NYC Schools to Run New Illustrative Math Program Aimed at Bolstering Test Scores

The curriculum, which focuses on visualization, discovery, and collaboration, replaces traditional math instruction that’s centered on teacher demonstration.

Teacher Shawn Abernathy (R) teaches math concepts using a modern computer projection board at Harlem Success Academy, a free, public elementary charter school in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on July 12 2024. Chris Hondros/Getty Images

The largest K–12 public school district in the nation will overhaul its math instruction program in the approaching 2024–2025 academic year, adopting a more creative approach to teaching problem-solving that millions of students in other states already use.

The Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum will be applied in New York City Public Schools across 93 middle schools and 420 high schools as part of the NYC Solves Initiative, which aims to improve test scores and student performance, according to a statement that Mayor Eric Adams issued last month.