State Teacher Policy Database Homepage › National Overview › Policy Priority: Elementary Math

Professional Learning

States should provide professional learning and ongoing support to sustain teachers’ skillful implementation of curriculum to deliver rigorous math instruction.

Data updated: June 2025

Go to a policy lever Teacher Preparation Standards Preparation Program Approval Licensure Tests High-Quality Instructional Materials Professional Learning
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Why focus on Professional Learning to improve Elementary Math?

When teachers have the knowledge and skills to teach math effectively, they can make a significant impact on student learning. Yet today, thousands of teachers are in classrooms without adequate preparation in rigorous math instruction. States can help close this gap by funding high-quality curriculum-based professional learning and ongoing coaching that builds teachers’ expertise and confidence.

State performance on Professional Learning for Elementary Math

Four states (8%) have Strong performance in Professional Learning for Elementary Math

NCTQ evaluates whether states effectively use this policy lever by examining whether they provide financial support for math-focused professional learning, including curriculum-based professional learning, and whether the state allocates funds to support math coaches or specialists. Learn more

ALAL AKAK AZAZ ARAR CACA COCO CTCT DEDE FLFL GAGA HIHI IDID ILIL ININ IAIA KSKS KYKY LALA MEME MAMA MIMI MNMN MSMS MOMO MTMT NENE NVNV NHNH NJNJ NMNM NYNY NCNC NDND OHOH OKOK OROR PAPA RIRI SCSC SDSD TNTN TXTX UTUT VTVT VA WAWA WVWV WIWI WYWY
Strong
Moderate
Weak
Unacceptable
Ungraded

Who stands out?

Alabama
Arkansas
Mississippi

What are the key actions states should take?

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    Key Resources

    State of the States: Five Policy Levers to Improve Math Instruction

    Explore which states are implementing policies to improve math instruction

    Explore resource

    Teacher Prep Review: Solving for Math Success

    Read more about the performance of over 1,100 elementary teacher preparation programs in preparing educators to teach math.

    Explore resource

    Professional development that delivers: discovering the keys to better math and science outcomes

    Discover which features of math and science professional development are most strongly linked to student achievement

    Explore resource

    In the eye of the beholder: What happens when teachers think the curriculum is too tough for students

    Learn how teachers' perceptions of curriculum difficulty - and the support they receive - can determine whether students get grade-level instruction.

    Explore resource
    References

    1. Taylor, J. A., Getty, S. R., Kowalski, S. M., Wilson, C. D., Carlson, J., & Van Scotter, P. (2015). An efficacy trial of research-based curriculum materials with curriculum-based professional development. American Educational Research Journal, 52(5), 984-1017.

       

    2. Fryer, J., Roland G. (2017). The production of human capital in developed countries: Evidence from 196 randomized field experiments. In Handbook of Economic Field Experiments (Vol. 2, pp. 95-322). North-Holland. Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W. Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. L. (2007). Reviewing the Evidence on How Teacher Professional Development Affects Student Achievement. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 033. Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest (NJ1). Kraft, M. A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction and achievement: A Meta-Analysis of the Causal Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4) 547- 588.

       

    3. Kraft, M. A., & Blazar, D. (2018). Taking teacher coaching to scale: Can personalized training become standard practice?. Education Next, 18(4).