and grading," said Abbas Manjee, Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer at Kiddom. "If integrated point-of-need support helps teachers make stronger decisions, that is a finding the whole field can use."

The partners will embed the resources that the Lastinger Center created and tested directly into Kiddom Math Florida materials. These resources, designed to support the implementation of the Math Language Routines (MLRs), were developed by The Understanding Language/Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (UL/SCALE) at the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Based on the eight MLRs, the Lastinger Center resources belong to a set of Florida-specific “bite-sized” professional learning experiences teachers can use to improve math communication and reasoning in their classrooms. Instead of living in a separate training track, the short exemplar videos, facilitation guides, and classroom-ready resources will appear at the point of use, inside the teacher-facing materials for the study. Rather than prescribing static scripts, the design centers teacher judgment, with embedded supports ensuring teachers have what they need in the moment.

"Math Language Routines are critical for building students' mathematical communication skills alongside core mathematical concepts," said Zandra De Araujo, Director of Mathematics at the UF Lastinger Center for Learning. "We are excited to learn alongside Kiddom and to share what we find with educators as well as other researchers."

The work is supported by a competitive impact research grant focused on advancing the field's understanding of teacher supports in mathematics education. Findings, including a research brief and educator-validated recommendations, will be shared as a public good.

Kiddom and the UF Lastinger Center are now identifying districts interested in joining the study and contributing to the field while giving their middle school math teachers added support. Participating teachers receive a stipend for their time, and partner schools, districts, or networks will receive funding to support data-sharing and coordination. Administrators interested in learning more can contact [e-mail].

About Kiddom

Kiddom is the coherent instructional system that turns rigorous curriculum into consistent classroom practice. Teachers and students get core instructional materials, assessments, and the insights they need to move from planned lessons to daily actions, all in one place. That coherence is what makes a great curriculum work in every classroom, every day. To learn more about Kiddom, please visit kiddom.co.

About the UF Lastinger Center for Learning

The UF Lastinger Center for Learning creates educational systems where every child and educator experiences high-quality learning that supports achievement of the critical milestones predictive of success in school and life. Its programs focus on kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading proficiency and algebra proficiency. Since 2002, the Lastinger Center has made significant strides for real, scalable solutions in collaboration with educators and families in Florida and around the country. To learn more about the Lastinger Center, please visit lastinger.ufl.edu.