ASSISTments Receives Grant to Advance Equitable Math Outcomes in Middle Schools

Worcester, MA – October 15, 2024 – The ASSISTments Foundation (TAF) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $250,000 grant from NewSchools Venture Fund. This grant will support the launch of “ASSISTments Powered”, an initiative to help schools implement high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) to support equitable math gains across  students with varying academic levels.

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ASSISTments is already a proven solution in the field of education technology, with two large-scale randomized controlled trials demonstrating significant improvements in math achievement in both the short and long-term, with the strongest gains for students experiencing poverty and students of color. The platform enhances every problem in the teacher’s math curriculum with immediate feedback and support for students and actionable data for teachers, helping accelerate learning, particularly for students who need more support.

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With this grant, ASSISTments will pilot and scale “ASSISTments Powered,” an initiative focused on implementing ASSISTments as a district-wide solution for powering high quality core math curriculum. ASSISTments Powered will advance equitable outcomes in math by providing data and professional services alongside teacher-use of ASSISTments, to ensure strong and consistent assessment practices coherent with the core curriculum.  

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“Our vision is for every student to be seen, supported, and successful in math class,” said Britt Neuhaus, Co-Executive Director of The ASSISTments Foundation. “This NewSchools grant allows us to expand our work by piloting a model that levels-up the impact of ASSISTments by providing a more comprehensive set of resources and support at every level of the system. We are committed to making ASSISTments forever free for teachers while providing low-cost, scalable solutions for districts to implement HQIM.”

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As part of the grant, ASSISTments will pilot the initiative in diverse school districts, helping teachers effectively engage students with rigorous, grade-level math content. This will lay the groundwork for future partnerships under the “ASSISTments Powered” model, including deeper collaboration with curriculum providers to support differentiated, engaging learning experiences.

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Research supports the need for this initiative. Studies have found that access to grade-level tasks can accelerate learning for students with unfinished learning (TNTP, 2018). However, many teachers, especially those in high-poverty schools, report challenges using these materials, with nearly three in ten teachers finding them too difficult for the majority of their students (Rand, 2023). The “ASSISTments Powered” initiative seeks to address these challenges by equipping teachers with the tools and data they need to support every student, regardless of academic background. 

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The $250,000 NewSchools grant marks an important milestone in ASSISTments’ journey toward scaling its impact and empowering teachers to deliver equitable, evidence-based instruction.

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About ASSISTments

The ASSISTments Foundation (TAF) is a non-profit organization founded in 2019. TAF is committed to transforming math education through evidence-based innovations, and strives to create equitable learning opportunities that empower students to excel in mathematics. TAF aspires to expand the reach and impact of ASSISTments in classrooms across the nation, driven by the belief that every student deserves to be seen, supported, and successful in math class. Additionally, TAF collaborates with WPI to conduct groundbreaking research in the field of learning sciences. For more information about the ASSISTments Foundation and its innovative digital math practice and assessment platform, please visit www.assistments.org.

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About NewSchools

NewSchools Venture Fund is a venture philanthropy committed to building a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. We bridge the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of education. Learn more at newschools.org.   

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