Interviewees most frequently cited the absence of coaching and professional learning support after initial installation as the source of implementation variation¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · qualitative r2–r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Budget cuts that eliminated building-level math coaching positions concentrated instructional change management in one curriculum coordinator in Sycamore. → Hannan 2026 q2 i? In Birch, coaching positions existed on paper but functional barriers—teachers refusing coaching and a principal not seeing herself as an instructional leader—limited their impact four years into adoption. → Hannan 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Hannan 2026¶

Hannan, M., Rainier, S., & Perry, R. (2026). Beyond curriculum adoption: What district leaders are saying about using Illustrative Mathematics. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED681318

q2 · i? · qualitative · r2

Spotlight interview with Sycamore's curriculum coordinator describing how elimination of building-level math coach positions at the end of the 2023–24 school year left one person carrying most instructional support for IM implementation.

"“I would say 95 percent of it is now me. I used to have a math coac h at each building that would help me. I lost them last year … due to budget cuts,” they reported."

Hannan 2026 (2)¶

Hannan, M., Rainier, S., & Perry, R. (2026). Beyond curriculum adoption: What district leaders are saying about using Illustrative Mathematics. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED681318

q2 · i? · qualitative · r3

Spotlight interview finding: Birch's coaching roles existed but were limited by teacher refusal and weak instructional leadership; the district director and superintendent were working to shift these dynamics.

"Four years into IM adoption, the Birch interviewee described middle school teachers refusing instructional coaching and a building principal who struggled to see herself as an instructional leader."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• District leaders use learning walks and ongoing professional learning to reinforce clear, consistent expectations for curriculum use over time — related
• Most participating LEAs employ instructional coaches and program coordinators positioned to influence English Learner program design, but these roles are vulnerable to funding cuts — related
• Districts use multiple forms of data—learning walks, state assessment items, dashboards, and diagnostics—to give teachers feedback and refine IM implementation over time — related
• District leaders must take an active role in removing barriers and fostering a supportive culture for coaching programs to succeed — related
• California ECE funding suffered over $1 billion in recession-era cuts, eliminating roughly 25% of child care slots between 2008 and 2013, and funding remains below pre-recession levels — related