Promoting Systemic Coherence

What high-quality instructional materials in math look like in practice

High-quality instructional materials are a key part of a coherent system—they help ensure that what teachers teach is closely aligned with how they teach it, writes NSBA’s Jinghong Cai. Students, in turn, benefit from more consistent, grade-level, standards-aligned learning experiences across classrooms and schools, she explains. 

March 23, 2026

Math achievement is one of the strongest predictors of long-term student success—influencing graduation rates, college enrollment, career readiness, and future earnings. High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are among the most powerful levers school systems have to improve student math learning. As a cornerstone of systemic coherence, HQIM help align what educators teach with how they teach it. HQIM promote a coherent instructional system.

Research suggests that when teachers perceive their systems as coherent, they are less likely to modify lesson materials. In coherent instructional systems, teachers are not expected to teach in identical ways. Instead, they understand their students, share a clear vision of instructional goals, and use their professional expertise to deliver high-quality instruction aligned to those goals. Achieving this coherence requires clear, aligned, and consistent messages from all parts of the instructional system—from curriculum materials to professional learning and beyond (RAND, 2023). Such coherence is associated with greater teacher confidence, while incoherence often leads to frustration and anxiety.

What Is Systemic Coherence?

Systemic coherence refers to the extent to which a K-12 instructional system is aligned with student learning needs, state standards and assessment requirements, and preparation for postsecondary education, careers, and civic life. In a coherent system, districtwide guidance and supports—particularly curriculum materials and teacher professional development—send clear and consistent messages about instructional priorities and practices (RAND, 2023). This alignment helps ensure that coaches, teachers, and other instructional staff work toward shared goals and a common vision for teaching and learning.

Why Student Voice Is Critical to Building Systemic Coherence for Math Education

A nationally representative survey of students in grades 5–12 highlights a persistent challenge in math instruction: student disengagement. Nearly half of middle and high school students (49%) reported losing interest in math for half or more of their class time, and three-quarters (75%) said they lose interest at least some of the time (RAND, 2025). These findings tell us why school leaders should pay attention to what students say they want and need from their math learning experiences.

The survey points to two clear patterns. First, students who are most likely to stay engaged in math tend to understand the instructional material, feel supported by the material and their teachers, and have confidence in their ability to succeed. These students are more likely to enjoy math, believe it is worth learning, and see themselves as “math people.” Engagement, confidence, and comprehension reinforce one another.

Second, students who are most prone to disengagement report that they want fewer online activities and more real-world applications in their math classes. For these students, instruction that feels abstract or overly screen-based can further weaken interest and motivation.

Taken together, these insights have direct implications for building systemic coherence when selecting high-quality instructional materials. District leaders should ensure that math materials are engaging, comprehensible, and supportive, while also helping students build confidence in their ability to master the content. For students who struggle most, coherent systems should prioritize instructional approaches that connect math to real-world contexts and applications. Incorporating student voice into these decisions strengthens alignment between materials, instruction, and student needs.

Systemic Coherence Through Teachers’ Eyes

Teachers play a critical role in shaping students’ math learning trajectories. The national survey of middle and high school students found that 30% have never considered themselves a “math person.” Among students who do identify as math people, most formed that belief in elementary school—highlighting the outsized influence of elementary math teachers in cultivating positive attitudes toward mathematics.

To carry out this work effectively, teachers need a coherent instructional system to support them. Yet national survey data indicate that most teachers view their instructional systems as only moderately coherent (RAND, 2023). In practice, this means that while teachers understand what to teach and how to teach it based on state standards, they often receive confusing or conflicting signals across curriculum and instructional materials, assessments, teacher evaluations, professional development, and guidance for collaboration.

Survey findings help explain why teachers perceive this lack of coherence. Teachers most often reported that professional development, teacher evaluation, and summative assessments were either missing from their instructional systems or failed to provide meaningful instructional guidance. In addition, teachers perceived limited support for addressing diverse student needs, particularly for English language learners and students with disabilities.

Together, these findings suggest that when key components of the instructional system are misaligned or underdeveloped, teachers are left to navigate instructional decisions on their own. Strengthening coherence across curriculum, assessment, professional learning, and evaluation can provide teachers with clearer guidance, reduce instructional uncertainty, and better support effective math teaching for all students.

How Boards Can Use HQIM to Promote Systemic Coherence

School boards can advance systemic coherence by taking a deliberate, system-level approach to identifying and adopting HQIM. A critical first step is prioritizing dedicated funding for HQIM. To do so effectively, district leaders should assess existing gaps in instructional materials, establish clear quality criteria, and build broad local support. School boards can further streamline procurement by leveraging state-vetted lists or cost-effective contracts, while ensuring sustained teacher professional learning so that materials are well implemented.

When used coherently, HQIM should reinforce alignment with teacher evaluation systems and create shared structures that support teacher collaboration. In such systems, educators receive clear and consistent guidance on instructional priorities, enabling them to implement instruction with greater confidence. Students, in turn, benefit from more consistent, grade-level, standards-aligned learning experiences across classrooms and schools. By aligning curriculum materials, professional learning, evaluation practices, and instructional messaging, district and school leaders can use HQIM as a central mechanism to build and sustain systemic coherence.

Read the previous articles in this series on HQIM:

·       High-Quality Math Instructional Materials Boost Rural Schools https://www.nsba.org/resources/asbj/february-2026-high-quality-math-instructional-materials-boost-rural-schools

·       Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Math https://www.nsba.org/resources/asbj/asbj-august-2025/august-2025-research-defining-high-quality-instructional-materials-for-math

·       Vetting High-Quality Instructional Math Materials https://nsba.org/resources/asbj/october-2025-vetting-high-quality-instructional-math-materials