Beverly, the middle school math coordinator and supervisor at Calcasieu Parish School Board in Louisiana, realized that something in her district’s middle school math program needed to change. She had a vision: to create a culture where students think like mathematicians, and where teachers are empowered to lead cognitively rich learning experiences.

But the reality that stood before her looked very different:

The Early Struggles: Puzzle Pieces Without the Picture

• Low Baseline Proficiency: Only 31% of 6th–8th graders were meeting grade-level expectations—despite two years on the new Eureka Math Squared curriculum.
  
• Fragmented Support: The district had purchased 150 coaching days from a PD provider, yet implementation coaching was uneven. Some schools saw multiple visits and action, while others hardly saw a coach at all and nothing was aligned towards a common goal of high quality math instruction.
  
• Overlapping Initiatives: Between state-mandated PD rubrics, mandated 50-hour numeracy courses, and local PD days, teachers juggled scattered requirements—with little sense of how it all connected back to student outcomes.
  
• Lack of Shared Direction: Surveys and planning tools sat partially completed in shared folders, but there was no clear “north star” tying them together. Leaders and teachers often asked, “Which priorities are non-negotiable this year?”
  
• Inconsistent Buy-In: Some educators embraced rigorous tasks and discourse protocols; others felt overwhelmed by shifting expectations and returned to familiar lecture-and-worksheet routines.
  

“We had pockets of real energy,” Beverly recalls. “But without a shared vision and clear targets, that energy fizzled fast. Teachers told me, ‘I’m doing all these things, but I’m not sure it’s making a difference.’ ”

That sense of disconnect and overwhelm is exactly why the Make Math Moments District Improvement Program became the catalyst and structure for change—providing the “picture on the box” and a step-by-step plan to bring every puzzle piece into alignment.

Building a Shared Vision from the Ground Up

In partnership with Make Math Moments, Beverly and the district’s math team co-created a shared vision for middle school mathematics—one that was teacher-informed and student-centered:

“Calcasieu Parish Middle Schools are committed to developing students into creative problem solvers and mathematical thinkers by equipping teachers with tools to lead cognitively rich learning experiences.”

This vision didn’t stay on paper. It was shared during professional learning days, embedded into coaching, and communicated to curriculum providers. It became the foundation for all district math decisions.

From Vision to Measurable Action

Working through the District Improvement Program’s structured planning tools, Calcasieu moved from general hopes to specific, measurable objectives.

Together, they developed key results to track growth in three priority areas:

• Wait Time: Helping students build stamina and resilience by creating space for thinking.
• Discourse: Encouraging productive math talk and peer-to-peer explanation.
• Conceptual Proficiency: Strengthening teacher and student understanding of math concepts.
  

Over 100 teachers completed baseline surveys to help establish where things stood, and this data was used to tailor coaching and PD to teacher needs.

Coaching That Reaches Teachers Where They Are

One of the most impactful shifts? Coaching that aligned with the vision and reached into classrooms.

“We planted seeds,” Beverly said. “We told our math leads, ‘We will be working together this year.’ That message is spreading.”

Eight schools received over 30 coaching days from curriculum coaches. For schools without direct support, Beverly focused her efforts there, ensuring no school was left behind.

Coaching wasn’t about compliance—it was about conversation, growth, and trust. Teachers were supported without judgment, and a new role for Beverly emerged: partner and guide, not evaluator.

Empowering Leaders, Elevating Instruction

Principals and instructional leaders were brought into the fold through aligned training and communications. A professional book study on The Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions gave leaders common language and strategies to champion effective instruction.

Even state-mandated changes—like Louisiana’s 50-hour numeracy course requirement—became opportunities. Teachers engaged meaningfully in the learning, and the district aligned their internal goals to complement the state’s direction.

Results That Speak for Themselves

By the end of the 2024–2025 school year, Calcasieu Parish saw a 6-point increase in middle school math proficiency—rising from 32% to 38% across grades 6, 7, and 8.

That may seem like a modest bump at first glance—but in the world of large-scale education, it’s a significant achievement. A 6-point gain represents nearly 1 in 5 more students reaching grade-level proficiency—translating to hundreds more students meeting grade-level expectations in math in just one year.

This kind of growth is rare, especially in systems serving multiple schools with varied needs. Many districts consider a 2–3 point increase a strong year. For Calcasieu, this 6-point shift wasn’t luck—it was the result of deliberate action.

The district had:

• Aligned around a shared vision co-created with educators;
• Gathered baseline data from over 100 teachers to focus PD on what mattered most—wait time, productive struggle, and discourse;
• Coordinated coaching across schools, while ensuring schools outside of that network also had targeted support;
• Engaged educators in a required 50-hour numeracy course, and aligned district goals to complement that mandate.
  

“Still lots of work to do, but that bump is very motivating,” Beverly reflected during an end-of-year planning session. “Thank you for helping us narrow our focus in math professional learning.”

More than a statistic, this was proof that when systems clarify their goals, invest in teacher growth, and prioritize coherence, student learning improves—and the momentum builds.

What’s Next for Calcasieu?

As they enter the 2025–2026 school year, Calcasieu Parish is:

• Leveraging PLCs to internalize curriculum and plan for student thinking;
• Growing leadership capacity through continued book study and coaching;
• Deepening focus on productive struggle and mathematical discourse;
• Supporting administrators in recognizing and championing strong math instruction.
  

The work is far from over—but the foundation is strong.

“We know what we need to do now. The vision is clear. The momentum is real.”

Inspired by Calcasieu’s Story?

If you’re a district leader ready to bring coherence, clarity, and results to your math program, the Make Math Moments District Improvement Program can help.

📩 Book a call with our team to explore how we can support your vision for math success.