When Ohio launched its statewide effort to transform math instruction in fall 2023, the challenge was staggering: support 1,500+ educators across hundreds of districts in adopting student-centered practices—without letting the training end when the workshops did.

In the fall of 2023, BetterLesson launched a partnership with the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA), the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO), and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) to support a key priority for the 2023-24 school year: the adoption of student-centered math instruction in classrooms across Ohio. 

As part of the state’s Ohio Materials Matter initiative, BetterLesson worked closely with ESCCO to provide professional learning support to Math Specialists, ultimately ensuring that Ohio’s High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) delivered on the promise of increasing mathematical understanding.

Through a mix of workshops, coaching, Learning Walks, and virtual professional learning, BetterLesson not only helped Ohio math specialists build content-specific skills—it shaped their efficacy as instructional leaders, providing a sustainable statewide model for effective student-centered coaching and adult learning.

Just two years later, statewide math achievement had reached the highest levels in five years—showing improvement at nearly every grade level.

Background

In 2017, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) adopted the Learning Standards for Mathematics, which shifted focus from rote memorization and surface-level tasks toward deeper-level mathematical understanding. 

Under the new standards, teachers were tasked with helping students not only perform mathematical problem-solving but apply mathematical concepts—an important foundation for students’ postsecondary readiness, especially within high-growth, high-wage career pathways.

After the COVID pandemic disrupted the roll-out and further exacerbated gaps in math achievement, ODEW doubled down on improving math instruction. Using a gap analysis to understand which standards were/were not taught in the 2019-20 school year, Ohio districts created multi-year learning progressions targeting specific areas of disrupted instruction while shifting instruction towards deepening mathematical understanding.

Goals & key objectives

In response to teacher feedback on their own instructional gaps, ODEW turned to BetterLesson to provide evidence-based professional learning opportunities for building student-centered math instruction. 

Student-centered math (SCM) instruction puts students at the center—connecting math concepts to real-world contexts while ensuring kids are learning math by discussing and problem-solving. Research shows that this approach to math instruction has profound impacts on student outcomes, including higher graduation rates, increased academic growth, higher levels of student engagement, and more equitable classrooms.

Shifting classroom practice was the goal, but the ‘how’ mattered too. There were two critical objectives necessary to make changes stick:

• Delivering PD through a sustainable model that leveraged internal capacity
• Training instructional leaders to monitor and support adults with ongoing professional learning support after the initial workshops

Solution

To achieve this goal, BetterLesson employed a ‘train the trainer’ approach by first targeting training to ESC math coaches. These ESC coaches then provided on-the-ground professional learning to district leaders across the state while BetterLesson provided additional support to Ohio district leaders.

Partnering with OESCA and ODEW, BetterLesson crafted a professional learning plan that integrated all modes of BetterLesson offerings: virtual and live PD workshops, one-on-one coaching, asynchronous courses via the BL Lab, and guided Learning Walks that offered instructional leaders key touchpoints for observing classroom practice and improving ongoing PD support.

🎧 GO DEEPER

Hear OESCA Executive Director Craig Burford describe the critical role ESCs play in connecting state policy and classroom practice on a recent episode of the Lessons Learned podcast

Scaffolding professional learning

Together, the professional learning plan scaffolded opportunities for building capacity for student-centered math instruction, monitoring progress, and adjusting support based on educators’ ongoing needs.

There were three phases:

• Phase 1: Foundations of Student-Centered Math: In this phase, each of the 28 participating ESCs identified school and district partners to participate in the program. BetterLesson coached ESC Math Specialists, building their capacity to support educators adopting student-centered math instruction.
• Phase 2: Going Deeper with Student-Centered Math Series: Here, BetterLesson continued offering coaching to ESC Math Specialists while adding direct coaching support to district leaders. During this phase, BetterLesson also began leading Learning Walks, modeling ‘look-fors’ and data collection.
• Phase 3: Instructional Leadership for Student-Centered Math Series: In this last phase, BetterLesson focused on instructional leadership by working with ESC Math Specialists and district leaders through coaching and Learning Walks to identify areas for targeted support.

Tailoring ongoing support with Learning Walks

Throughout these phases, BetterLesson offered virtual workshops and asynchronous courses that provided differentiated, just-in-time support for emerging strategies. 

BetterLesson also worked with school and district leaders to conduct Learning Walks, classroom observations that measure progress and help identify opportunities for targeted support. Learning Walks also provided real-time data that fed one of the most important supports at the heart of the program: coaching.

Connecting the dots with coaching

Coaching, particularly when layered with other forms of professional learning is a remarkably impactful way to support teachers in implementing new instructional practices. 

The graph below illustrates the strong correlation between receiving ongoing professional coaching and implementing new instructional strategies:

Put simply: Ohio educators didn’t just participate in workshops or take courses; they experienced these modes of learning alongside access to professional coaching—where they had the support to translate ideas into action, action into reflection, and reflection into new action.

Outcomes

The measured and observed impact of this partnership speaks to the breadth and quality of professional learning that all participants received. 

Scale & reach

To date, BetterLesson has coached 68 ESC Math Specialists and district leaders, collaborated with more than 100 additional district leaders on Learning Walks, and supported more than 1,500 educators across hundreds of school districts across Ohio through virtual PD workshops. 

Educator experience & applied practice

Survey data from educators, ESC Math Specialists, and district leaders show their belief in the positive impact of their professional learning experiences.

