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S3 – 05. Developing an asset orientation with Lani Horn

Math Teacher Lounge podcast featuring Lani Horn, a professor at Vanderbilt University, on developing an asset orientation.

In this episode, math education professor Lani Horn shares with us what it means to have an asset orientation towards students, contrasting it with a deficit orientation, and helping Bethany and Dan understand the many ways students experience one or the other. Their conversation hit both high notes and low notes and included a challenge that Bethany and Dan both found extremely valuable for helping a teacher develop an asset orientation towards their students.

Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page. 

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Dan Meyer (00:03)

Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge, folks. My name is Dan Meyer.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:07):

And I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson.

Dan Meyer (00:09):

We’re so excited to be here with you folks and with our guest today, tackling big questions about mathematics. I wanna ask Bethany first though: Bethany, it’s been kind of a challenging couple of years for those of us in education, near education, just in life in general, of course. But I woke up this morning and the sun was out; the weather was perfect and crisp here in Oakland; and I found myself feeling optimistic, a sense of hopefulness. And I was wondering to myself, “What is Bethany feeling hopeful about in math education right now?” What’s got you juiced up a little bit?

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:40):

I gotta say, that optimism, Dan, look at that! I can actually feel the sunshine just pouring through the microphone! So I thank you for asking. What am I feeling optimistic about in math education? Hmm. OK, this is gonna sound a little bit cop-out-y, but I have been so completely jazzed about not only our podcast, but the conversations that I’ve been seeing circulating in other math podcasts that are out there around curriculum, around new books coming out. It just feels like despite overwhelm, despite exhaustion, that most teachers really do love learning. And so there’s like that kernel. And so I just feel like there’s books on my shelf I wanna read; there’s podcasts in the queue I wanna listen to; and summertime is the best, best time to do it.

Dan Meyer (01:39):

People still feel hungry out there for learning. They know the importance of the craft and its impact on students. And, yeah, people are tired, but also it is so cool to see people still jazzed about learning more about how to teach students more effectively. Me, I’m excited right now, I have a very specific excitement right now, which is that today we announced that Desmos, where I work, and Amplify, our sponsor, are no longer gonna be two separate things. That we are joining together. That I, and all these people who have done so much work over the last 10 years developing digital math technology, we’re gonna go and work inside of Amplify as a division called Desmos Classroom. And we’re so excited that…what we cracked, I think, at Desmos, is a way of thinking about how teachers and their tools—computers, for instance—interact with students in math. And I love what we did there. But we never really cracked the question of, “How do you support entire school systems in taking up these ideas and tools?” And Amplify has really done that. So I’m super-excited to partner up there. That’s what I’m optimistic about and happy about.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:40):

Congratulations! That’s a huge transition, and I’m just so excited about the amazing work that both Amplify and Desmos do. But then, the idea of Desmos being in more classrooms? Those tools being available for more students? With the reach? I mean, I’m just excited! It’s a big day, Dan.

Dan Meyer (03:00):

Thank you. Yes, exciting day. And I’m excited about also about our guest we’re bringing on today. How’s that for a segue? I’ll be excited to hear what our guest is excited about in math education. I just wanna say that what our guest, Lani Horn, Professor Lani Horn, has exposed us to is this idea of an asset orientation and its importance. And I do think I’m not over-exaggerating or overstating to say that the idea of an asset orientation towards students and their thinking has been possibly the most transformative idea for me in the last five years of being an educator. And adopting it has led to my favorite lessons, my favorite teaching experiences, my favorite relationships with students. I say all that—you know, I don’t wanna gas things up too much; is that too high of a bar here to have expectations? But it really has been tremendous! And Lani Horn gave a talk several years ago called “An Asset Orientation Is Everything,” which really changed the game up for me. And Bethany watched it as well. So that’s why I’m so excited to have on the person who gave that talk. And who’s done so much research around what an asset orientation offers students and teachers. So we’re bringing on today Lani Horn, who is a professor of mathematics education at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, who centers her research on ways to make authentic mathematics, ambitious math teaching, accessible to students and teachers, particularly those who have been historically marginalized by our educational system. I think Lani has just a beating heart for students, yes, but also really respects the work of teaching in ways I think are so needed and sometimes uncommon in the world of math-education research. So Lani, thank you so much for coming on and joining us in the Lounge.

Lani Horn (04:41):

Thanks for having me.

Dan Meyer (04:44):

We would love to know what you are excited about and optimistic about right now in the world of mathematics education. What’s got you a little bit gassed up?

Lani Horn (04:52):

Up, gassed up? Hmm. Let me reframe it, ’cause I don’t know if I’m gassed up, but I’m cautiously hopeful that maybe that in the wake of the interrupted learning that’s been sort of widespread during the pandemic that maybe we’ll get some traction around more strategies for teaching in heterogeneous classrooms. Which I think every classroom is, to varying extents: a heterogeneous classroom. And I was talking with a colleague the other day about this idea of hmm, maybe modeling would be a really cool thing to focus teachers on. Doing some more mathematical modeling across the grade levels. Because it just seems like there’s a lot of opportunities for kids to kind of catch up on ideas and understandings that they may not have fully grasped because of interrupted learning, interrupted schooling. But also with room to engage in a lot of ideas. So we were playing with that and I was like, “Gosh, that’d be pretty cool if people took that on more broadly.” ‘Cause I don’t think that there’s been enough conversations about meaningful differentiation in that kind of way, like at the level of curriculum. So I would love to see an upsurge in interest in that kind of stuff, ’cause that’s a big place where I have a lot of passion, so I’m ready! I’m ready for people to ask questions about that. And actually it’s really very, very, very closely related to the topic today of having an asset orientation towards students.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:34):

First of all, I’m so excited to have you on Math Teacher Lounge, have you in the Lounge, and get to talk to you, because when Dan sent me this talk, my first thing was, “Oh, I think I know what asset orientation is and looks like.” You know, you kind of hypothesize about what you think it’s going to be. And then you started talking and I’m like, “Wait, wait, why am I just hearing this now?” So I thought I knew what it was, but really I felt like there was so much to unpack. And I would just love for you to share with our listeners, in case they are like, “Oh, asset orientation, I know what that is. I’ve got it. My students have got it.” What is it? And why does it matter so much to our teachers?

Lani Horn (07:19):

The most obvious point is that asset is the opposite of deficit, right? And we know that deficit thinking is very harmful to students. That there’s a real teacher-expectation bias that that kids pick up on, that we communicate indirectly to students and that impacts their learning and their ability to meet our academic expectations and, other expectations in classrooms. So an asset orientation is looking for students’ strengths and trying to work from those strengths as a basis for your teaching.

Dan Meyer (07:54):

So that’s a really fantastic starting spot there. And I think what’s initially surprising to me about the research you cited in your talk, that is built around an asset orientation, is how…I think if you come at learning from a—I guess in research, they call a cognitivist frame, where learning happens when teachers say the right things that make a transfer from the teacher’s brain to the student’s brain. A lot of what you’re describing is very counterintuitive, I think. The asset orientation describes a teacher’s kind of subtle disposition. It’s not what, like what they’re saying exactly. It’s what they communicate in the subtext and the body language, that all emanates from some perspective on students and the idea that that filters down somehow and students pick up on that—like a smell in the air—and that determines a lot of their learning, I think is one part of your talk and the research that I thought was really surprising. How close is that to like how this actually works? And can you add to that description or pivot it a little bit?

Lani Horn (08:54):

Expansion of the sort of cognitive framing of teacher and student interaction…part of what’s really hard about developing and maintaining an asset orientation is that schools are organized in ways that rank and sort children. And so when we are just using the everyday language of schooling, sometimes we’re injecting these preconceived deficit notions of students into our talk and into how we’re thinking about, interpreting, looking at students. So not only is this interruption a sort of a cognitive lens on teacher-student interaction, but it’s really looking at how the social environment is setting teacher-student interaction to take on certain kinds of framings.

Dan Meyer (09:44):

This is what I mean about Lani having such a generous frame towards teachers and the work of teaching. I wonder, though, if you could help us make concrete how an asset and deficit orientation might play out in a hypothetical classroom interaction.

Lani Horn (10:00):

Sure. A really commonplace example is a teacher has a group of students. It’s October or November. So there’s already been a few assessments. And that gives the teacher an idea who the strong students are and who the struggling students are. And they’re having a classroom conversation. And someone who hasn’t performed well, a kid who hasn’t performed well on those assessments—the teacher poses a question. A kid who hasn’t performed well on the assessments is called on. And they sort of hesitate in formulating their response. And the teacher with that lens of “this is a struggling student” then may have to make a decision: “Do I persist? Do I support this kid? Do I help them formulate an answer? Do I try to draw out their thinking anyway? Or do I move on to a kid who is academically performed better in my class?” And I would say that a lot of teachers in that situation would very understandably say, “OK, I get it. You’re not a strong math student. You’re not confident in my class. I’m gonna move on because I need to get through this lesson to somebody who I know is gonna provide me with a correct answer.” And they do it also out of, sometimes, a sense of care, of not wanting to put that student on the spot. However, part of what is another unintended result of making that choice is instead of trying out that student’s thinking, listen to their sort of, maybe, hesitant answer, and trying to find the kernel in it that maybe could be supported and amplified, that kid then loses an opportunity to have their idea be a part of the whole class’s mathematical conversation. Completely common, completely understandable kind of interaction that I see all the time.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:52):

That feels so huge. And that I can actually picture that happening.

Lani Horn (11:56):

Of course. We’ve all seen it. We’ve all done it.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:58):

We’ve all seen it and done it. And I think it’s so key that you mention often it’s from a place of care. Of “I want that student to—look, I called on you; you’re a part of the conversation; you’re a part of our community.” But with it, I brought all of that other information that I think I have about that kiddo. Right? And how I think they’re struggling or navigating the question. And “Here, I’ll help by…” You know? But what I immediately thought of is how much the other students also pick up on that, right?

Lani Horn (12:36):

Of course.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (12:36):

I remember this time, this student in my class, a student who had struggled on some of the work we were doing, she came up and she shared her work. And then another student kind of like, it was almost like a strange little pat on the back, like, “Look at that! You did it!” And like really said it in a tone of…like, you’re 5, where did that come from?? How had I set up that student to be—I really had to step back and say, “What role have I played in making this student seem like she wasn’t capable of what she had just solved?” It was such a learning moment for me. Because I don’t think teachers do it maliciously, you know, or even consciously.

Lani Horn (13:33):

Absolutely.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (13:34):

And it was so huge.

Lani Horn (13:36):

Thanks for sharing that, Bethany, wow.

Dan Meyer (13:38):

Even in your description, Lani, you mentioned how the need to keep the class moving to fit, again, a policy that teachers didn’t impose, that we have 45 minutes and way too many standards to cover in that many days…I wanna ask you about growth mindset. It feels like every last teacher on earth has finally got the memo about growth mindset. We all know it’s the good mindset and that the bad one is fixed mindset. And we have the posters. The posters have been distributed. <laugh> A nationwide mobilization.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (14:07):

I automatically pictured the posters.

Lani Horn (14:09):

<laugh> Of course.

Dan Meyer (14:11):

We’ve got the posters up, people! So we’re good! And now here comes asset orientation, which has some of the similar kinds of happy feelings, good vibes, about teaching and students and learning. So I was just wondering if you could help us kind of differentiate those two kinds of concepts.

Lani Horn (14:28):

I think that an asset orientation is something you’re never done cultivating. I think it’s an ongoing stance that you have to constantly reset and reexamine. And it is recognizing the links to the social categories that students inhabit, the identities that they bring with them, the bodies that they live in, the different abilities and disabilities. And it’s actually a place where, when you really engage this work in a meaningful way, I think it has the potential to make you kind of a better human being. Because you have to constantly say, “Gosh, why did I do that? What is it that my expectation was? Why am I having such a hard time with this particular student, finding something that they’re smart at, something that they’re really good at?” ‘Cause that’s the question. That’s the asset orientation question. You look at your students and you say, “What is it that they are smart about? How are they smart? I understand that school values this; I understand that my assessments value this; but what are they smart at? And how could I bring that into the meaningful work of my classroom?” Which is a very hard question sometimes.

