Story by Sarah Salmons

Proficiency in algebra is a gateway to future academic opportunities. But for middle school students who struggle with math, those opportunities can feel out of reach.  

For the past eight years, researchers at the University of Missouri, the University of Texas at Austin and Southern Methodist University have been working to change that. 

Through Project STAIR — Supporting Teaching of Algebra: Individual Readiness — the team of researchers led by Dr. Erica Lembke, professor in special education and associate dean for research at the College of Education & Human Development at the University of Missouri, has partnered with educators across the country to help students with mathematics difficulties build the foundational skills they need to succeed in algebra and beyond. 

Supported by more than $4.6 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the project has focused on improving mathematics outcomes for middle school students while providing teachers with practical, evidence-based instructional strategies. 

“Middle school mathematics serves as a critical foundation for future learning,” Lembke explained. “When students struggle during these years, it can affect their confidence, academic progress and future opportunities.” 

Lembke teamed up with co-principal investigators Dr. Sarah Powell from the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Leanne Ketterlin-Geller from Southern Methodist University, as well as statistician Dr. Wolfgang Wiedermann and project coordinator Dr. Stephanie Hopkins from the University of Missouri.  

Their work began in 2018 with an OSEP-funded Model Demonstration Project designed to advance effective practices for supporting algebra readiness. Building on those findings, the team launched a second study in 2022 focused on helping students recover from the significant learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Together, the projects reached more than 209 middle school teachers and 484 students across five states. 

The research team worked directly with educators to strengthen instruction already taking place. Teachers learned how to use data-based decision making, formative assessment and evidence-based mathematics practices to identify student needs and adjust instruction in real time. 

“Our goal has been to give teachers effective tools they can use to help students succeed,” Lembke said. 

To ensure teachers can continue benefiting from the project’s findings, the team recently launched Project STAIR 2.0, a free online resource hub that houses the materials developed throughout the research. The site includes teacher guides, intervention resources and more than 100 short instructional videos highlighting evidence-based strategies that educators can immediately implement in their classrooms. 

The goal is to make effective mathematics instruction accessible to more teachers and help more students develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed. 

For more information about this resource, visit stairmath.com, check out the Project Stair YouTube channel or follow on the Project Stair Instagram.