• 100% of surveyed participants agreed or strongly agreed that BL sessions will help impact student outcomes
• 91% identified as very/extremely confident to implement concepts from sessions
• 86% wanted continued, ongoing professional learning supports

In their own words:

• “I LOVED THIS [student-centered math] SESSION – best PD session I have had in 5 years. I am so much more prepared to provide meaningful PD to drive mathematical practice to be more student-focused and higher quality.”  – Teacher, Ohio
  
• “The notion that we can take observable material that is germane to all disciplines and share those trends to quickly impact the work of teachers and students in a classroom is a powerful instructional tool.”  -Principal, Ohio

Teachers and administrators alike walked away with confidence in implementing new instructional strategies while the design of professional learning ensured district leaders and ESC Math Specialists were prepared to sustain growth—one of the program’s key objectives.

Students’ math achievement

Participating schools reported “the best math scores that [we] have had based on formative assessments (iReady, NWEA, STAR, and walkthrough rubrics)” through internal surveys. 

In 2025, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) released the Ohio School Report Cards, announcing that statewide math achievement has reached its highest level in five years—with an overall proficiency rate of 55.2%, up from 53% in 2022-23.

Seven out of eight tested grade levels showed improvement, with the strongest gains in high school mathematics. These results demonstrate that sustained, high-quality professional learning can drive meaningful improvements in student outcomes at scale.

District Success Stories

While the statewide outcomes offer a macro-overview of the impact of this partnership, looking at individual school districts offers a view into the on-the-ground impact of high-quality professional learning while rolling out wide-scale initiatives. 

The following two spotlights look at the impact of BetterLesson professional learning experiences in two partner districts: Cloverleaf Local School District and Perrysburg Exempted Village School District.

DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT #1

Cloverleaf Local School District

3 schools | 2,300 students | 140 teachers | 94% graduation rate

Located in southern Medina county, just west of Akron, Cloverleaf Local Schools has seen great success as a result of this partnership. This district, comprising three schools—an elementary, middle, and high school—completed four Learning Walks during the 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, members from their instructional leadership team (including a principal and district-level math specialist) both participated in leadership coaching. 

Data from Learning Walk surveys completed by teachers showed overwhelmingly positive experiences and high levels of confidence in implementing student-centered math instructional strategies. 

• 100% of teachers strongly agreed or agreed that “this professional learning experience will support me to positively impact student outcomes.”
• 100% of teachers indicated they were very or extremely confident “having the confidence to try what they learned in this workshop in their current role.”  
• 83% of teachers wanted access to additional professional learning support

Similarly, a principal in the district shared that the Learning Walks were “not just a ‘product’ but a framework that can be applied across all grade levels and contents.”

Student outcomes

Ohio’s 2025 School Report Cards show steady gains in math achievement at Cloverleaf Local Schools from the 2022-23 school year to the 2024-25 school year, including:

• 14.3 percentage point increase in Algebra 1 proficiency (from 60.8% → 75.1%)
• 13.8 percentage point increase in 7th grade math proficiency (from 71.3% → 85.1%)
• Overall 2.3 percentage point net gain across all grade levels (including 3rd through 8th grade math and high school subjects)

Cloverleaf students now demonstrate math proficiency rates 10-35 percentage points above state benchmarks across middle and high school grades, demonstrating an overall culture of math achievement that continues to grow.

DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT #2

Perrysburg Schools

8 schools | 5,500 students | 287 teachers | 97% graduation rate

Perrysburg Schools, located just outside of Toledo, is dedicated to “ensuring all students achieve their greatest potential.”

Rachel Newell, the District Level Math Coach, engaged in more coaching sessions than any other district partner in the program. She found the connection between her district’s Learning Walks and her coaching hours critical.

This anticipated impact on teachers was later validated through survey data on teachers’ experiences with student-centered math workshops:

• 100% of teachers strongly agreed or agreed that “this professional learning experience will support me to positively impact student outcomes.”
• 92% of teachers indicated that they were very or extremely confident “having the confidence to try what they learned in this workshop in their current role.” 
• 92% of teachers wanted access to additional professional learning supports.

Such high levels of engagement speaks to the impact of high-quality professional learning. When educators have access to meaningful learning experiences, they are more likely to feel confident implementing what they learned and they are more receptive to continued learning. This should be the goal of any professional learning program. 

Student outcomes

Ohio’s 2025 School Report Cards show steady gains in math achievement at Perrysburg Schools from the 2022-23 school year to the 2024-25 school year, including:

• 4.9 percentage point increase in 6th grade math proficiency (75.5% → 80.4%)
• 3.5 percentage point increase in 7th grade math proficiency (82.9% → 86.4%)
• Overall math proficiency rates ranged from 79% to 93% across all tested grades in 2025, significantly outperforming the Ohio state average of 55%.

Conclusion

This ambitious statewide partnership between BetterLesson, OESCA, and ESCCO asked an important question: Can we create a sustainable system for supporting student-centered math instruction across the 7th largest public education system in the United States?

The answer, proven through two years of measurable gains in both educator practice and student outcomes, is a resounding yes. But success required more than good intentions—it demanded a fundamental shift in how professional learning is delivered. By combining workshops, coaching, and Learning Walks into an integrated system, Ohio built something that extends far beyond a single initiative: a replicable model for driving instructional change at scale.

As other states grapple with similar challenges in math instruction, Ohio’s experience offers a clear blueprint: bold initiatives succeed when they’re implemented alongside multimodal, personalized, and ongoing professional learning experiences for both leaders and educators.