Dan Meyer (16:03):

Yeah. Oh, so many thoughts here. Like one, I just feel like it’s such a value for teachers, for anyone, to have a big, clear, unanswerable-in-your-lifetime question to motivate your work in teaching. If you don’t have that, then the job is too small, basically. So I love that it’s a question that offers ways to dig in every single day. Every interaction is an opportunity, and it will never be answered. That’s wonderful. I love how I just feel like there’s…sometimes we have conversations with Lounge guests, Bethany, where it really gets out of the realm of the school. And it starts to creep on in to the personal life. It starts to creep on in to the spiritual life. And I find, with this sort of idea—the value of a human being—I feel when I have an asset orientation towards my key relationship in my life—my best friends, my spouse, all these things—that that’s an indication to me of a really big and valuable idea. And the question of the difference between growth mindset and asset orientation, I wonder if it’s relevant here that a growth mindset is a concept that was studied and originated by an education psychologist, Carol Dweck, and you are someone who operates with a social-cultural frame that considers more than the student’s mind in the unit of a student, but like what is going on and what are Bethany’s students perceiving in that moment you described, Bethany, that was you and a student, but everyone kind of feels what’s going on. I wonder if that’s a useful differentiator here. Do you have any thoughts about that?

Lani Horn (17:30):

Yes. I do think that the anthropological perspective that I take—where I really look at the cultural sources of these perspectives and these expectations and narratives, I would say, about who can learn math—are really, really important. And they’re part of what sometimes becomes invisible in the classroom. Though those are a really, really important part of the ongoing work of developing an asset orientation. And of course, I come to it from my own personal experience. I was an undergraduate math major. And sometimes by the time I got to my senior seminars, I was the only woman in the room. And you know, I felt that. I felt the stigma of low expectations. I felt the missed opportunities to dig deeper because people were trying to protect me from being wrong and embarrassing myself. And so on. So it’s personal. And of course we see this applying to other social categories as well. We know that the bias is not just against women in math, but people of color, against people with different kinds of abilities, and so on. So I think that that’s why it’s sort of this ongoing personal work. And I think, too, that we will inevitably in the course of committing ourselves to this find students who challenge us, especially in our society right now, the way things are so fractured. You know, what if you have a student in your classroom who holds political views that you find really odious? How do you find a way to engage that student in a way that respects what they do have to offer to your class, while also making sure that the class is a safe place for everybody? I mean, those are really, really complex dynamics to manage. And, you know, I can talk a lot about that too.

Dan Meyer (19:30):

What a job; what a job. Yeah.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:33):

I was really struck, too, because I feel, like Dan said, we’ve gotten the posters. And not to undermine the power of growth mindset—I think it has impacted many, many students and communities—but it sometimes stops there. The conversation stops there. Well, you know, we have a chant we do every day. We have the poster on the wall. My students have a growth mindset. And I think what I really appreciated in your talk, and as I’ve learned about your work, is the invitation to teachers to be vulnerable and to really look at… I do feel like even sharing that story, you put a certain amount of vulnerability of, like, have I failed in some way? But I care about my students. I’m committed to cultivating a safe space. So I guess something I’m really curious about is: what do you think needs to happen or needs to be possible for teachers to further cultivate an asset orientation? Because even the ability to pause and to be reflective, sometimes it doesn’t seem possible. So I think it’s beyond just the teacher, but in the school, the district…what are some things you feel?

Lani Horn (20:49):

Are you letting me be the queen of designing schools? ‘Cause that’s a job I’ve always wanted! <laugh> OK. So if I were the queen of designing schools, teachers would have fewer student contacts.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:04):

Say more.

Lani Horn (21:05):

When I taught high school, I had sometimes…I think the most I got was 180 student contacts a day.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:12):

Wow.

Lani Horn (21:13):

So when you’re looking at 180 kids a day, that is just sort of a capacity issue. How am I supposed to really look meaningfully at each of those individual people and find what’s valuable and strong and smart about each of them? I think that in the U.S., teachers have more instructional time than any other developed country. We need more planning time. Because that’s an opportunity to consult with colleagues. Sometimes when we encounter students where we do have that personal struggle of, “Oh, gosh, I am really having a hard time connecting with you and seeing your strengths,” wouldn’t it be great to be able to go to their last year’s teacher or their English teacher or some other teacher and say, “Can you tell me about your experiences with this student? Because I’m really wanting to connect and I’m having trouble.” And wouldn’t that be wonderful if we had resources to do that? The other thing I would do is I would get rid of a lot of the meaningless accountability, which I have found has only amplified sort of the sorting, and sort of put a technocratic veneer over kids’ deficit thinking about their own selves. Kids get a printout saying that they’re “below basic” and you say, “Hey, that was a really good idea!” And they don’t believe you ’cause they have this printout that puts them in a different category, so there’s no way they could be good at math. So I think we’ve really done a lot of harm in the annual testing of kids in that way. Especially with the individual reporting. And often the metrics we’re using to do that are not designed to be disaggregated to the individual level. So we have a lot of measurement problems. I’m kind of going back to your question before, Dan, about what’s the difference between growth mindset and an asset orientation. I think that sometimes—I don’t think this is the way Carol Dweck intended it, but I think sometimes—and I’ve seen her rebut the way it’s been used in schools—but I think sometimes the way that growth mindset has been used in schools kind of brings it back to an individual problem: “We don’t have unequal funding in our school system! We don’t have systemic racism! We don’t have childhood poverty and malnourishment! It’s just about having the right mindset!” And we know that all of those other things have a huge impact on who engages in school and who’s able to get access to schooling and the formal learning that goes on there. And so there’s a little bit of an erasure that happens in the way that growth mindset has been taken up, and putting the onus back on students and teachers as opposed to going, “Wow, we’re in this system where the cards are stacked a certain way, and I have to somehow navigate that as a teacher and figure out how to hold you up in a system that is trying to push you down.” Which is a really different kind of job than to put a poster on my wall and do a chant in the morning.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:39):

And I’m wondering, if you were looking at how you would hope that asset orientation gets brought into the classroom…it’s not another poster, right? What do you think would really help make some meaningful change around the way we think about that and teachers and systems take that on?

Lani Horn (24:59):

So I think that the important thing is helping teachers develop a vocabulary for recognizing students’ mathematical strengths in particular. Recognizing a strength is not, “Wow, you did really neat work!” or “You have really nice handwriting!” Those are not authentically mathematical strengths, right? So I try to think about—ah, for color theorem, “How cool! What a great way to be systematic!” You know, that being systematic, developing a good representation, asking a good question, asking the next “what if,” all of these are profoundly mathematical ways of thinking. And there’s more—I’m just giving you a few examples—that are not always recognized in classrooms that are built around quick and accurate calculation. Right? When that is the most valued form of smartness, kids who can do all these other great things, like, “Wow, that that is such a clear way of explaining the connection between that graph and that equation! I love it. That helps me see what’s happening every time that variable increases.” You know? I love when kids do that! That’s not quick and accurate calculation, right? One of the most heartbreaking things I’ve seen sometimes is teachers doing a really good job of pumping kids up and helping them feel mathematical and seeing their mathematical strengths in the everyday lessons…but then they get a standard assessment and are told they’re a C student. How do you support the messaging you’re doing in your teaching and in your interactions so that it aligns with assessment? And this is where the sorting mechanism of school kind of inhibits some of the ways that we really should be valuing kids in a way that would support their ongoing learning and their own particular flourishing.

Dan Meyer (26:59):

I love how you describe this whole process as a career-long trajectory, how one does not ever finish creating an asset orientation in oneself. I’m wondering if there is some way for teachers who are listening to start to experience, to enter into that kind of feedback loop, that experience, of what an asset orientation offers them and their students. Do you have some way for us to start digging in here? A challenge, if you will?

Lani Horn (27:24):

Yeah, sure. This is a process I learned from teachers I’ve worked with, so I did not make this up. It’s called a roster check. It’s where you take a roster of one of your classes, and you go through student by student and see if you can specifically name a way that that student is mathematically smart. And it’s a private exercise if you want it to be. And just sort of go through. And then for the students who you really struggle to name how they’re smart, step back and see if there’s some kind of a pattern. And when I’ve done this in PD, as an exercise, I’ve had teachers have some real light-bulb moments where they go, “Oh my gosh, I really don’t know the quiet girls in my classroom,” or “I really don’t know the multilingual learners in my classroom.” So they can sort of start to see a bias in who they’re interacting with and who’s been able to engage in ways that uncover what their unconscious bias might be. And sometimes it’s not unconscious bias. Sometimes it’s not necessarily a category like that. It’s just the kids who are more outspoken, the kids who are high achieving. It doesn’t have to necessarily be linked to an obvious social category. However, I do think that then what you can do with that list of kids who you don’t have a name for their strengths, is you can kind of take a couple of them a week and make that your project to really observe them a little more intentionally and a little more closely. Try mixing things up. Have a chat with them. Say, “Hey, so what do you like to do? What are the things that you like to do in the world? What are your hobbies?” So maybe you can start to get some insight that way. You can talk to other teachers. Most kids have something that they’re passionate about, something that animates them and wakes them up in the morning, and knowing that and finding ways to meaningfully tie that to their mathematical learning can be extremely powerful.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:35):

Lani. I love that idea, taking that time to reflect and allow yourself to be vulnerable as you take a look at your biases and how that’s impacting your classroom space. I have learned so much from our conversation. I know we’re just scratching the surface of the work that you do. So if folks want to learn more, want to continue engaging in these ideas, where can they find you, or where can they find more about your work?

Lani Horn (29:58):

I’m pretty active on Twitter. My handle is @ilana_horn. No “e” on that. And I’ve written a couple of books for teachers. One is called Motivated. Another is called Strength in Numbers. People can check those out.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:17):

I love it. For our listeners, we are thrilled to share this conversation with you, and we wanna hear how you take up this challenge: What do you uncover? What do you notice? What are you learning about an asset orientation? And you can share that by finding us on Twitter at @MTLshow, or you can also continue the conversation with us in our Facebook group, Math Teacher Lounge. We’re so excited to keep learning with you. And thanks for listening.

Lani Horn (30:42):

Bye! Thanks for having me.

Dan Meyer (30:44):

Bye, folks. Thank you.

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What Lani Horn says about math

“An asset orientation is looking for students’ strengths and trying to work from those strengths as a basis for your teaching. ”

– Lani Horn

Professor of Mathematics Education, Vanderbilt University Peabody College

Meet the guest

Lani Horn centers her research on ways to make authentic mathematics accessible to students, particularly those who have been historically marginalized by our educational system. Professor Horn focuses primarily on mathematics teaching in two ways. First, Professor Horn looks at classroom practices that engage the most students in high-quality mathematics. Second, Professor Horn views teaching as a contextually-embedded practice –  how school environments, communities, colleagues, and policies shape what is instructionally possible. All of this is unified through a pursuit to understand teacher learning as a situative phenomenon. Follow Professor Horn on Twitter.

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About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast

Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.

Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!

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The power of high-quality math assessments

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When students learn math, it’s crucial for them to understand not only right and wrong, but why and how. The same is true of math assessments.

High-quality, asset-based math assessments can show you how each student thinks, where their strengths lie, and what their next learning step should be.

And we need them now more than ever. Math scores have hit their lowest point since 2005, with nearly half of high school seniors scoring below “basic” achievement in 2024. This moment presents our biggest opportunity yet to transform K–12 math assessments.

Keep reading to explore how asset-based assessments help all students succeed—by starting with their strengths.

K–12 math assessments: True or false

Let’s establish some facts about math assessment first:

True or false: Math assessments can tell you only “right” or “wrong.”

False. Asset-based assessments go way beyond simple correct/incorrect scoring, showing you how students work through problems to give you insight into their thinking and what they already know. This provides a much clearer path for next steps.

True or false: Understanding student thinking is the key to improved student performance.

True. The path to math proficiency requires more than just benchmark scores. The better you understand how your students think, the better you can support their growth. When assessments recognize students’ individual strengths and strategies, the data becomes more helpful and complete.

The good news? We don’t have to throw out everything we’re doing, but we do need to enhance it. The current achievement trends aren’t telling us to stop what we’re doing. They’re telling us to do even better.

What high-quality math assessments actually look like

So what makes a math assessment truly powerful? Here are the key ingredients:

They show student thinking. Great assessments don’t just capture right and wrong answers—they reveal the “why” behind student responses. You get to see the logic, the creativity, and the problem-solving strategies each student brings to math. This visibility helps you understand not just what students know, but how they know it.

They welcome different approaches. There’s rarely just one way to solve a math problem. Quality assessments celebrate multiple solution paths and help you understand how each student’s mind works. This flexibility creates more opportunities for students to demonstrate their mathematical understanding.

