This post was updated on May 10th to reflect more accurate information on Boaler’s assessment criteria for studies, the correct position of Paul Clopton, and diction choices.

Prologue 

For decades, American schools relied on reading programs influenced by educators Marie Clay and Lucy Calkins. Clay’s Reading Recovery program encouraged children to use pictures, context, and guessing strategies, known as three-cueing, rather than decoding words through phonics. Calkins emphasized the idea that reading is a natural process that develops through exposure to books instead of through systematic instruction in phonics.

However, extensive research in cognitive science and literacy show that phonics is a critical to effective reading instruction. Despite this evidence, programs based on Clay’s and Calkins’ ideas became widespread. Because of overwhelming opposition in recent years, school districts and states as a whole are shifting back toward phonics-based instruction aligned with the “science of reading,”.

A similar debate is now emerging in math education. Jo Boaler, a Stanford University professor and researcher, has promoted a reform-based approach to teaching math focused on conceptual understanding and growth mindset. While some educators support her philosophy, others have raised concerns about its effectiveness and the lack of support for certain aspects of her methods. Nonetheless, some districts, including Corvallis, have adopted her approach. This has led to ongoing discussion about the best strategies for improving student outcomes in mathematics.

Jo Boaler

Jo Boaler is a prominent figure in the field of mathematics education. She is often associated with the “whole-child” approach to learning math. While she did not originate this philosophy, she has become one of its most visible advocates. Similar to how Lucy Calkins became a leading voice for a particular style of reading instruction, Boaler has used her position at Stanford University to promote her educational theories, particularly through her organization, YouCubed.

YouCubed is a Stanford-affiliated initiative that provides math teaching resources rooted in Boaler’s philosophy. Many school districts that adopt YouCubed materials are aligning with her approach to math education.

Boaler’s approach is part of a broader debate often referred to as the “math wars.” This debate mirrors the earlier “reading wars,” with two main camps. One group supports a structured, skills-based model that emphasizes direct instruction, practice, and fluency. The other group emphasizes open-ended problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and critical thinking from the start. Boaler argues that foundational skills can be developed through meaningful exploration and real-world application rather than rote memorization.

Boaler first gained attention with her “Railside” study, where she claimed that her project-based, “whole-child” math approach led to great student success at a California high school (using the pseudonym “Railside”). However, a fellow Stanford professor and a research scientist, James Milgram and Paul Clopton, dug into the study’s claims. Through public data, they identified the actual schools involved and found serious problems. While Boaler had claimed the schools were academically equivalent at the start, their research proved otherwise. Also, the students who went through her Railside program ended up needing remedial math in college at more than double the rate of students at the comparison schools. The investigation found that 61% of Boaler’s railside students needed remedial math in college compared to 37% for the state average (Bishop, Clopton, & Milgram, 2012). 

When confronted, Boaler didn’t meaningfully address the flaws in her work. Instead, she accused her critics of harassment, sexism, and even racism, despite the fact that her own research had disproportionately harmed minority students by failing to prepare them for college-level math (Railside was an ethnically diverse, urban high school). She filed complaints against her colleagues, threatened lawsuits, and even called the FBI, claiming violations of student privacy (Ting, 2022). None of which held up. There is an element of higher education research where universities grant their professors a lot of leeway under broad principles of academic freedom. Because of this, Stanford has not addressed concerns even as credible accusations about research misconduct went unanswered.

Boaler’s ideas only gained more traction in California in the years that followed. She became a leading voice behind the controversial California Math Framework which helped to shape standards that de-emphasize early mastery of algebra and promote “de-tracking”  (putting students of all math skill levels into the same classes) (Loveless, 2023). Her evidence for these policies? Another flawed study where she handpicked students, gave them extensive summer interventions at Stanford (including math self-esteem exercises), and then measured vague outcomes. She had no control group, an external assessment which merely asked them 4 math questions before and after the group (the same questions both times), and no independent verification. Nevertheless, she declared it a success, and districts across California (and now Corvallis) embraced it.

