Home
About the Math Ready Project
Math Ready: Supporting Early Number Sense (M-SENS) is a federally funded research project led by the Center on Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of Oregon. The project aims to help young learners build essential skills in mathematics and positive classroom behavior—two foundations for lifelong academic success.
Funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program, Math Ready is a five-year study (2023–2027) designed to develop, refine, and test an innovative kindergarten curriculum called ROOTS RISE.
What is ROOTS RISE?
ROOTS RISE is a 50-lesson, whole class, research-based program that combines:
- Evidence-based mathematics instruction focused on early number sense (adapted from the proven ROOTS math intervention), and
- Whole-class positive behavior supports that help students stay engaged, work cooperatively, and learn successfully together.
Each 20-minute lesson integrates math and behavior supports into a single instructional routine, giving teachers tools to reinforce both academic and social-behavioral skills without losing instructional time.
Inside the Program
Each ROOTS RISE lesson follows a systematic structure that includes:
- Explicit math instruction on foundational whole-number concepts
- Collaborative practice using concrete and visual math models
- Positive behavior supports, including clear expectations, consistent routines, class-wide behavior goals and acknowledgment strategies
- Home connection materials that extend learning beyond the classroom
Lessons align with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and are designed to strengthen Tier 1 instruction within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.
Why It Matters
Early mathematics skills are powerful predictors of later academic achievement. Yet, many students—particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds—enter kindergarten without the foundational number sense needed to succeed.
At the same time, kindergarten teachers report increasing rates of challenging behaviors that disrupt learning and limit instructional time. Math Ready addresses these dual challenges by helping teachers deliver instruction that is:
- Equitable – ensuring every child has access to high-quality math instruction;
- Efficient – embedding behavior supports directly into teaching; and
- Evidence-based – grounded in decades of research on early number learning, effective instructional practices, and whole-class positive behavior supports
ROOTS RISE gave my students such a strong start to number sense and helped our class routines run more smoothly.
I absolutely loved this program and thought it was so beneficial for my students. They already have such a deeper understanding of numbers 0–10.
Partner with Us
We are currently seeking school and district partners for the 2026–27 school year to participate in the next phase of implementation.
Participating teachers receive:
- Free professional development and coaching
- ROOTS RISE classroom materials – yours to keep after the study ends
- Ongoing implementation support
- A teacher stipend for participation