They work for all learners. Research shows that 3–7% of students experience dyscalculia, meaning that they process numbers differently. The best assessments are designed so every student can show what they really know about math concepts, regardless of how their brain processes numerical information.

They connect to real life. When math problems relate to students’ actual experiences, engagement soars and understanding deepens. Students see math as relevant and useful, not just something they have to endure.

They guide your next teaching move. Instead of functioning like traditional summative assessments that just give you a grade, high-quality assessments tell you exactly what to teach next. They transform assessment from a final judgment into a roadmap for growth.

How asset-based assessment approaches change the game

Here’s where things get really exciting. What if your assessments started by looking for what students can do, instead of what they can’t?

That’s asset-based assessment. And it can change everything.

This approach recognizes that every student walks into your classroom with mathematical knowledge. Even the student who “hates math” or “isn’t good with numbers” has mathematical thinking waiting to be discovered and built upon.

Asset-based assessment strategies help you spot the sophisticated reasoning your students already have, even when they don’t use formal math language yet. Instead of starting with gaps, you start with strengths; instead of deficit thinking, you build from abundance.

When you weave asset-based approaches into your assessment practice through formative assessment lessons, magic happens. Students feel more confident. Their mathematical identities grow stronger. And you get clearer insights into how to help each learner thrive. Perhaps most importantly, these approaches help close achievement gaps by ensuring every student’s mathematical contributions are valued and developed.

The data tells a clear story: Our students need assessment approaches that match not just their current performance, but their true potential.

More to explore

Ready to unlock the full potential of your math assessments? We’ve put together everything you need in our Math Assessment Power Pack, featuring practical tools, proven strategies, and ready-to-use resources that’ll make it simple and easy to enhance your assessments.

How asset-based assessments can revolutionize math instruction

A student writes in a notebook at a desk with a laptop, as her awesome teacher stands beside her. Both appear engaged in conversation about her academic struggles during ELA class.

Many of today’s math classrooms are facing a perfect storm: declining scores, widening learning gaps, and growing pressure on teachers to deliver solutions. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, students are experiencing the steepest drop in math scores since 1990. EdWeek Research Center reports that a persistent gap between educational theory and day-to-day practice is putting added stress on teachers, often leaving them to navigate complex pedagogical demands without adequate support.

So how can we provide both students and teachers with the tools they need to succeed? How can math assessments and math intervention programs provide real help and drive student progress—without piling on more work?

One promising answer lies in rethinking how we assess what students know.

Rethinking the role of math assessments

Traditional assessments tend to focus on correctness alone. Did the student get it right or wrong? How many points did they earn?

But this binary approach misses a lot. A skipped question could mean a tech hiccup or a moment of confusion—not a lack of understanding. A wrong answer might come at the end of otherwise solid problem-solving.

An asset-based assessment approach shifts the focus from mistakes to meaning. It looks beyond outcomes to understanding how students think—their strategies, reasoning, and partial understandings. And when teachers can see that thinking, they gain far more useful data to guide instruction and inform their math intervention program.

This approach doesn’t lower expectations—it raises the quality of insight and gives struggling students (and really all students) a better shot at meeting standards with instruction that’s tailored to their actual needs.

Honoring students’ thinking and teachers’ time

Every student thinks differently. Asset-based assessments help reveal individual thinking, often through short-answer or open-response formats that ask students to explain how they solved a problem.

But this shift isn’t just for students. Teachers can benefit enormously when assessments are designed to surface trends in student thinking. If 30% of a class misinterprets the same concept, that result reveals a teaching opportunity. Rather than reteach an entire unit, teachers can adjust with focused, targeted support. That means less time spent diagnosing, and more time actually helping.

And when technology in the math classroom makes this data easy to collect, analyze, and act on, teachers get a level of consistent insight that is not only helpful, but actionable.

From student performance to student performance + thinking

The ultimate goal of asset-based assessments isn’t to replace performance data—it’s to enhance it. Knowing how a student got to an answer (or why they didn’t) can make all the difference in determining what to do next.

Here’s an example involving a division problem:

A wooden table with four chairs is shown. Text explains each table seats 4, the art class has 33 students, and asks how many tables are needed—an example of using technology in the math classroom to boost student engagement.

When real students were given this problem, they responded with answers like:

  • 33/4 = 8.25, round up to 9 so all kids can sit!
  • 33/4 = 8 with a remainder of 1. She needs 8 tables.
  • 8 x 4 = 32, but 9 x 4 = 36. I don’t know if we can leave one student sitting lonely on the floor, though.

Traditional grading might stop at “correct” or “incorrect” for these responses. But when students are asked to explain their thinking, teachers can uncover a range of reasoning—from successful multiplication strategies to misunderstandings about remainders.

These glimpses into student thinking aren’t just informative—they’re transformative. They can illuminate the performance of students in a deeper, more actionable way. They can help teachers take smarter next steps, and they can help students feel understood, capable, and more like “math people” every day.

More to explore

Complete K–5 math assessment system

Expect more from your assessments with mCLASS® Math Texas, a brand-new digital benchmarking and progress-monitoring assessment system.

mCLASS Math Texas represents the next generation in math assessment. It provides educators not only with reliable measures of student achievement, but also with an asset-based approach that analyzes student responses to reveal underlying mathematical thinking. The Student Thinking Report provides actionable insights, so teachers can confidently plan both whole-class instruction and targeted intervention.

About mCLASS Math Texas

mCLASS Texas offers reliable progress-monitoring and digital benchmarking assessments that evaluate student performance against grade-level expectations and growth throughout the year. The digital program seamlessly integrates with intervention and core instruction, providing rich, actionable, data-driven recommendations for where and how to support learning. The program empowers you to leverage your students’ strengths with features like:

  • Reliable measures of student achievement and asset-based reporting that analyze student responses to reveal underlying mathematical thinking.
  • A powerful digital benchmarking and progress monitoring assessment system.
  • Actionable recommendations aligned across skills and core instruction with instructional resources.

Access deeper insights into students’ understanding.

mCLASS Math Texas provides insights not only into what students know about grade-level math, but also into how they think. By leaning on students’ individual strengths and strategies, teachers can confidently differentiate instruction and plan future intervention.

The asset-based approach of mCLASS Math Texas digital benchmarking and progress monitoring gives teachers peace of mind that students are making meaningful progress in their math development. The system recognizes that all students have their own ways of thinking. Their individual strengths, experiences, understanding, and strategies—or assets, as we collectively refer to them— inform the robust data that powers mCLASS Math Texas.

Dos mujeres están sentadas en un escritorio, mirando papeles y sonriendo. Una señala una página mientras la otra está sentada con un bolígrafo en la mano. En el fondo se ven útiles de oficina y tablones de anuncios.
Table comparing traditional assessments, which focus on deficits and isolated data, with mCLASS Math’s asset-based benchmark assessments that emphasize strengths and support progress monitoring through richer, responsive feedback.

mCLASS Math Texas Benchmark Assessments

  • Are administered digitally to the whole class three times a year (BOY, MOY, EOY) for growth measure.
  • Allow teachers to see student work in real time throughout assessments.
  • Include diagnostic capabilities to further target Tier 2 & Tier 3 intervention areas.
  • Identify the specific areas of strengths and development to inform differentiation.
  • Provide support and flags for potential risk of dyscalculia.

mCLASS Math Texas Progress Monitoring

  • Helps teachers monitor a student’s math performance with a
    15-minute assessment between mCLASS Benchmark assessments.
  • Informs teachers if tiered interventions require adjustment to improve student learning.

Validated by research

We’re thrilled to announce that mCLASS Math Texas is undergoing an official third-party study conducted by WestEd, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research, development, and service agency. This in-depth validation analysis aligns with our commitment to transparency, data-driven enhancement, and providing the most effective educational tools for our users. The findings of this study will be available by fall 2025. Stay tuned to learn how mCLASS Math Texas will revolutionize your math assessment experience.

El maestro ayuda a los estudiantes a trabajar con computadoras portátiles en un aula; los estudiantes usan auriculares y se concentran en sus pantallas.

Data informs instruction.

The integrated insights and intervention recommendations of mCLASS Math Texas empower teachers to implement timely scaffolds and targeted intervention when needed. Following screening and progress monitoring, teachers can differentiate when, where, and how it matters most with customizable, high-impact instructional resources to support all learners.

One integrated math solution

Amplify’s comprehensive math suite, Amplify Desmos Math Texas K–5, provides seamless alignment to help teachers diagnose and capitalize on student strengths, foster deep investment, and build student agency.

Everything is in one place—with screening and progress monitoring, core instruction, integrated personalized learning, and embedded intervention teachers can trust.

Ready to learn more about mCLASS Math Texas?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

The Importance and Impact of Asset-Based Assessment

Monday, 4pm ET

What happens when we highlight students assets instead of differences? When we move beyond student thinking to student thinking plus performance? Join this webinar to explore asset-based assessment–what it is and how it makes a difference in K–12 math classrooms.

Register now

The Importance and Impact of Asset-Based Assessment

Monday, 4pm ET

What happens when we highlight students assets instead of differences? When we move beyond student thinking to student thinking plus performance? Join this webinar to explore asset-based assessment–what it is and how it makes a difference in K–12 math classrooms.

Register now

Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

As a provider of technology solutions to schools, Amplify’s commitment to data privacy and security is essential to our organization. Amplify demonstrates that commitment in part through the physical, technical, and administrative safeguards we maintain to protect student data and other sensitive information entrusted to our care.

Amplify looks forward to working with the security community to find security vulnerabilities and support our efforts to keep our data and systems safe and secure.

Before reporting a vulnerability, please read our program rules, eligibility overview, report submission rules and guidelines, legal terms, and out-of-scope list set out below.

General Rules

  • We appreciate reports on any Amplify-owned asset, but only vulnerabilities that prove to be outside of expected behavior are eligible for acceptance.
  • Reports involving third party services or providers not under Amplify’s control are out-of-scope for submission.
  • Amplify places a high priority on privacy. Vulnerabilities in the areas of inadvertent exposure of our customers’ personally identifiable information (PII) are considered to be of Critical severity.
  • We classify vulnerability severity per CVSS (the Common Vulnerability Scoring Standard). These are general guidelines, and the ultimate decision over a reward – whether to give one and in what amount – is a decision that lies entirely within our discretion on a case-by-case basis.
  • In order to receive an award for validated reports, you must have a HackerOne account. Please note reward decisions are subject to the discretion of Amplify. Please note these are general guidelines, and that reward decisions are subject to the discretion of Amplify.
  • Only interact with test accounts that you created via self sign-up or were provided by Amplify. The use of any credentials outside of these areas for testing purposes, including legacy credentials supplied through the program and leaked credentials from third parties is strictly prohibited.
  • Do not contact Amplify’s customer support for questions or to submit a vulnerability report.
  • Amplify may, in its sole discretion, disqualify you if you breach this policy or fail to comply with any of the program’s rules and terms.
  • Amplify reserves the right to cancel or modify this program without notice at any time.

Eligibility

  • You are not eligible for participation if you 1) are employed by Amplify or any of its affiliates 2) are an immediate family member of a person employed by Amplify or any of its affiliates or 3) left the employment of Amplify or its affiliates or subsidiaries within the past (12) months.
  • You are not eligible for participation if you have been prohibited in writing from participating in the Bug Bounty Program by Amplify at any time.
  • You may not be in violation of any national, state, or local law or regulation with respect to any activities directly or indirectly related to conducting your tests.
  • You may not compromise the privacy or safety of our customer and the operation of our services;
  • You may not cause harm to Amplify, our customers, or others;
  • You must follow the policy guidelines to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities to Amplify.

Vulnerability Submission Rules & Guidelines

  • Any testing conducted on customer data or accounts is strictly prohibited and will result in removal from the program.
  • If during the course of testing you encounter any sensitive data outside of your test accounts (including student or teacher names, login info, assessment data, activity data, and student work, etc.), please cease testing immediately and report what you have found. DO NOT include any text, screenshots, etc. with PII in the report. This action safeguards both potentially vulnerable data and yourself.
  • Do not access, download, or share any data you encounter in your testing.
  • Only interact with test accounts that you created or that we provided. The use of any credentials outside of these areas for testing purposes is strictly prohibited.
  • Provide detailed reports with reproducible steps. If the report is not detailed enough to reproduce the issue, the issue will not be eligible for a reward.
  • In some cases, you may not have all of the context information to assess the impact of a vulnerability. If you’re unsure of the direct impact but are reasonably certain that you have identified a vulnerability, we encourage you to submit a detailed report and state the open questions on impact.
  • When duplicate submissions for the same vulnerability occur, we only award the first report that was received, provided that it can be fully reproduced.
  • Multiple reports describing the same vulnerability against multiple assets or endpoints must be submitted within a single report.
  • Avoid destruction of data and interruption or degradation of our service.
  • Proof of Concept (POC) videos that do not include PII are highly recommended to help verify the issue, provide clarity, and save time on triage.
  • Please provide timely responses to any follow-up questions and requests for additional information.
  • Understand that there could be submissions for which we accept the risk, have other compensating controls, or will not address in the manner expected. When this happens, we will act as transparently as we can to provide you with the necessary context as to how the decision was made.
  • Reports submitted using methods that violate policy rules will not be accepted and may result in account suspension from/denial of entrance to the program.
  • Please refer to any noted out-of-scope areas listed under Out-of-Scope Vulnerabilities.