In recent years, Boaler has tried to rename her ideas in the language of “cognitive science,”. However, her use of the research is often contested. Multiple experts have raised concerns about her mischaracterization of how children actually learn math (Lee 2023). Meanwhile, she continues to avoid these claims by leaning heavily into identity politics. Most infamously when she claimed that she filed a police report against Dr. Jelani Nelson, a Black computer scientist professor who criticized her publicly. Instead of addressing Nelson’s legitimate concerns about her research and policy work, Boaler responded by threatening law enforcement. For context, Dr. Nelson criticized that Boaler’s California Math Framework, so focused on equity, included no black authors. He also called out Boaler’s $5000 an hour math equity consulting services for majority minority economically disadvantaged school districts during Covid-19 (Salamy, 2022). 

Boaler’s influence continues to shape math education far beyond California. Districts nationwide have adopted approaches that delay Algebra I and promote mixed-ability classrooms. While intended to increase equity, critics argue these policies limit access to advanced coursework. Often for low-income and minority students who often rely on schools to provide accelerated opportunities. Concerns remain that Boaler’s methods prioritize ideology over evidence and that she relies on studies with significant methodological flaws. As the “math wars” rage on,, Boaler’s legacy, like Lucy Calkins’ in reading, raises important questions about how educational reforms gain traction and how their real-world impacts are measured.

Boaler’s Ideas Come to Corvallis

Boaler’s ideas have now made their way into Corvallis. In 2021, the Corvallis School District announced major changes to secondary math pathways, adopting an “equity-based” approach that closely mirrors the detracking efforts first launched by San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) in 2014. The district’s then Secondary Schools Coordinator, Nikki McFarland, explained at the time, “This work is happening in Oregon, the other big place that’s happening, and where there is also a lot of pushback, is in California. If you’re involved in public education, you know New York, California, and Texas often drive the direction for education. San Francisco Unified did detracking — they’re really detracking in math — they’re a very large school system, and there’s a lot of data out of that system showing that detracking serves kids better on both ends. In addition, for smaller data sets, we went to Stanford and we heard about these summer camps that were offered by Jo Boaler, where they had students that were struggling in math and high achieving in math, and all groups showed big gains on their standardized measure of student achievement. That was interesting to see — that’s a much smaller data set, but again, the larger data sets out of California are from some of the larger school districts like San Francisco(McFarland, 2021)”.

“San Francisco Unified did detracking — they’re really detracking in math — they’re a very large school system, and there’s a lot of data out of that system showing that detracking serves kids better on both ends.”

Nikki McFarland, Secondary Schools Coordinator, December 2021

However, more recent research has cast serious doubt on the claims made about SFUSD’s success. Although early reports suggested that detracking reduced Algebra I repeat rates and increased enrollment in advanced courses, follow-up studies have shown that overall math achievement stagnated and that achievement gaps, particularly between White and Black or Hispanic students, actually widened (Loveless, 2020). In fact, a 2023 Stanford study found that students’ math scores on standardized tests declined relative to peers in other districts after SFUSD delayed Algebra I until ninth grade (Hechinger Report, 2023). This undermines the narrative that detracking broadly improves outcomes for all students. Last school year, the San Fransisco school district began to reintroduce tracking and Algebra 1 in middle school for the 24/25 school year (SFUSD, 2024).

The smaller “summer camp” studies Boaler promoted also face concerns over their  methodology. Her Stanford-based interventions involved small, hand-picked groups of students who received intensive support which included “math mindset” training. Researchers have pointed out that without control groups, randomized selection, or external verification, it is impossible to conclude that these interventions were responsible for the gains or that similar results would occur in typical classroom settings.

While Boaler’s methods have many critics,  others contend that by questioning conventional teaching strategies, she prepares students for problem-solving in the real world and fosters deeper engagement and critical thinking. Supporters of Boaler say that while the enactment of these reforms can be difficult, they can also have long-term advantages by developing abilities beyond what was taught prior.  

