Skip to main content


Welcome, you are visiting NE Math

Nebraska Math
Nebraska Math aims to improve achievement for all students and narrow achievement gaps among at-risk populations by focusing on three key transition points along the mathematics continuum: the mathematics education of children in transition from kindergarten through early primary to grade 3; the algebra transition from middle to high school and the transition of new secondary math teachers from certification to the classroom.

The project is focused on four strategies; (i) Developing an active and mature partnership by linking mathematics teachers and school administrators from across Nebraska with university mathematicians and mathematics educators and early childhood educators; (ii) Strengthening the mathematical and pedagogical knowledge for teaching of participating teachers and their professional interactions with other teachers in their schools; (iii) Improving students' competence, beliefs and attitudes about mathematics, their appreciation of the importance of sustained effort, and their knowledge of mathematics; and (iv) Contributing to the research in mathematics education through a mixed methods research design.

Show Full Abstract

Project Contributions

Mathematical Creativity For The Youngest School Children: Kindergarten To Third Grade Teachers' Interpretations Of What It Is And How To Promote It
"Creativity is important for young children learning mathematics. However, much literature has claimed creativity in the learning of mathematics for young children is not adequately supported by teachers in the…
Connecting Teacher Professional Development and Student Mathematics Achievement: A 4-Year Study of an Elementary Mathematics Specialist Program
"The present study investigated the effects of Primarily Math , an inservice elementary mathematics specialist program. Primarily Math sought to augment the mathematical knowledge for teaching of kindergarten through third-grade…
Examining Change In K-3 Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs: The Case Of Primarily Math
"This study examines the impact of the Primarily Math Elementary Mathematics Specialist program on K-3 teachers' mathematical content knowledge for teaching, attitudes toward learning mathematics, and beliefs about mathematics teaching…
NebraskaMATH: Primarily Math
We share highlights of the impact of our K-3 Mathematics Specialist Program, Primarily Math, on teachers, students and districts across the state.
Elementary Teachers' Learning To Construct High-Quality Mathematics Lesson Plans
"This study explored a group of elementary teachers' (n=35) learning to construct high-quality lesson plans that foster student understanding of fundamental mathematical ideas. The conceptual framework for this study was…
NebraskaMATH Final Report
Posted by: Wendy Smith . Over the past six years, the $9.3 million NSF-funded NebraskaMATH grant has impacted more than 700 teacher leaders across the state. The "NebraskaMATH Final Report, published in 2015, showcases the…
Schoolhouse Teacher Educators: Structuring Beginning Teachers' Opportunities to Learn About Instruction
"While few would disagree that a key component of educating teachers to teach happens on the job, research rarely explores the schoolhouse as a site for teacher education. This study…
In Nebraska, University And School Districts Build Formula For Better Math Education
"NebraskaMATH and its partner initiatives have crafted a "wonderful partnership," said Joan Prival, program director for the MSP and Noyce programs at NSF. By linking the university and school districts,…
Developing Effective Mathematics Teachers through National Science Foundation Funded Math and Science Partnership Program Grants
"We sent out a call for articles to the 2012 Learning Network Conference participants following the conference, and a motivated, hard working group of authors, who double as leaders for…
Distributed Leadership: Key to Improving Primary Students' Mathematical Knowledge
Posted by: Wendy Smith . The purpose of this article is to present the findings of a quantitative study focused on primary mathematics teachers who participated in an intensive professional development program and then had…
Primarily Math: Success Stories
Posted by: Wendy Smith . This report presents success stories of Primarily Math, the K-3 Mathematics Specialist program that is part of NebraskaMATH. The report includes teacher stories and preliminary research results. Social network analyses…
Essential Elements for Building Community: The New Teacher Network
"This article describes our efforts to build a community of practice for new mathematics teachers across Nebraska. Grant funding allowed us to create a model to support teachers in their…
Report to Nebraska 12.2011
"Read about the recent highlights of the Primarily Math, Nebraska Algebra and New Teacher Network programs, as well as updates on teachers earning master's degrees, the online community, and associated…
NebraskaMATH - a 5-year, $9 million, Targeted Math Science Partnership designed to improve achievement in mathematics for all students and to narrow achievement gaps of at-risk populations.
Posted by: Michelle Homp . NebraskaMATH is a $9.2 million grant awarded in 2009 from the National Science Foundation that supports a partnership among UNL, the four largest school districts in Nebraska, and Nebraskas remaining…
NebraskaMATH: Primarily Math Research Design
NebraskaMATH: Primarily Math is a three-tiered initiative including a K-3 math specialist graduate certificate program; support for teachers as they return to the classroom as math coaches or classroom math…
NebraskaMATH School Staff Social Network Questionnaire
Posted by: James Spillane . The NebraskaMATH Survey focuses on sources of leadership for mathematics and language arts instructions in elementary schools. The survey asks questions about instructional practices, classroom strategies, beliefs and attitudes about…