Out-of-Scope Vulnerabilities

When reporting vulnerabilities, please consider (1) attack scenario / exploitability, and (2) security impact of the bug. The following issues are considered out-of scope. In addition, please refer to any noted Out of Scope areas listed under the program assets.

  • Social engineering (e.g. phishing, vishing, smishing) is prohibited.
  • Clickjacking on pages with no sensitive actions.
  • Unauthenticated/logout/login CSRF.
  • Attacks requiring MITM or physical access to a user’s device.
  • Previously known vulnerable libraries without a working Proof of Concept.
  • Comma Separated Values (CSV) injection without demonstrating a vulnerability.
  • Missing best practices in SSL/TLS configuration.
  • Any activity that could lead to the disruption of our service (DoS).
  • Content spoofing and text injection issues without showing an attack vector/without being able to modify HTML/CSS.
  • XSRF that requires the knowledge of a secret.
  • Automated tools that could generate significant traffic and possibly impair the functioning of our services.
  • Testing or demonstrating the ability to upload unlimited audio/video files to exhaust resources.
  • Leaked credentials from third party providers, including invalid or stale employee credential dumps, and/or leaked personal information of Amplify staff.
  • Leaked credentials for Amplify customers not caused by vulnerabilities in our systems.
  • Vulnerabilities identified via third party services or providers where Amplify is not the owner.
  • Issues that merely result in spam/annoyance without additional impact (e.g sending emails without sufficient rate limiting)
  • Attempts to access our offices or data centers.
  • Any activity that could contribute to the disruption of our service (DoS). Automated scanning tests should be kept to 10 requests per second or less.
  • Self XSS.
  • Broken links and/or crashes in general.
  • Issues that require unlikely user interaction.
  • Issues that do not affect the latest version of modern browsers
  • Issues that require physical access to a victim’s computer/device.
  • Disclosure of information that does not present a significant risk
  • Please refer to any noted out-of-scope areas listed under program assets.

Legal

  • Any information you receive or collect about us, our affiliates or any of our users, employees or agents in connection with the Bug Bounty Program (“Confidential Information”) must be kept confidential and only used in connection with the Bug Bounty Program. You may not use, disclose or distribute any such Confidential Information, including without limitation any information regarding your Submission, without our prior written consent. You must get written consent by submitting a disclosure request through the HackerOne platform.
  • Researchers must follow HackerOne’s disclosure guidelines. Public disclosure or disclosure to other third parties without the explicit permission of Amplify is prohibited.
  • We will not take legal action against you if vulnerabilities are found and responsibly reported in compliance with all of the terms and conditions outlined in this policy.
  • Amplify reserves the right to modify the terms and conditions of this program without notice at any time, and your participation in the Program constitutes acceptance of all terms.

Submit Vulnerability Report

Amplify Desmos Math California

Welcome, K–8 Reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify Desmos Math California. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California Math Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your Review Samples

As a curriculum that incorporates both print and digital resources, it’s important that you explore both our physical materials (delivered to you in grade-specific tubs) and our digital materials (accessible through our platform). We invite you to explore both types of resources using the instructions and tips below.

Print Samples

Your print samples should have arrived in grade-specific tubs with a copy of two Reviewer binders. The K-5 Reviewer binder is contained within the Grade K shipping box and the Grade 6-8 Reviewer binder can be located in the Grade 6 shipping box. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each tub as well as within your Reviewer Binder.

Digital Samples

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Access Flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Access Flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation Tips

Below you will find helpful tips for navigating Amplify Desmos Math California. We recommend reading these pages alongside the program’s print materials and digital experience to gain a deeper understanding of the program. 

Click the links below to read about navigating program features including:

Built for California

The Amplify Desmos Math California program is designed around the vision articulated in the California Mathematics Framework to enable all California students to become powerful users of mathematics. Our program incorporates the latest research in student learning, meaning that we:

  • Focus on the Big Ideas: Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons.
  • Center on open and engaging tasks: Amplify Desmos Math California is grounded in engaging tasks meant to address students’ often-asked question: “Why am I learning this?”  Students are invited into learning with low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that provide an entry point for all. Open tasks in Amplify Desmos Math California provide the space for students to try on multiple strategies and represent their thinking in different ways, and allow student explanation and discussion to serve as the center of the classroom. All lessons offer both print and digital representations of lessons.
  • Provide enhanced digital experiences: Amplify Desmos Math California includes digitally-enhanced lesson activities, incorporating interactive digital tools alongside print materials. These purposefully-placed resources allow students to visualize mathematical concepts, receive actionable feedback while practicing, encounter personalized learning support from an onscreen tutor, and engage in discussions about their thinking and approaches.
  • Treat core instruction and differentiation as integral partners: The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to lesson content and offer students the individualized support as they dive into the mathematics.

Category 1: Mathematics Content/Alignment with the Standards

Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify Desmos Math California for each grade level.

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked here is the Evaluation Criteria Map for grades K–8. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

The links below provide the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the Standards for Mathematical Practice at each grade level.

Drivers of Investigation and Content Connections

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations — from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded around the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life. 

A three-column chart details: Drivers of Investigation, Standards for Mathematical Practice, and Content Connections, each with their respective codes and brief descriptions.

California English Language Development Standards

The links below provide the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the California English Language Development Standards at each grade level.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts

Select lessons, performance tasks, and investigations across grade levels in Amplify Desmos Math California are aligned to one or more of the California Environmental Principles and Concepts. Click the links below to view how the California Environmental Principles and Concepts are represented in each grade level.

Category 2: Program Organization

Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Big Ideas

Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons. Please refer to Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center (linked below) for specific lesson designs and alignment with the Big Ideas for each grade level.

Program Structure

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A diagram showing three stages: Core instruction, Integrated personalized learning, and Embedded intervention, under Screening and progress monitoring with daily tiered support.

Lessons and units in Amplify Desmos Math California are designed around a Proficiency Progression, a model that steps out problem-based learning by systematically building students’ curiosity into lasting grade-level understanding.

Five steps for learning: 1. Activate prior knowledge, 2. Collaborate, 3. Refine ideas, 4. Guide to understanding, 5. Practice and extend for lasting understanding.

In the Proficiency Progression, lessons begin by activating students’ natural curiosity and offering opportunities to generate new ideas through collaboration. Teachers are then able to refine ideas through intentional facilitation and guide students to grade-level understanding, while students retain the ability to use different strategies and methods to show their comprehension of the content. Students are provided ample opportunities to develop lasting understanding.

Scope and Sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for each grade level. 

A chart displaying seven kindergarten math units with themes, number of instructional days, and assessment days, totaling 136 suggested instructional days.
Grade 1 instructional units overview showing 7 units on math topics, total suggested days is 153, with each unit listing instructional and assessment days.
Grade 2 math curriculum map showing 8 units with topics, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days; suggested instructional days: 156.
Seven instructional units are shown, each with a title, icon, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days; a note suggests 150 instructional days in total.
A Grade 4 math curriculum overview showing seven units with titles, number of instructional days, and assessment days; the suggested total instructional days is 152.
A curriculum map displays seven math units with icons, titles, instructional days, and assessment days, totaling 149 suggested instructional days.
A chart showing Grade 6 math units, each with instructional days, assessment days, and optional days. Total suggested instructional days is 142, plus 19 optional days.
Overview of Grade 7 math curriculum units, showing unit titles, number of instructional, assessment, and optional days for each, with a total of 125 instructional days plus 22 optional days.
Eight illustrated cards display Grade 8 math units, each with the unit title, topics covered, number of instructional and assessment days, and a total of 131 suggested instructional days.
Curriculum chart showing eight units split into two volumes, with topics, instructional days, assessment days, and optional days listed for each unit over an accelerated 6th-grade year.
A chart displays the breakdown of Accelerated 7 math units, indicating topics, number of instructional days, assessment days, and optional days for each of the nine units across two volumes.

Lesson Design and Structure

A four-part diagram shows: Warm-Up, Activities with a graph of student ideas to grade-level understanding, Synthesis with notes, and Practice and differentiation with students building a structure.

Amplify Desmos Math California is designed with a structured approach to problem-based learning that systematically builds on students’ curiosity and allows students to grapple with the Big Ideas of the California Framework. Every lesson activity is organized into a Launch, Monitor, Connect format.

  • Launch: The launch is a short, whole-class conversation that creates a need or excitement, provides clarity, or helps students connect their prior knowledge or personal experience, which ensures that everyone has access to the upcoming work.  
  • Monitor: As students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, teachers explore student thinking, ask questions, and provide support to help move the conversations closer to the intended math learning goal. 
  • Connect: Teachers connect students’ ideas to the key learning goals of the lesson, facilitating class discussions that help synthesize and solidify the Big Ideas.  

Each lesson within Amplify Desmos Math California follows the same structure. 

  • Warm-Up: Every Amplify Desmos Math California lesson begins with a whole class Warm-Up. Warm-Ups are an invitational Instructional Routine intended to provide a social moment at the start of the lesson in which every student has an opportunity to contribute. Warm-Ups may build fluency or highlight a strategy that may be helpful in the current lesson or act as an invitation into the math of the lesson.
  • Lesson Activities: Each lesson includes one or two activities. These activities are the heart of each lesson. Students notice, wonder, explore, calculate, predict, measure, explain their thinking, use math to settle disputes, create challenges for their classmates, and more. Guidance is provided to help teachers launch, monitor, and connect student thinking over the course of the activity.
  • Synthesis and Show What You Know: The Synthesis is an opportunity for the teacher and students to pull all the learning of the lesson together into a lesson takeaway. Students engage in a facilitated discussion to consolidate and refine their ideas about the learning goals, and the teacher synthesizes students’ learning. Show What You Know is a daily assessment opportunity for students to show what they know about the learning goals and what they are still learning.
  • Centers (K–5): Centers are hands-on activities for students in grades K–5 to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts. In grades K–1, students have Daily Center Time built into every lesson. 
  • Practice and Differentiation: Daily practice problems for the day’s lesson are included both online and in the print Student Edition, including fluency, test practice, and spiral review.

Kindergarten–Grade 1

A lesson plan timeline showing phases: Warm-Up (5–10 min, whole class), Lesson Activities (25–30 min), Synthesis (10 min), Centers (15 min), and Practice (time varies).

Grades 2–5

A horizontal flowchart shows a classroom lesson sequence: Warm-Up (5–10 min), Lesson Activities (35 min), Synthesis (10 min), and Practice (time varies); groupings vary.

Grades 6–8

A horizontal timeline shows four lesson segments: Warm-Up (5 min), Lesson Activities (30 min), Synthesis (10 min), and Practice (time varies).

Routines

Amplify Desmos Math California features a variety of lesson routines. Instructional routines and Math Language Routines (MLRs) are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition. Both are called out at point-of-use within the Teacher Edition and Teacher Presentation Screens. Below are the types of routines used throughout the Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum:

Math Language Routines

  • MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
  • MLR2: Collect and Display
  • MLR3: Critique, Correct, Clarify
  • MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
  • MLR6: Three Reads
  • MLR7: Compare and Connect
  • MLR 8: Discussion Supports

Instructional Routines 

  • Decide and Defend
  • Notice and Wonder
  • Number Talk
  • Tell a Story
  • Think-Pair-Share
  • Which One Doesn’t Belong?