Results (so far) in Corvallis

Like San Francisco, these changes have led to a community firestorm. The Oregon Department of Education publishes a school district profile every year. In the 2014-15 ODE Assessment report, 62.1% of 8th grade students met or exceeded mathematics standards. Additionally, 52.5% of 11th grade students (the high school state testing group) met or exceeded mathematics standards according to the Oregon Department of Education (Oregon Department of Education, 2014). According to the 24/25 budget document, which includes school proficiency rates, the percent of 6th-8th grade students meeting or exceeding mathematics standards is 39.5% (Corvallis School District Budget, 2024). ODE reports that Corvallis Juniors are 26.5% proficient in math (Oregon Department of Education, 2024). Now there is one issue with the high school data: 34% opt out of taking the test. Since the state’s technical advisory committee recommends at least 80% participation for valid results (Miller, 2024), the true math proficiency rate is difficult to pinpoint. If the other 34% were all proficient, the total proficiency would be 51.3%. If 75% of the opt-outers were proficient the total rate would be 42.9%. Finally, if 50% of the opt-outers were proficient, the total rate would be 34%. All of these rates are lower than before de-tracking was implemented. 

From an elementary perspective, Bridges in Mathematics may be contributing to these declines in proficiency. While Bridges focuses on visual models and conceptual understanding, cognitive science research suggests that more direct and systematic methods, such as rote memorization, retrieval practice, and pattern recognition, are key for mastering foundational math skills like multiplication tables. The lack of emphasis on these methods in Bridges may hinder students’ ability to gain fluency with basic math concepts early on. Questions arise on the long term impacts of these changes in middle and high instructions. Given the significant drop in proficiency rates since the implementation of these changes, it’s possible that the current methodology might not be meeting the needs of students in Corvallis (Ruitenburg, Camp, Kirschner, & Jarodzka, 2022; Rycroft-Smith, 2016; Das, 2023).

While many districts have seen declines in math proficiency over the past decade, Corvallis stands out for one particularly alarming reason: we are the only district in the region that has flipped from improving to declining performance as students move from elementary to middle school. In 2014–15, Corvallis was an outlier in a good way: math proficiency increased by 5.4 percentage points between grades 3–5 and 6–8. That upward trend suggested that our elementary schools were laying a solid foundation for later success. But by 2023–24, this pattern had completely reversed: students are now losing ground as they move into middle school, with proficiency dropping 4.1 points between elementary and middle grades (a 9.5% swing from 2014/15). None of the Corvallis School District official comparator districts saw this kind of shift. Sherwood, Lake Oswego, Greater Albany, Redmond, West Linn-Wilsonville, Lincoln County, Oregon City, McMinnville and Lebanon all showed consistent declines between grade bands across both data sets. Only Corvallis saw its trend flip entirely: from positive to negative. That suggests something unique is happening here (beyond Covid-19 learning loss).

This reversal may be more than a statistical phenomenon. It could reflect foundational issues in how math is being taught in the early grades. In recent years, Corvallis has adopted methods aligned with Jo Boaler’s approach, including curriculum like Bridges, which deemphasizes traditional arithmetic fluency in favor of open-ended, exploratory problem-solving. While the intent is to make math more engaging and inclusive, little is known if those goals have been reached. Without strong, automatic command of basic operations, students often hit a wall in middle school (where math becomes more abstract and cumulative). The fact that Corvallis students once gained proficiency as they progressed, but now lose it, suggests that something has changed in the way we prepare them. If we want to fix middle school math, we may need to start by restoring the foundations in elementary school.

Covid Loss?

The drops in proficiency cannot be completely blamed on the pandemic. Between 2014/15 and 2018/19, Corvallis School District saw a clear decline in math proficiency across nearly every grade:

5th grade from 55.2% to 46.5%

6ht grade from 57% to 48.2%

7th grade from 61.2% to 51.3%

8th grade from 62.1% to 49.7%

This contrasts sharply with CSD-approved comparative districts like Sherwood, Oregon City, McMinnville, and Lake Oswego, which actually improved during that same time period. For example, Sherwood’s 8th grade proficiency rose from 67.7% to 72.5%, McMinnville’s 6th grade proficiency ballooned from 37.2% to 55.4%, and Lake Oswego’s 6th grade jumped from 65.9% to 75.5%. These trends suggest that Corvallis’s earlier declines are not attributable to the pandemic, but rather to internal policy choices which deemphasize traditional methods like rote memorization. Blaming COVID-19 for Corvallis’s decline is therefore misleading and avoids accountability for curricular decisions made years prior. In fact, the percentage decline from 2014/15 to 2018/19 is greater than the decline from 2018/19 to 2023/24. 

