Analysis Finds LAUSD Schools Using IM® Math Gain 3–4 Additional Months of Learning Each Year

June 25, 2026 — As math outcomes improve across Los Angeles Unified School District, a new analysis released by Partnership for Los Angeles Schools finds that schools using IM® Math, a problem-based curriculum developed by Illustrative Mathematics, are seeing even stronger gains than comparable non-IM schools. That difference is equivalent to approximately 3–4 additional months of math learning each year.

Conducted by the nonprofit research organization Leanlab Education, the analysis examined outcomes across LAUSD and found that schools using IM® Math grew faster than comparable schools that did not, even after controlling for demographics and prior achievement. The analysis also found that, among schools that received implementation support, math outcomes improved after support began, with growth accelerating in each successive year.

“What this analysis adds is a clearer picture of what’s possible when high-quality materials are paired with curriculum-aligned professional learning and implementation support,” said Kristin Umland, CEO and cofounder of Illustrative Mathematics. “A coherent approach like this makes it possible for educators to bring these materials to life in the classroom, and for students to experience math in a consistent way, where what they learned yesterday carries into what they do today.” 

“For the high-need schools we serve, adopting a high-quality curriculum is only the beginning,” said Francisco Villegas, Chief Academic Officer at Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. “This analysis reinforces what we have seen over the past decade: high-quality instructional materials drive stronger outcomes for students. Working alongside LAUSD, we have seen that when those materials are paired with sustained, curriculum-aligned support for educators, math growth accelerates and strengthens over time. What is most encouraging is that the gains are strongest among students who began furthest from opportunity.”

Key Findings

• Schools using IM® Math grew at a faster rate than comparable non-IM schools, more than twice the statewide average, with students gaining roughly 3–4 additional months of math learning per year.
  
  
• Among schools that received implementation support, math outcomes improved after support began, with growth accelerating in each successive year. 
  
  
• Analyses suggest that stronger implementation and professional learning are associated with higher math achievement.

These findings point to a consistent pattern: student outcomes improve when high-quality instructional materials are paired with aligned support for implementation.

Los Angeles is the latest district taking this approach and seeing gains in student learning. In New York City Public Schools, where IM® Math is part of a broader effort to strengthen curriculum and implementation, math proficiency in District 11 increased by 24.8 percentage points between 2022 and 2025. In the School District of Philadelphia, where IM® Math has been implemented alongside districtwide supports, math scores reached their highest level in nine years in 2025.

What This Means for Districts

For district leaders working to improve math outcomes, the takeaway is clear: adopting high-quality instructional materials is an important first step, but how they are implemented across classrooms also matters.

When districts:

• support educators in using materials in consistent, aligned ways across a system,
• provide professional learning tied directly to the curriculum,
• offer implementation support that helps sustain changes in practice over time,

classrooms become more consistent, and students experience math in a way that builds from day to day and across grades.

Districts that invest in both strong materials and aligned supports are better positioned to improve math instruction and student learning at scale.

About the Analysis

The analysis, released by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and conducted by Leanlab Education, examined math achievement across LAUSD schools between 2020–21 and 2024–25. The analysis comparing schools using IM® Math and non-IM schools used a matched sample with similar demographics and prior achievement, and also examined outcomes before and after schools began receiving implementation support.

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About Illustrative Mathematics

Illustrative Mathematics ® (IM) is the nonprofit organization behind IM® Math, a problem-based TK–12 curriculum built on the belief that all students can succeed in mathematics. IM supports schools and districts through high-quality instructional materials, curriculum-based professional learning, and a carefully vetted IM Certified® partner ecosystem. Today, more than 3.4 million students across all 50 states learn with IM Certified® curricula. Learn more at IllustrativeMathematics.org.

About Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is a nonprofit organization that co-manages 20 traditional public schools with the Los Angeles Unified School District, making it one of the few independent organizations in the nation to operate under this model. Serving nearly 13,000 students across Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts, the Partnership works to accelerate student achievement by strengthening teaching and learning, developing school leaders, and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education. Since its founding in 2007, the Partnership has helped drive sustained improvements in academic outcomes, graduation rates, and college readiness in historically under-resourced communities, while also advancing policy and advocacy efforts to strengthen public education systems across Los Angeles and beyond.