Category 3: Assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math California provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessment

Amplify Desmos Math California has embedded unit assessments that offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

  • Pre-Unit Check: Each unit in grades 2–8 begins with a formative assessment designed to identify the student skills that will be particularly relevant to the upcoming unit. This check is agnostic to the standards covered in the following unit and serves not as a deficit-based acknowledgment of what students do not know, but rather as an affirmation of the knowledge and skills with which students come in.
  • End-of-Unit Assessment: Students engage with rigorous grade-level mathematics through a variety of formats and tasks in the summative End-of-Unit Assessment. A combination of auto-scored (when completed digitally) and rubric-scored items provides deep insights into student thinking. All Amplify Desmos Math California End-of-Unit Assessments include two forms.
  • Sub-Unit Quizzes: Sub-Unit Quizzes are formative assessments embedded regularly in Grades Kindergarten through Algebra 1. In these checks, students are assessed on a subset of conceptual understandings from the unit, with rubrics that help illuminate students’ current understanding and provide guidance for responding to student thinking.
  • Sub-Unit Checklists: These checklists enable teachers to observe key skills and concepts that cannot be assessed on a pencil-and-paper assessment in Kindergarten–Grade 1. The checklists outline the supports students need to achieve mathematical growth and success.
  • Performance Tasks: At the end of each unit in grades 3–8, there is a summative assessment performance task provided to evaluate students’ proficiency with the concepts and skills addressed in the unit. 

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math California lessons include daily moments of assessment to provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student. Beyond formative, summative, and benchmark assessments, students also have opportunities for self-reflection with Watch Your Knowledge Grow. Students take ownership of their learning by reflecting and tracking their progress before and after each unit.

  • Show What You Know: Each lesson has a daily formative assessment focused on one of the key concepts in the lesson. Show What You Know moments are carefully designed to minimize completion time for students while maximizing daily teacher insights to attend to student needs during the following class. 
  • Responsive Feedback™: Teachers have the ability to see and provide in-the-moment feedback as students progress through a digital lesson. Responsive Feedback motivates students and engages them in the learning process.

Diagnostic Assessment

Every grade level features an asset-based diagnostic assessment designed to be administered at the beginning of the year.  Delivered digitally and to the whole class, our diagnostic assessment is uniquely designed to reveal underlying math thinking and identify what students know about grade-level math. With data beyond just right and wrong, teachers have the type of deeper level of insights need to take the right next step.

CAASPP-Aligned Assessment Preparation

Amplify Desmos Math is designed to support students’ mathematical development through problem-based learning, differentiation, and embedded assessments. The program’s emphasis on conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application aligns with the mathematical practices and content standards assessed by the CAASPP.

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a CAASPP-aligned Item Bank. This standards-aligned bank of questions allows teachers to filter and search by grade and standard to find items. Once assigned on the digital platform, students will experience CAASPP-like practice with the online digital tools.

Data and Reporting

Amplify Desmos Math California provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students. Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, diagnostic data, and progress monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning. Program reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments, then highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reporting provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

Category 4: Access and Equity

The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Our lessons are developed using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to the day’s content and offer students the individualized supports they need to be successful.

Each lesson and unit contains guidance for teachers on how to identify students who may need support, students who need to keep strengthening their understanding, and students who may be ready to stretch their learning. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

Universal Design for Learning

Each lesson in the program incorporates opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Students engage in both print and digital learning, and are regularly participating in discussions and hands-on activities. Students are invited to build their own challenge for other students to solve, which provides opportunities for choice and
    autonomy, as well as joy and play.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning using mathematical representations, both print and digital, and regularly engage with their peers in analyzing multiple possible solutions. Classes engage in open-ended discussions about what individual students notice and wonder about mathematical concepts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Learners differ in how they navigate learning environments and express what they know. Students can communicate their ideas in multiple ways, including in print, sketching, uploading photos, or recording an audio response.

Accessibility

Lesson facilitation supports

Every lesson includes at least one specific suggestion the teacher can use to increase access to the lesson without reducing the mathematical demand of the tasks. These suggestions address the following areas:

  • Visual-spatial processing
  • Conceptual processing
  • Executive functioning
  • Memory and attention
  • Fine motor skills

Accessibility tools

Students have the ability to control accessibility tools so that each learning experience is customized to their individual needs. In many instances, these tools can be turned on or off at any point of instruction.

  • Text to speech: Reads text instructions to students in multiple languages
  • Enlarged font: Increases the size of all text on screen
  • Braille mode: Includes narration of digital interactions
  • Language selection: Toggles between languages

Differentiation: In-Lesson Teacher Moves

Within every lesson activity, teachers can use the suggestions in the Differentiation Teacher Moves table to provide in-the-moment instructional support while students are engaged in the work of the lesson. This table can help teachers anticipate the ways students may approach the activity, and provides prompts that they can use during the lesson to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch individual students in their thinking. Teachers are provided with clear student actions and understanding to look for, each matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to the student thinking illustrated in each row of the table. In addition to using these suggestions in the moment as teachers monitor student work, teachers can review the Differentiation table in advance to help them anticipate how students are likely to approach the activity.

A table showing differentiation teacher moves with examples of representing groups in different ways, support prompts, and a stretch question about patterns with more teams.

Differentiation: Beyond the Lesson

Teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students needing support, strengthening, and stretching after each lesson. Support, Strengthen, and Stretch resources include:

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute, small-group direct instruction lessons targeted to a specific concept or skill
  • Item Banks: Space for teachers to create practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more
  • Fluency Practice: Adaptive, personalized practice built out for basic operations and more
  • Centers (K–5): Lesson-embedded routines and practice for students that are vertically aligned across grade levels
  • Extensions: Lesson-embedded Teacher Moves including possible stretch questions and activities for students
  • Lesson Practice: Additional practice problems support every lesson
  • Math Adventures: Strategy-based math games where students engage with math concepts and practice skills in a fun digital environment
  • Lesson Summary Support: Support for students and caregivers that provides efficient explanation of the learning goal with clear examples

Math Identity and Community

The Math Identity and Community feature supports teachers in helping students build confidence in their own mathematical thinking, develop skills to work with and learn from others when doing math, and learn how math is an interwoven part of their broader community. The embedded prompts throughout the lessons are designed to highlight what it means to be good at math, the value of sharing ideas, and the power of flexible and creating thinking. Here are some examples of the Math Identity and Community supports embedded in each lesson:

  • I can be all of me in math class. You will work with partners every day in math class. What do you want your partners to know about you? 
  • We are a math community. What does good listening look like and sound like in a math community? 
  • I am a doer of math. What math strengths did you use today?

Unit Stories

Every unit in grades K–5 contains a Unit Story. These Unit Stories are brief fiction stories read aloud by the teacher at the beginning of each unit that connect to the math of the unit and introduce characters that students will get to know as they engage in the unit. Teachers read the story aloud from their Teacher Edition while projecting illustrations for students from the story, found in the Teacher Presentation Screens for the story. Across the unit, the Unit Story context and characters are used at appropriate points to inspire and engage students in the math as well as in reflections about their math identity and community.

Math Language Development

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California includes opportunities for all students to develop mathematical language as they experience the content. Amplify Desmos Math California purposefully progresses language development from lesson to lesson and across units by supporting students in making their arguments and explanations stronger, clearer, and more precise. This systematic approach to the development of math language can be broken down into the following four categories of support:

  • Vocabulary: Units and lessons start by surfacing students’ language for new concepts, then building connections between their language and the new vocabulary for that unit. This honors the language assets that students bring into their learning.
  • Language goals: Language goals attend to the mathematics students are learning, and are written through the lens of one or more of four language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Math Language Routines: Math Language Routines are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition.
  • Multilingual/English learner supports: Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson. These specific, targeted suggestions support ML/ELs with modifications that increase access to a task, or through development of contextual or mathematical language (both of which can be supportive of all learners). 

Multilingual and English Learner Supports

Partnership with English Learner Success Forum

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Math Language Development Resources

Our Math Language Development Resources book contains lesson-specific strategies and activities for all levels of English Learners (i.e., Emerging, Expanding, Bridging). With support for every lesson, teachers are empowered to help all students, regardless of their language skills, to participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Multilingual Glossary

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Translations will be provided for up to nine languages.

Spanish Version

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Support

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a variety of embedded instructional supports to empower teachers to lead effectively and gain actionable insights into student growth and progress. Teachers are equipped with a comprehensive set of resources designed to fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Grade-level concepts

Within the Teacher Edition front matter:

  • Scope and sequence
  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Unit and Sub-Unit Overview:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Math that Matters Most
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Lesson:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

How to implement the program

At the course level (within the Teacher Edition front matter):

  • Navigating the Program (both print and digital)
  • Facilitating Lesson Activities with Launch, Monitor and Connect
  • Overview of the Digital Facilitation Tools

At the lesson level:

  • Suggestions for timing
  • What materials to prep
  • How to organize and group students 
  • Key lesson takeaways with the Synthesis
  • Recommendations for Differentiation
  • Strategies for intervention and extensions (in the Intervention, Extensions, and Investigation Resources book)

At the activity level:

  • Differentiation recommendations
  • Accessibility tips
  • ML / EL tips
  • Teacher look-fors
  • Recommended Teacher Moves
  • Prompts for guiding student thinking 
  • Sample student responses

Development of Math Language

A variety of language development supports are provided within the Student and Teacher Editions and Math Language Development Resources book. 

At the lesson level:

  • Diagrams and visuals
  • Sentence frames and word banks
  • Graphic organizers, including Frayer models
  • Vocabulary routines
  • Embedded language supports aligned to the CA ELDs
  • Lesson-specific strategies for Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging

At the unit level: 

  • Words With Multiple Meanings
  • Contextual vocabulary

At the course level:

  • English/Spanish cognates
  • Multilingual Glossary 

Other Curriculum Guidance

  • Additional Practice Resources book
  • Assessment Resources book 
  • Assess and Respond guidance paired with each assessment opportunity
  • Show-What-You-Know activities
  • Answer keys and rubrics 
  • Performance tasks

Amplify announces acquisition of assessment provider Math ANEX

BROOKLYN, NY (April 3, 2024) – Amplify, a publisher of next-generation curriculum and assessment programs, today announced the acquisition of Math ANEX, a pioneering math assessment provider renowned for its innovative asset-based approach which focuses on analyzing students’ mathematical thinking.

Math ANEX will become a key feature of Amplify’s mCLASS Math product, helping educators go beyond the limitations of binary score reporting, explore deep analysis of student thinking, and build on the assets students showcase. This asset-based approach highlights students’ mathematical capabilities, showcasing evidence of what they can do, rather than making assumptions about what they cannot.

“Amplify mCLASS Math is going to represent a new standard for mathematics assessment. We aim to provide educators not only with reliable measures of student achievement and valid content priorities, but also with an asset-based system that analyzes student thinking and allows teachers to leverage their students’ mathematical strengths,” said Amplify’s Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of STEM Jason Zimba. “The groundbreaking work of Patrick Callahan and his team at Math ANEX will help us develop assessments with unprecedented quality, relevance, and instructional value for teachers.”

Math ANEX’s main product, District Essential Math Indicators (or DEMI), is a digital math assessment designed to deeply analyze how students think about and approach mathematical problems. By identifying students’ often overlooked mathematical assets, DEMI helps inform more effective instructional action, empowering teachers to leverage and build on those existing student assets. The integration of DEMI into mCLASS Math will help Amplify further its ambitious vision for math assessments, including:

  • assessment items that are carefully designed to prompt student thinking about essential math;
  • additional assessment items that cover the remaining skills and standards;
  • the ability to tag and auto-score open-ended student responses to analyze student thinking and performance;
  • detailed insights and actionable instructional recommendations for teachers; and
  • aggregate reports that inform district-level decision-making for administrators.

ANEX currently serves nearly 220,000 students across more than 15 U.S. school districts, including the San Diego Unified School District, the second largest district in California. Math ANEX founder and CEO Patrick Callahan will join Amplify to support the company’s math suite.

“When we founded Math ANEX, our goal was to revolutionize math assessment by extending beyond just correct/incorrect reporting, towards more comprehensive analysis of student thinking,” said Math ANEX CEO Patrick Callahan. “We understood from years of previous work that equipping educators with rich insights into student thinking was one of the most powerful ways to catalyze learning in mathematics. Joining the Amplify team pairs us with the expertise and resources to share this major paradigm shift in math assessment in ways that reverberate throughout the entire education system.”

About Amplify
A pioneer in K–12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our core and supplemental programs in ELA, math and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively and for themselves. Our formative assessment products help teachers identify the targeted instruction students need to build a strong foundation in early reading and math. All of our programs and services provide educators with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of every student. Today, Amplify serves more than 15 million students in all 50 states and on six continents. For more information, visit Amplify.com.