Corvallis’ Future

Corvallis School District’s Future for Math

The Crescent Crier has confirmed that delaying Algebra 1 until 9th grade is not currently on the district’s agenda. However, the Corvallis School District has made similar assurances in the past, only to later reverse course. In 2021, 29 families received a written promise from Superintendent Ryan Noss that no middle school math changes would occur for at least a year—yet just two months later, the district announced changes contradicting that statement (Mann 2021).

Even if the district keeps its current promises, recent shifts effectively block students from reaching AP Calculus BC. Previously, students could take Geometry in 8th grade. Now, Algebra 1 is the only accelerated option, leading to this accelerated sequence:

9th: Geometry + Data Science

10th: Algebra 2

11th: Precalculus, AP Precalculus, or AP Stats

12th: AP Calculus AB, AP Stats or Differential Calculus

Skipping a year or taking summer courses is discouraged by the Corvallis School District, limiting access to AP Calculus BC. One student noted it was easier to accelerate in middle school, where foundational courses were condensed.

While the district cites low forecasting interest in AP Calculus BC, students suggest otherwise. Junior Harper Hamblin shared that she was encouraged to take BC last year because it might be her last chance. This led to many juniors taking AP Calculus BC this year when they had planned to take it their senior year. Upon investigation it seems students weren’t barred from the class, but are warned it is likely to not be offered (as a high school course) even if they forecast for it for the 25/26 school year. This is an impression supported by a district-wide email (sent after community concerns over math curriculum) that omitted AP Calculus BC from the list of continuing classes. An October 2023 math pathways draft also excluded it.

Though AP Calculus BC remains in the course catalog, current pathways make it nearly unreachable. Junior Patrick Hower noted that middle school restrictions and the removal of Honors Precalculus, once a key prep class, make BC “next to impossible.” He also stated that students feel misled by its inclusion in the course catalog. 

Further confusion arises because the district lists AP Calculus AB as a prerequisite for BC, even though the College Board states that AB and BC are separate courses and AB is not required to take BC. In fact, BC covers much of the AB content. The addition of AP Pre Calculus and removal of Honors Pre Calculus has caused a stir. It has led to questions on if it presents the same learning and pathway. A math tutoring organization Blue Tent lists them as follows: 

“Honors Precalculus: This class is for students who want a deep understanding of Algebra 2 and Trigonometry, and their applications in Calculus

AP Precalculus: this class is designed for students who would like to finish their high school mathematics instruction with AP Precalculus.”

It’s likely that a junior who has taken AP Precalculus would be well positioned to take AP Calculus AB.

For elementary math, the Corvallis School District has not publicly announced any formal plans to reevaluate or conduct a follow-up study on the effectiveness of the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum. However, the district’s curriculum adoption process includes periodic reviews aligned with the state’s recommended adoption cycle. These reviews are conducted by the Student Growth and Experience Department leadership, principals, and teacher leaders, with input from classroom teachers and the general public according to the Corvallis School District website. 

Conclusion

In Corvallis, student math proficiency has declined in recent years. Whether coincidentally or not, this has occurred during the same period that Boaler-style reforms were introduced. Boaler’s supporters say these methods emphasize the value of conceptual understanding and real-world application. Still, concerns remain about whether students are gaining the foundational skills they need.

As the district continues to evaluate its approach, it may be worth examining the evidence behind current practices and considering a range of perspectives. The goal should be to ensure all students have access to effective instruction that prepares them for future success.

Sources

Bishop, W., Clopton, P., & Milgram, R. J. (2012). A close examination of Jo Boaler’s Railside report. Nonpartisan Education Review, 8(1). Retrieved from https://nonpartisaneducation.org/Review/Articles/v8n1.pdf

Blue Tent. (n.d.). Precalculus. Blue Tent Online. Retrieved from https://www.bluetentonline.com/precalculus

College Board. (2023). AP Calculus AB and BC: Course and exam description (V.1). Retrieved from https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-calculus-ab-and-bc-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Corvallis School District 509J. (2024). 2024–25 CSD509J adopted budget. Corvallis School District 509J. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RJVxPgLmt4fuEPZgS_eyVxexdLh3E0g_/view

Das, S. (2023). Multiplication table learning through music and rhythm and its effect on two-digit multiplications and divisions in elementary stage. Journal of Teacher Education and Research, 18(2), 9–11. https://doi.org/10.36268/JTER/18203

