The Math Pact, High School

A schoolwide solution for students’ mathematics success!

Do you sometimes start to teach a mathematics concept and feel like you’re staring at a sea of bewildered faces? What happens when you discover students previously learned a calculation trick or a mnemonic that has muddied their long-term understanding? When "rules" seem to change from year to year, teacher to teacher, or school to school, mathematics can seem like a disconnected mystery for students. Clear up the confusion with a Mathematics Whole-School Agreement! 

Expanded from the highly popular "Rules that Expire" series of NCTM articles, this essential guide leads educators through the collaborative step-by-step process of establishing a coherent and consistent learner-centered and equitable approach to mathematics instruction. Through this work, you will identify, streamline, and become passionate about using clear and consistent mathematical language, notations, representations, rules, and generalizations within and across classrooms and grades. Importantly, you’ll learn to avoid "rules that expire"―tricks that may seem to help students in one grade but hurt in the long run. Features of this book include:

• Abundant grade-specific examples
• Effective working plans for sustainability
• Barrier-busting tips, to-dos, and try-it-outs
• Practical templates and checklists
• PLC prompts and discussion points

When teachers unite across grades, students hit the ground running every year. Take the next step together as a team and help all your students build on existing understanding to find new success and most importantly, love learning and doing mathematics! 

Barbara J. Dougherty is a former professor at the University of Hawai‘i where she was Director of the Curriculum Research & Development Group. Her research foci include determining ways to better support students who are struggling in mathematics and teaching algebra for understanding. She is the author or co-author of multiple publications including Assisting Students Struggling With Mathematics: Interventions in the Elementary grades and M^Power: A Pathway to Understanding Algebra. Barbara was the co-chair of the joint NCTM/CEC task force and on the writing team of the NCTM/CEC joint position statement on Teaching Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities. She has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator of National Science Foundation and U. S. Department of Education grants that have provided funding to develop intervention modules for middle and high school and progress monitoring tools. She holds current teaching certifications in middle and high mathematics, and K-12 special education.

Dr. Sarah B. Bush, a former middle school mathematics teacher, is a Professor of K–12 STEM Education and the Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair at the University of Central Florida. At the University of Central Florida, she is the Director of the Lockheed Martin/UCF Mathematics and Science Academy and is a program co-coordinator of the Mathematics Education PhD track. She teaches primarily graduate courses in mathematics education. She is a prolific writer who has authored 13 books and more than 100 journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Bush recently completed a term (2019–2022) as a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Board of Directors. She served as the lead writer and task force chair for NCTM’s Catalyzing Change in Middle School Mathematics: Initiating Critical Conversations. Dr. Bush was the recipient of the 2021 School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA) Award for Excellence in Integrating Science and Mathematics and 2018 recipient of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) Early Career Award. Dr. Bush seamlessly integrates her practical experience as a middle school mathematics teacher in public schools with her innovative scholarship to serve as an instructional leader in the field of mathematics education and STE(A)M education. Dr. Bush co-wrote the Simplifying STEM: Four Equitable Practices to Inspire Meaningful Learning: PreK-5 and 6-12 books published by Corwin in early 2024.

Karen S. Karp is a mathematics educator who focuses on the intersection of mathematics education and special education. She is a former professor at Johns Hopkins University and at the University of Louisville, where she is professor emerita. Early in her career, she received a Development Award from the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation to support more seamless integration between general education and special education. She is the author or co-author of numerous publications including Assisting Students Struggling With Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades and Elementary and Middle School Mathematics. Karen was on the writing team of the NCTM/CEC joint position statement on Teaching Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities. In 2024, she chaired the Topic Study Group on Teaching Mathematics to Students with Special Needs at the International Congress on Mathematical Education in Australia. She holds teaching/administrative certifications in elementary education, secondary mathematics, K–12 special education, and K–12 educational administration.