About Math ANEX
Founded in 2021 by Patrick Callahan and Jeremy Thiesen, Math ANEX (short for ANalyzing EXplanations) is a math assessment provider that helps schools and districts implement asset-based tools and practices. Math ANEX assessments go far beyond scoring correct/incorrect answers by analyzing how students think about and approach mathematics. Our objective is to uncover insights into student thinking, identify what students are doing well, and support teachers in building on those existing strengths. Math ANEX uses an asset-based lens to analyze what mathematics students understand, how they apply that knowledge in various situations, and how they communicate their reasoning.

Contact: Kristine Frech; media@amplify.com

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Introducing mCLASS Math: An Asset-Based Benchmarking and Progress-Monitoring Assessment System

Thursday, 4pm ET

Don’t miss our finale of Assessment and Intervention Week! After using the week to talk about the strategies and benefits of asset-based assessment, we’ll join Kelly Serpa Howe, Ed.D., to dive into the new mCLASS Math and how this program opens a window into student thinking and supports conceptual understanding, all while maximizing valuable planning and instructional time.

Register now

The Benefits of Asset-Based Assessment for All Learners

Wednesday, 2pm ET

This session advocates for asset-based assessment in K-12 education, focusing on the importance of viewing students through a strengths-based lens rather than a deficit perspective. This session highlights how this approach helps celebrate diverse learners, shifting the focus to what students can do and fostering a growth mindset that supports success for all students. Practical examples will be shared to help educators implement these strategies in their own classrooms.

Register now

The Benefits of Asset-Based Assessment for All Learners

Wednesday, 2pm ET

Join Gregory Trieste as he discusses what asset-based assessment can do to unlock new opportunities for all learners, includes those with learning differences.

Register now

A curiosity-driven K–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency

Amplify Desmos Math thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each math lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

What is Amplify Desmos Math?

Amplify Desmos Math supports teachers in building students’ lifelong math proficiency. The program:

  • Supports social classrooms, invites mathematical creativity, and evokes wonder, creating a welcoming learning space where students are empowered to see themselves and their classmates as having brilliant mathematical ideas.
  • Provides teachers with clear, step-by-step moves to build systematically from students’ prior knowledge to grade-level learning.
  • Connects students to each other’s thinking and to an understanding that they can use math to make sense of the world.
  • Enables access to grade-level understanding for every student, every day.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds throughout core instruction and targeted intervention when needed.

Educational software interface featuring a New York math problem about measuring platform heights using a 9-inch tube, illustrated with a playful, colorful design.

Experience Amplify Desmos Math

Click the links below to explore our interactive digital lessons, where you’ll also find print Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for each lesson.

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download our Grades K–5, Grades 6–Algebra 1, and Grades 9–12 program guides.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components with a lesson walkthrough video.

A teacher using her finger to count, showing the number two to a young student with illustrated fruits like apples, pears, and blueberries above them in a New York math classroom.

Grade K lessons

A cartoon of a worried young woman sitting cross-legged on a sofa, holding a laptop with thought bubbles showing "New York Math" books and a color palette.

Grade 1 lessons

A person with long blond hair and a red dress points at a screen with addition and subtraction symbols, tally marks labeled "A" and "B," reminiscent of the engaging methods used in Amplify Desmos Math New York.

Grade 2 lessons

Illustration of five children, including one in a wheelchair, seated on chairs, engaging in a classroom activity. A girl raises her hand while a speech bubble shows drawings of hands and numbers, amplifying New York math lessons.

Grade 3 lessons

A woman with glasses teaches New York math using a colorful chart, surrounded by geometric shapes in a classroom setting.

Grade 4 lessons

Illustration of two people whispering, with abstract backgrounds depicting a box with a question mark and pallets on shelves, emphasizing "amplify desmos math" concepts.

Grade 5 lessons

Three raccoons sit on one side of a seesaw balanced by a 21 lb weight on the other side, set against an outdoor cityscape background.

Grade 6 lessons

Illustration of a number line from -25 to 5, featuring a sheep and a unicorn on opposite ends, set against a backdrop of grass, water, and sky, crafted for Amplify Des

Grade 7 lessons

Four colorful robots stand in front of a whiteboard displaying a scatter plot with a trend line.

Grade 8 lessons

A snail sits on a ledge 28 mm high, next to a series of vertical stacks of purple and blue blocks, with a sun and lettuce in the background.

Algebra 1 lessons (Middle school)

A graph displaying red and purple parabolas on a green grid, with highlighted intersection points and red plus purple buttons below—perfect for exploring functions with Amplify Desmos Math.

Algebra 1 lessons (High school)

A geometric flower-like pattern inspired by Amplify Desmos Math, featuring overlapping purple circles on a light blue square background.

Geometry lessons

Four square graphs with blue lines, each showing a different curve or pattern, displayed on a blue background—perfect for illustrating how Amplify Desmos Math brings data to life visually.

Algebra 2 lessons

Diagnostic screening and progress monitoring assessments

Integrated mCLASS® Assessments go beyond accuracy to reveal students’ math thinking through an asset-based approach. This data provides better insights about what students know, what math assets to leverage, and where students need support.

A laptop displays a math problem with illustrated students and a virtual keyboard. Behind it, a chart shows percentages for a Math 2 Beginning-of-Year Screener assessment.

Personalized learning and support

Amplify Desmos Math includes digital, adaptive practice that provides the personalized support a student needs to access grade-level math every day. Boost Personalized Learning activities target a skill or concept aligned to the day’s core lesson, with each student receiving personalized scaffolds based on what they already know. This technology complements daily learning and provides another layer of support to the in-lesson differentiation and instructional guidance provided to teachers. Click here to try a Boost Personalized Learning activity. More activities coming soon!

The Fluency Practice of Amplify Desmos Math uses an evidence-based approach to memory retention—spaced repetition—for the basic operations. Students around the world have answered more than 120 million multiplication questions within our application. Try it now! 


Indiana Amplify Desmos Math resources for your review

Outline of Indiana with a star marking the center, surrounded by icons of a racecar, basketball, basket, barn, corn, and flowers.

Contact us

Support is always available. Our team is committed to helping you every step of the way. Contact your dedicated Indiana representative here for program access, samples, and additional information.

A woman with long brown hair and a white top smiles at the camera in front of an orange background, showcasing her passion for the Science of Reading and dedication to Indiana middle school education.

Elizabeth Sillies Callahan

Southern IN
(513) 407-5801

A woman with long brown hair and blue eyes smiles gently at the camera. The background is a light purple circle, reflecting her passion for the Science of Reading and dedication to Indiana middle school education.

Jody Kammer

Central IN
(310) 402-7837

Woman with long brown hair, large black glasses, and a nose ring, wearing a striped shirt and dark blazer, posing in front of a neutral background—professional style suited for the Indiana Department of Education.

Amanda Knipper

Northern IN
(260) 894-5123

A woman with wavy red hair and blue eyes, dressed in a purple turtleneck, smiles at the camera against a dark background—reflecting the approachable spirit of Indiana middle school teachers.

Paige Lawrence

District enrollment below 1200
(980) 421-2608

A curiosity-driven K–12 program that builds students’ lifelong math proficiency

Meet Amplify Desmos Math. Our structured, problem-based approach builds on students’ curiosity while strategically developing math fluency and lasting grade-level understanding. Amplify Desmos Math for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports.

Explore samples

Math that motivates

Picture a classroom where students are so eagerly engaged in a lesson, they wish it wouldn’t end. The room is buzzing with the sounds of natural curiosity. This is what an Amplify Desmos Math classroom looks and sounds like.

Request a demo to see how math can motivate.

A structured approach to problem-based learning

Amplify Desmos Math combines and connects conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Lessons are designed with the Proficiency Progression™, a model that provides teachers with clear instructional moves to build from students’ prior knowledge to grade-level learning.

A teacher stands in front of a classroom, pointing toward a screen, while students with raised hands sit at desks with laptops, engaging with the core curriculum through Amplify Desmos Math.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math fuses problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments to create a cohesive and engaging experience that maintains academic rigor while meeting the needs of both students and teachers.

Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds throughout core instruction and targeted intervention when needed. Connect with a product expert to see it in action.

Two young girls sit at a table in a library or classroom, smiling and gesturing with their hands. Books and educational materials are on the table.

Student thinking is valuable and can be made evident.

We believe that math class is a place where teachers can elicit, celebrate, and build on their students’ interesting ideas. Those ideas fuel meaningful classroom conversations and drive the learning process.

Robust assessments that drive learning and inform instruction

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills. With explicit guidance on what to look for and how to respond, teachers can effectively support students as they develop their understanding.

A laptop screen displays a math question with a scatter plot about staff and wait times; a worksheet with a similar graph is shown in the background.
A laptop displays a math problem with illustrated students and a virtual keyboard. Behind it, a chart shows percentages for a Math 2 Beginning-of-Year Screener assessment.

Diagnostic screening and progress monitoring assessments identify what students know and can do.

Integrated mCLASS® Math assessments go beyond accuracy to reveal students’ math thinking through an asset-based approach. This data provides better insights about what students know, what math assets to leverage, and where students need support.

Reporting and insights

Teachers and administrators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math with a variety of data reports. By evaluating not only what students know about grade-level math but also providing insight into how they think, teachers can confidently plan whole-class instruction and targeted intervention.

A digital dashboard displays student names and their performance levels in a grid, with a score distribution summary for assessment items shown in an overlay—ideal for tracking progress within the core curriculum or Desmos Math programs.

Access to grade-level math for every student, every day

Amplify Desmos Math provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level-content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks—all while supporting students in building strong number sense, fluency, and conceptual understanding.

A five-step process for teaching with Amplify Desmos Math: activate prior knowledge, collaborate ideas, use facilitation tools, guide to grade-level understanding, and practice for lasting understanding within the core curriculum.

Differentiation when and where it matters most

Teachers are provided with clear student actions to look for, matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to student thinking. Each lesson also includes recommendations for resources to use with students to support, strengthen, and stretch their understanding of the lesson goal.

Connect with a product expert to learn more.

Boost Math

Boost Math® drives tiered intervention and practice for grades K–8, bringing grade-level math within reach of every learner. Students are grouped into learning pathways based on assessment data for key math topics.

Visit Boost Math to learn more.

A boy wearing headphones sits at a desk, using a laptop in a classroom setting. A whiteboard and colorful posters highlight the mathematics curriculum in the background.

Personalized Learning

Personalized Learning™ extends each Amplify Desmos Math lesson with short, targeted digital activities designed around the day’s core concepts. Students receive just-in-time support based on their current understanding, helping them build fluency and confidence in the exact skills they’re working on in class.

Intervention Mini-Lessons aligned to core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math Mini-Lessons are aligned to the most critical topics throughout a unit and provide targeted intervention for small groups of students who need additional support or need more time.

Elevate math instruction with Amplify PD.

Amplify Desmos Math offers targeted professional development (PD) sessions designed to enhance teaching strategies, improving student engagement and mastery of mathematical concepts. Gain insights and techniques to maximize instructional effectiveness.

Explore Amplify Desmos Math PD

What’s included

The program integrates print and digital resources, along with manipulatives and Centers Kits in grades K–5, to help students build mathematical understanding, reason through mathematical ideas, and express their mathematical thinking. Resources are designed to support the educational rigor of daily core math instruction.

For students

  • Print Student Edition (two-volume)
  • Digital access to lesson resources and practice
  • Interactive Student Activity Screens
  • Responsive Feedback™
  • Collaboration tools
  • Personalized Learning
  • Hands-on manipulative kits
  • Additional Practice

For teachers

  • Print Teacher Edition (two-volume)
  • Digital access to planning and instruction resources
  • Presentation Screens
  • Facilitation and progress monitoring tools
  • Assessment and reporting suite, featuring mCLASS Assessments (grades K–8)
  • Assessment Resources
  • Center Resources (grades K–5)
  • Intervention and Extension Resources (grades K–A1)
  • Math Language Development Resources
  • Additional Practice

Visual and dynamic interactions pique student interest and invite all students to engage in the mathematics.

  • Engaging interactions
  • Social, collaborative experiences
  • Teacher Dashboard
  • Teacher Presentation Screens
  • Digital facilitation tools
  • A powerful conversation toolkit

Amplify Classroom

Amplify Classroom is a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction.

Amplify Classroom features free lessons, lesson-building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by math educators, the platform makes leaning into good pedagogy easier for teachers—which makes the lesson a more interactive experience for students.

Create your teacher account at classroom.amplify.com.

Our free lessons can be used alongside any core math program. Click here to view crosswalks to core programs.