Education Next. (2023, March 27). California’s New Math Framework Doesn’t Add Up. Education Next. Retrieved from https://www.educationnext.org/californias-new-math-framework-doesnt-add-up/

Hechinger Report. (2023, June 12). California’s Delayed Algebra I Policy May Be Hurting Students. Hechinger Report. Retrieved from https://www.hechingerreport.org

Lee, S. M. (2023, March 22). The divider: Jo Boaler of Stanford is leading the math-instruction revolution. Critics say her claims don’t always add up. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-divide

Loveless, T. (2020, March 29). San Francisco’s detracking experiment: Course enrollments are a means to an end—student learning—not an end unto themselves. Education Next. Retrieved from https://www.educationnext.org/san-franciscos-detracking-experiment/

Loveless, T. (2023). California’s new math framework doesn’t add up: It would place Golden State 6th graders years behind the rest of the world—and could eventually skew education in the rest of the U.S., too. Education Next, 23(4), 36–42. Retrieved from https://www.educationnext.org/californias-new-math-framework-doesnt-add-up/

Mann, J. (2021, December 12). Corvallis schools changed the way math is taught; not everyone is happy about it. Mid-Valley Media. Retrieved from https://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/education/corvallis-schools-changed-the-way-math-is-taught-not-everyone-is-happy-about-it/article_5f94ea7c-5b64-11ec-9c02-4fc014cfa1a2.html

Miller, E. (2024, May 7). Class of 2025 faces final state tests, highlighting Oregon’s troubled relationship with standardized exams. Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved May 3, 2025, from https://www.opb.org/article/2024/05/07/class-of-2025-project-state-testing-math-education-english-students-high-middle-elementary-oregon/

Milgram, R. J. (2012, December 7). Milgram on Boaler: Private data—the real story: A huge problem with education research. Nonpartisan Education Review, 8(5). Retrieved from https://www.nonpartisaneducation.org/Review/Essays/v8n5.htm

McFarland, N. (2021). Corvallis School District’s New Math Pathways and Equity-Based Approach. Corvallis School Board Meeting.

Nonpartisan Education Review. (2023, May 19). The Flaws in Boaler’s Math Camps and Their Impact on District-wide Curriculum Changes. Retrieved from https://www.nonpartisaneducation.org/Review/Essays/v8n5.htm#cite-bcm

Oregon Department of Education. (2014). 2014-15 Assessment Results. Retrieved from https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/pages/assessment-results.aspx

Oregon Department of Education. (2024). 2023–24 district-level mathematics assessment results. Oregon Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Documents/TestResults2324/pagr_Districts_MATH_2324.xlsx

Rycroft-Smith, L. (2016, November). Learning and assessing times tables (Espresso Issue 1). Cambridge Mathematics. Retrieved from https://www.cambridgemaths.org/Images/espresso_1_learning_and_assessing_times_tables.pdf

Ruitenburg, S. K., Camp, G., Kirschner, P. A., & Jarodzka, H. M. (2022). The effect of worked examples and retrieval practice on primary school students’ mathematical problem-solving performance. Open Universiteit. Retrieved from https://research.ou.nl/en/publications/the-effect-of-worked-examples-and-retrieval-practice-on-primary-s-2

Salamy, E. (2022, May 6). Consultant charging $5,000 an hour to lower educational standards, says watchdog group. KATV. https://katv.com/news/nation-world/education-consultant-charged-5000-an-hour-in-ca-says-watchdog-group-new-math-oxnard-school-district-jo-boaler-stanford-california-public-schools

San Francisco Unified School District. (2024, March 15). SFUSD announces pilot schools for Algebra I in 8th grade in 2024–25. Retrieved May 3, 2025, from https://www.sfusd.edu/about-us/news/press-releases/sfusd-announces-pilot-schools-algebra-i-8th-grade-2024-25

Stanford Chronicle. (2023, August 22). Jo Boaler’s Use of Cognitive Science: A Closer Look. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-divider

Ting, E. (2022, April 7). Stanford professor branded ‘Professor Karen’ over email to Black UC Berkeley professor speaks out. SFGATE. Retrieved from https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stanford-professor-Karen-speaks-out-17064784.php