When Candice McGann taught middle school math, she often found herself sitting at an uncomfortable cafeteria table, listening to someone present a PowerPoint on classroom management or student engagement. As a teacher, she knew that learning was more effective when it was active, and the ineffectiveness of their training was compounded by the fact that the Brockton Public Schools district didn’t have a math curriculum, resulting in disjointed classroom instruction.
Research has long shown that learning is more effective when it’s active, and McGann saw this firsthand in her district, where students’ math scores were consistently dropping. By 2021, only 12 percent of middle schoolers met or exceeded math expectations on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).
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In 2021, McGann became the middle school math and science curriculum coordinator, and one of the first things she did was adopt a core math curriculum for all middle schools. The rollout to teachers was active, with in-person professional learning that invited teachers to experience math content just as their students would.
The district also carved out daily common planning time, where every grade-level team would sit down together to discuss what students would learn, how they would be assessed, and how teachers could support all learners, including students with disabilities, underserved populations, and multilingual learners.
Teachers were initially skeptical, with some expressing concerns that their students wouldn’t work in groups or discuss math. However, when instructional coaches from the curriculum provider modeled lessons in front of their classes, teachers saw the potential of the new approach.
The coaches observed, modeled, and provided feedback, helping to build trust with the teachers. This allowed teachers to feel safe admitting what they didn’t know and trying new strategies, eventually seeing the value in shifting from being the “sage on the stage” to facilitators of learning.
The district added peer observations, where teachers would observe each other teaching and provide feedback. This feedback drove change, and McGann notes that it’s an essential part of the process.
When looking for a math curriculum, the district wanted to change not only what was taught but also how it was taught. Previously, teachers focused primarily on procedures, but the new approach balances procedural fluency with conceptual understanding and real-world applications.
This allows students to grasp the underlying principles and reasoning behind math concepts. However, McGann notes that even with this effective approach, teachers sometimes fall back into old routines, making accountability crucial.
Leaders in every middle school conduct regular learning walks, ensuring that teachers are teaching to the grade-level standards using the core curriculum. When support is needed, it’s provided, and McGann is constantly taking courses and adapting her coaching to meet teachers’ needs.
Over the last four years, the district has made significant improvements. From 2021 to 2025, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations in math on the MCAS increased from 12 percent to a higher percentage, although the exact figure isn’t specified.
This progress is particularly notable in a district like Brockton Public Schools, which serves over 15,000 students, with 72 percent being low-income, 34 percent being multilingual learners, and 53 percent identifying their first language as something other than English.
The district offers an interactive video streaming program to help students reengage with concepts and fill gaps in prior knowledge. This program has been particularly helpful in providing targeted remediation when certified teachers aren’t available, and the two schools that use it are also the top performers.
In fact, one school had a 440 percent increase in sixth-grade MCAS passing rates between 2021 and 2025. The program allows students to build their skills in a low-risk environment, alleviating math anxiety.
The district has also faced the hurdle of promoting the idea of productive struggle, which keeps students in the zone of learning where they feel challenged but not overwhelmed. When students work through problems that require effort, they build perseverance and flexible thinking.
To help teachers get more comfortable with this idea, the district has adopted teaching practices from Peter Liljedahl’s “Building Thinking Classrooms,” including giving thinking tasks and using vertical non-permanent surfaces like whiteboards and chalkboards.
By 2025, 93 percent of teachers were using the core curriculum, and there is now consistency in math across middle schools. Students can move from one school to another and pick up right where they left off, allowing for greater collaboration among teachers.
The district still has more to do, but the progress shows what’s possible when they believe in teachers and students and give them the resources they need to do their best work. As McGann notes, it’s been gratifying to see progress, especially when many other districts still haven’t caught up to where they were before the pandemic.
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