Ready to learn more?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch soon.

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A curiosity-driven K–12 program that builds students’ lifelong math proficiency

Meet Amplify Desmos Math. Our structured, problem-based approach builds on students’ curiosity while strategically developing math fluency and lasting grade-level understanding. Amplify Desmos Math for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports.

Explore samples

Math that motivates

Picture a classroom where students are so eagerly engaged in a lesson, they wish it wouldn’t end. The room is buzzing with the sounds of natural curiosity. This is what an Amplify Desmos Math classroom looks and sounds like.

Request a demo to see how math can motivate.

A structured approach to problem-based learning

Amplify Desmos Math combines and connects conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Lessons are designed with the Proficiency Progression™, a model that provides teachers with clear instructional moves to build from students’ prior knowledge to grade-level learning.

A five-step process for teaching with Amplify Desmos Math: activate prior knowledge, collaborate ideas, use facilitation tools, guide to grade-level understanding, and practice for lasting understanding within the core curriculum.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math fuses problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments to create a cohesive and engaging experience that maintains academic rigor while meeting the needs of both students and teachers.

Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds throughout core instruction and targeted intervention when needed. Connect with a product expert to see it in action.

Two young girls sit at a table in a library or classroom, smiling and gesturing with their hands. Books and educational materials are on the table.

Student thinking is valuable and can be made evident.

We believe that math class is a place where teachers can elicit, celebrate, and build on their students’ interesting ideas. Those ideas fuel meaningful classroom conversations and drive the learning process.

Robust assessments that drive learning and inform instruction

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills. With explicit guidance on what to look for and how to respond, teachers can effectively support students as they develop their understanding.

A laptop screen displays a math question with a scatter plot about staff and wait times; a worksheet with a similar graph is shown in the background.
A laptop displays a math problem with illustrated students and a virtual keyboard. Behind it, a chart shows percentages for a Math 2 Beginning-of-Year Screener assessment.

Diagnostic screening and progress monitoring assessments identify what students know and can do.

Integrated mCLASS® Math assessments go beyond accuracy to reveal students’ math thinking through an asset-based approach. This data provides better insights about what students know, what math assets to leverage, and where students need support.

Reporting and insights

Teachers and administrators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math with a variety of data reports. By evaluating not only what students know about grade-level math but also providing insight into how they think, teachers can confidently plan whole-class instruction and targeted intervention.

A digital dashboard displays student names and their performance levels in a grid, with a score distribution summary for assessment items shown in an overlay—ideal for tracking progress within the core curriculum or Desmos Math programs.

Access to grade-level math for every student, every day

Amplify Desmos Math provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level-content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks—all while supporting students in building strong number sense, fluency, and conceptual understanding.

A teacher stands in front of a classroom, pointing toward a screen, while students with raised hands sit at desks with laptops, engaging with the core curriculum through Amplify Desmos Math.

Differentiation when and where it matters most

Teachers are provided with clear student actions to look for, matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to student thinking. Each lesson also includes recommendations for resources to use with students to support, strengthen, and stretch their understanding of the lesson goal.

Connect with a product expert to learn more.

Boost Math

Boost Math® drives tiered intervention and practice for grades K–8, bringing grade-level math within reach of every learner. Students are grouped into learning pathways based on assessment data for key math topics.

Visit Boost Math to learn more.

A boy wearing headphones sits at a desk, using a laptop in a classroom setting. A whiteboard and colorful posters highlight the mathematics curriculum in the background.

Personalized Learning

Personalized Learning™ extends each Amplify Desmos Math lesson with short, targeted digital activities designed around the day’s core concepts. Students receive just-in-time support based on their current understanding, helping them build fluency and confidence in the exact skills they’re working on in class.

Intervention Mini-Lessons aligned to core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math Mini-Lessons are aligned to the most critical topics throughout a unit and provide targeted intervention for small groups of students who need additional support or need more time.

Elevate math instruction with Amplify PD.

Amplify Desmos Math offers targeted professional development (PD) sessions designed to enhance teaching strategies, improving student engagement and mastery of mathematical concepts. Gain insights and techniques to maximize instructional effectiveness.

Explore Amplify Desmos Math PD

What’s included

The program integrates print and digital resources, along with manipulatives and Centers Kits in grades K–5, to help students build mathematical understanding, reason through mathematical ideas, and express their mathematical thinking. Resources are designed to support the educational rigor of daily core math instruction.

For students

  • Student Edition (two-volume)
  • Digital access to lesson resources and practice
  • Interactive Student Activity Screens
  • Responsive Feedback™
  • Collaboration tools
  • Personalized Learning
  • Hands-on manipulative kits

For teachers

  • Teacher Edition (two-volume)
  • Digital access to planning and instruction resources
  • Presentation Screens
  • Facilitation and progress monitoring tools
  • Assessment and reporting suite, featuring mCLASS Assessments (grades K–8)
  • Assessment Resources
  • Center Resources (grades K–5)
  • Intervention and Extension Resources (grades K–8)

Visual and dynamic interactions pique student interest and invite all students to engage in the mathematics.

  • Engaging interactions
  • Social, collaborative experiences
  • Teacher Dashboard
  • Teacher Presentation Screens
  • Digital facilitation tools
  • A powerful conversation toolkit

Amplify Classroom

Amplify Classroom is a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction.

Amplify Classroom features free lessons, lesson-building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by math educators, the platform makes leaning into good pedagogy easier for teachers—which makes the lesson a more interactive experience for students.

Create your teacher account at classroom.amplify.com.

Our free lessons can be used alongside any core math program. Click here to view crosswalks to core programs.

Ready to learn more?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch soon.

Explore more programs.

Our programs are designed to support and complement one another. Learn more about our related programs.

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Professional development for multi-program suites

Amplify professional development provides learning experiences that intentionally develop the knowledge and skills you need for effective and self-sustaining implementation.

Now you can learn and apply impactful instructional techniques and develop a deeper understanding of the suite of Amplify programs.

Professional Learning Partner Guide Certified Provider

Amplify professional development has been vetted by Rivet Education’s team through a rigorous three-step process and is listed in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.

Contact us
A diagram shows three math programs: mCLASS Math with a student's photo, Amplify Desmos Math with math tools, and Boost Math with a robot illustration, all connected by orange lines.

Amplify suites

Each of Amplify’s high-quality, research-based programs is designed to help you teach inspiring math lessons that celebrate and develop your students’ brilliance. When used together, our comprehensive math suite provides even greater support and coherence for every student across your curriculum.

Contact your account executive to discuss PD options or request a quote.

Math

Amplify Desmos Math with mCLASS Math assessments and Boost Personalized Learning combine the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessment into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers. With the full suite, teachers gain access to all the tools they need to inspire and motivate all learners in math class.

Empower educators with:

  • High-quality professional development
    Comprehensive PD sessions equip teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective program implementation, enhancing instructional practices and boosting student outcomes. These sessions support educators in leveraging the full suite of Amplify’s K–5 math programs, ensuring seamless integration and maximizing classroom impact.
  • Core instruction for grades K–12
    Amplify Desmos Math lessons provide a structured approach to problem-based learning, helping teachers create a collaborative math community with students at its center. Each lesson systematically builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understanding for all students. Available in English and Spanish.
  • Integrated personalized practice
    Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive FeedbackTM adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.
  • Screening and progress monitoring
    mCLASS Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure what students know and how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources.
  • Embedded intervention
    Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific skill or concept connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Each suite package will include:

LAUNCH STRENGTHEN COACH
Beginning of year Mid-year, end of year Mid-year, end of year
Three people work together at a computer in a classroom; one woman points at the monitor while the others watch attentively.
Two people sit at a table reviewing documents together against a yellow background. An icon of a barbell is displayed in the top left corner.
Two women sit side by side at a table, each with a laptop. One woman points at the other’s screen as they focus on the display against a plain blue background.
Receive one on-site or virtual Launch session for Amplify Desmos Math.
 Receive one on-site or virtual Strengthen session for Amplify Desmos Math.
 Receive one on-site or virtual Coach session for Amplify Desmos Math.
  In addition, select one 1-hour virtual Strengthen Focus session for the program of your choice:

  • Amplify Desmos Math
  • mCLASS Math
  • Boost Math
 In addition, select one more on-site or virtual Coach session for the program of your choice:

  • Amplify Desmos Math
  • mCLASS Math
Add-on: Suggested enhancements are available for each Launch, Strengthen, and Coach session options.
Before teaching After 6+ weeks of teaching  

Begin packages for grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school

Launch sessions

  On-site package
(22 hr.)		 Hybrid 22, on-site package
(22 hr.)		 Hybrid 17 package
(17 hr.)		 Hybrid 22,
virtual
package
(22hr.)		 Virtual
package
(14 hr.)
One Launch session per package On-site,
6 hr.		 On-site,
6 hr.		 On-site,
3 hr.		 Virtual,
6 hr.
(2 half-days)		 Virtual,
3 hr.
Amplify Desmos Math: Initial training for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
 A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Amplify Desmos Math: Program overview for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Suggested enhancements
Launch add-on On-site or virtual, 3 hr. session Amplify Desmos Math: Program overview for K–5, 6–A1, or high school leaders
Launch add-on On-site or virtual, 3 hr. session mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Strengthen and Coach sessions

One Strengthen session and one additional Strengthen session (1 hr. Focus only) per package. Choose any of the following as a secondary Strengthen touchpoint.

  On-site package
(22 hr.)		 Hybrid 22,
on-site package
(22 hr.)		 Hybrid 17 package
(17 hr.)		 Hybrid 22,
virtual
package
(22hr.)		 Virtual
package
(14 hr.)		 Virtual
package
Strengthen On-site, 3 hr. Virtual, 3 hr. Virtual,
1 hr.		 Virtual, 3 hr. Virtual, 1 hr. Virtual, 2 hr.
Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
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Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing practice for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
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Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing observations for K–5, 6–A1, or high school leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting all learners: Differentiation in Amplify Desmos Math for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Amplify Desmos Math: Teaching a lesson with digital student screens for K–5 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Amplify Desmos Math: Unit-level planning for
K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers		     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Amplify Desmos Math: Snapshots in the Teacher Dashboard for 6–A1 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical explanations for K–5 or 6–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Coach On-site,
6 hr.		 On-site,
6 hr.		 On-site,
6 hr.		 On-site,
6 hr.		 Virtual,
3 hr.
Coach session
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Suggested enhancements
Strengthen add-on On-site or virtual, 3 hr. session mCLASS Math + Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers
Strengthen add-on On-site or virtual, 3 hr. session Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting and facilitating meaningful discussions for teachers

Launch session options

Propel your school or district into the new school year. Program-aligned Launch sessions introduce teachers and leaders to their unique Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.

Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Initial training for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site, 6 hours

Initial training sessions are designed for educators who are new to our program. In our initial training session, educators are oriented to the key components of their program(s), including learning how to navigate, teach, and monitor student progress, while exploring content and program resources. Participants will leave the session with foundational knowledge and skills necessary to begin teaching with the program.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Program overview for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Program overview sessions provide a basic introduction for educators who are new users of the program. In a program overview session, educators learn how to get started with the key features and materials of the program.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Suggested enhancement: Launch add-on: Amplify Desmos Math: Program overview for K–5, 6–A1, or high school leaders

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Ideal add-on to Launch sessions
The Program overview for leaders supports district and school-level instructional leaders in effectively coordinating the implementation of the program. Leaders will learn the foundational elements of the program, build an understanding of the key teacher and student practices to look for in classrooms, and develop an implementation plan.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Launch add-on: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Assessments. Learn how these assessments both highlight students’ strengths and help identify what’s next through an asset-based approach. Leave ready to administer assessments and understand reporting.

Session options: mCLASS Math (grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Strengthen session options

Strengthen your Amplify implementation with program-specific sessions that support personalized learning and practice in your classroom.

Amplify will partner closely with you to select the appropriate session(s) that will deepen educators’ understanding of Amplify program(s) and equip them with the tools they need to improve student’s learning outcomes. Each package includes one Strengthen session. Additional sessions can be added as Enhancements.

Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into planning for Amplify Desmos Math, both big picture and day-to-day. Practice using lesson- and unit-planning protocols that will help you build a deep understanding of the math content you’ll be teaching and the planning resources available to you in the curriculum. Walk away with practical strategies for planning, even when you may not have much time.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing practice for K–5 or 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dig into Amplify Desmos Math’s Launch, Monitor, Connect framework to level up the student discourse in your math class. Explore in-the-moment differentiation support to help you orchestrate discussion and make the most out of key opportunities for conversation and collaboration.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing observations for K–5 or 6–A1 leaders

Virtual, 1 hour

Elevate your program knowledge to support teachers with effective Amplify Desmos Math implementation. Leave prepared to identify key instructional elements in a problem-based math lesson, analyze data, and conduct effective classroom observations.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Supporting all learners: Differentiation in Amplify Desmos Math for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Learn how to use the differentiation supports in Amplify Desmos Math to effectively support all learners, both in the moment during a lesson and beyond the lesson. Leave with a plan for implementing resources to support, strengthen, and stretch students’ thinking.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Amplify Desmos Math: Teaching a lesson with digital student screens for K–5 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Get ready to facilitate digital lessons with your students. Explore what’s possible with the Teacher Dashboard and plan to make the most of these exciting instructional moments.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (K–5)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Amplify Desmos Math: Unit-level planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Dive into unit-level planning to learn the story of your upcoming unit, and discover the big ideas you will explore alongside your students in Amplify Desmos Math.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Amplify Desmos Math: Snapshots in the Teacher Dashboard for 6–A1 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Explore how to use the Snapshots tool in the Teacher Dashboard to create a collaborative classroom that invites and celebrates student thinking. Leave with planning tips and tricks that will get you ready to use Snapshots during your busy math classes.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Begin: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical thinking for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

Virtual, 1 hour

Dig into mCLASS Math to reveal what students understand about mathematical concepts, and give them the tools to become more clear and confident communicators in math class.

Session options: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Begin: mCLASS Math and Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Ideal add-on Strengthen session
Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.

Session options: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Begin: Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting and facilitating meaningful discussions for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.

Session options: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Coach session options

Elevate instructional practice and help meet teachers’ and schools’ specific needs with customizable Coach sessions.

Coach session

On-site, 6 hours

Coaching sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (K–5 or 6–A1) and/or mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Practice packages (grades K–5 or 6–8)

Launch sessions

  On-site package
(16 hr.)		 Hybrid 16, on-site package
(16 hr.)		 Virtual package
(16 hr.)
One Launch session per package On-site, 3 hr. Virtual, 3 hr. Virtual, 3 hr.
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers
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Strengthen and Coach sessions

  On-site package
(16 hr.)		 Hybrid 16, on-site package
(16 hr.)		 Virtual package
(16 hr.)
One Strengthen and two Coach sessions per package Virtual, 1 hr. Virtual, 1 hr. Virtual, 1 hr.
Amplify Desmos Math: Teaching a lesson with digital student screens for K–5 teachers
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Amplify Desmos Math: Unit-level planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
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Amplify Desmos Math: Increasing engagement with instructional routines for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical thinking for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Coaching On-site, 6 hr. On-site, 6 hr. Virtual, 3 hr.
Coach session
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Suggested enhancements
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing practice for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing observation for K–5, 6–A1, or high school leaders
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting all learners for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting and facilitating meaningful discussions for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. Amplify Desmos Math: Assessment in action: Analyzing data and reports and planning next steps for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers
Strengthen add-on Virtual or on-site, 3 hr. mCLASS Math and Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for K–5 teachers

Launch session options

Propel your school or district into the new school year. Program-aligned Launch sessions introduce teachers and leaders to their unique Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.

Practice: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition Program overview for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Math assessment program. Learn how these assessments both highlight students’ strengths and help identify what’s next through an asset-based approach. Leave ready to administer assessments and understand reporting.

Session options: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Strengthen session options

Strengthen your Amplify implementation with program-specific sessions that support personalized learning and practice in your classroom.

Amplify will partner closely with you to select the appropriate session(s) that will deepen educators’ understanding of your Amplify program(s) and equip them with the tools they need to improve students’ learning outcomes. Each package includes one Strengthen session. Additional sessions can be added as Enhancements.

New session

Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Strengthen: Focus: Teaching a lesson with digital student screens for K–5 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Get ready to facilitate lessons with digital student screens. Explore what’s possible with the Teacher Dashboard and plan to make the most of these exciting instructional moments.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (K–5)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Practice: Strengthen Focus: Amplify Desmos Math: Unit-level planning for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Dive into unit-level planning to learn the story of your upcoming unit, and discover the big ideas you will explore alongside your students in Amplify Desmos Math.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Practice: Strengthen Focus: Amplify Desmos Math: Increasing engagement with instructional routines for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

Available Oct. 2026

Virtual, 1 hour

Explore how to use the instructional routines in Amplify Desmos Math to support and engage students as they make sense of new contexts, develop mathematical language, and solve problems.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical explanations for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

Virtual, 1 hour

Dig into mCLASS Math to reveal what students understand about mathematical concepts, and give them the tools to become more clear and confident communicators in math class.

Session option: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing planning K–5 or 6–A1 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into planning for Amplify Desmos Math, both big picture and day-to-day. Practice using lesson- and unit-planning protocols that will help you build a deep understanding of the math content you’ll be teaching and the planning resources available to you in the curriculum. Walk away with practical strategies for planning, even when you may not have much time.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing practice for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dig into Amplify Desmos Math’s Launch, Monitor, Connect framework to level up the student discourse in your math class. Explore in-the-moment differentiation support to help you orchestrate discussion and make the most out of key opportunities for conversation and collaboration.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Enhancing observations for K–5, 6–A1, or high school leaders

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Elevate your program knowledge to support teachers with effective Amplify Desmos Math implementation. Leave prepared to identify key instructional elements in a problem-based math lesson, analyze data, and conduct effective classroom observations.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Supporting all learners: Differentiation in Amplify Desmos Math for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Learn how to use the differentiation supports in Amplify Desmos Math to effectively support all learners, both in the moment during a lesson and beyond the lesson. Leave with a plan for implementing resources to support, strengthen, and stretch students’ thinking.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting and facilitating meaningful discussions for K–5, 6–A1, or high school teachers

Available Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Explore how to transform your mathematics classroom into a social and collaborative environment where students deepen their understanding by sharing their mathematical thinking. Learn more about how Amplify Desmos Math provides support for these meaningful mathematical conversations.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5, 6–A1, or high school)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: Amplify Desmos Math: Assessment in action: Analyzing data, reports, and planning next steps for K–5 or 6–A1 teachers

Available Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Deepen your understanding of the different types of assessments in Amplify Desmos Math and how they provide evidence of student learning. Analyze sample student work to calibrate on assessment scoring, interpret student thinking, and make a plan for instructional next steps.

Session option: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

Suggested enhancement: Practice: mCLASS Math and Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for K–5 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Ideal add-on Strengthen session
Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.

Session option: mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Coach session options

Elevate instructional practice and help meet teachers’ and schools’ specific needs with customizable Coach sessions.

Coach session

On-site, 6 hours

Coaching sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning.

Session options: Amplify Desmos Math (Grades K–5 or 6–A1) and mCLASS Math (Grades K–5 or 6–8)

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Contact us

Ready to lock in your dates? Want to learn more about developing a professional development plan to meet your needs?

Amplify welcomes the opportunity to partner with you to design professional development plans to meet the needs of your staff. Whether you’re returning or new to Amplify program(s), we provide guidance in answering your questions and making package/session recommendations.

If you’d like to order professional development services, please contact your local Amplify sales representative or call (800) 823-1969.

Uncover student thinking with a complete K-8 math assessment system

Expect more from your assessments with mCLASS® Math, a complete K–8 benchmark and progress monitoring assessment system that shows how students performed, reveals their math thinking, and provides teachers with recommendations to drive grade-level success.

Explore mCLASS samples

About the program

mCLASS Math is a digital assessment system designed to evaluate student performance and growth against grade-level expectations throughout the year. The program empowers educators and students with:

  • Valid, reliable, and research-based assessments that take less time, so you can measure student proficiency and growth without taking time away from instruction.
  • Valuable insights into student math thinking that move beyond right or wrong answers, revealing students’ processes so you can accelerate grade-level learning by building on what they already know.
  • Data that drives instruction, turning assessment results into clear next steps for differentiation and intervention—all aligned with your core math program and MTSS framework.

mCLASS Math is available for grades K–5 in the 2025–26 school year and for grades K–8 in the 2026–27 school year.

Access deeper insights into students’ understanding

Traditional assessments focus only on right or wrong answers. mCLASS Math goes deeper, revealing how students think about grade-level math and what they already understand.

This asset-based approach recognizes that every student has their own ways of thinking. Their individual strengths, experiences, understandings, and strategies—or assets, as we collectively refer to them—inform the robust data that powers mCLASS Math. By focusing on what students already know and where they need support, teachers can confidently build on each target area for growth and accelerate grade-level learning with confidence.

A student completing math assessment that highlights their strengths.

Traditional assessments

mCLASS Math’s asset-based assessments
Focus on student deficits Highlight what students already know and how they think to build on their strengths
Require lengthy assessments with separate questions to address each skill Efficiently gather multiple data points per item, reducing assessment time
Judge answers solely as correct or incorrect Reveal students’ thinking and understanding behind their answers
Provide data disconnected from core instruction and intervention Deliver data-driven recommendations aligned with core instruction and MTSS

mCLASS Benchmark Assessments

  • Digitally administered to the whole class three times a year (BOY, MOY, EOY) to measure growth against grade-level expectations
  • Provide real-time visibility into student work and responses
  • Diagnostic and screening tools to identify strengths and areas for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions
  • Flag potential risk of dyscalculia for early support

mCLASS Progress Monitoring

  • Quick, targeted assessments administered between benchmarks
  • Track student performance in specific skills and concepts over time
  • Inform instructional adjustments with in-the-moment recommendations
  • Ensure interventions are effective to keep students on track

Instructional supports for Tiers 1–3

Support, Strengthen, and Stretch model: Flexible framework for effective differentiation and intervention

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute teacher-led interventions to build grade-level proficiency in small groups
  • Centers: collaborative, hands-on activities for concept reinforcement (grades K–5)
  • Fluency Practice: adaptive digital practice to build number sense and procedural fluency
  • Item Bank: customizable practice and assessments filtered by standards and skills
  • Extensions: student-choice activities to challenge and extend learning
Image of teacher with students on laptops taking digital math tests

A research-backed approach

mCLASS Math assessments provide valid, reliable measures of student proficiency and thinking, offering clear insight into growth and performance against grade-level expectations.

Developed by a team of researchers, mCLASS Math has undergone rigorous psychometric validity studies and is backed by the latest iteration of curriculum-based measurement tools and a state-of-the-art approach for efficiently assessing students’ mathematical thinking. 

Read the research

Additionally, K–5 progress monitoring and 6–8 benchmark assessments are part of ongoing national field trials, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based design. Learn more.

Data that informs instruction

mCLASS Math transforms each student’s assessment results into clear, actionable next steps, empowering teachers to provide timely scaffolds and targeted instruction where they’re needed most. Integrated insights align with your core math program and MTSS framework, making it easy to differentiate and support every learner with confidence.

One integrated math solution

Amplify’s comprehensive math suite, Amplify Desmos Math, provides seamless alignment to help teachers capitalize on strengths, foster deep investment, and build agency for all students.

Everything is in one place—with screening and progress monitoring, core instruction, integrated personalized learning, and embedded intervention teachers can trust.

Learn more

Maximize assessment impact with mCLASS PD.

Amplify offers focused professional development to help educators leverage mCLASS Math data effectively. Gain strategies to enhance instruction, drive student success, and fully utilize assessment insights.

Discover mCLASS Math PD

Ready to learn more about mCLASS Math?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Amplify Classroom

Amplify Classroom is a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction.

Amplify Classroom features free lessons, lesson-
building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by
math educators, the platform makes differentiation
easier for teachers, enabling them to personalize individual student instruction in real-time.

Create your teacher account
at classroom.amplify.com.

Explore more programs.

Amplify programs are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs.

A laptop displaying a graph on a webpage labeled "Robots" sits next to two textbooks titled "Amplify Desmos Math," one being the teacher edition and the other for grade 6, exemplifying student-centered instruction through math technology.

Amplify Desmos Math

Amplify Desmos Math: Bringing you free math resources and core curriculum lesson…

A young girl sits at a classroom desk using a laptop and wearing headphones, with other students working on laptops in the background.

Boost Math

Boost Math™ is a K–8 personalized learning and intervention program that provides…

A woman and a young girl looking at a smartphone together, both seem engaged and interested. the woman is pointing at the screen.

mCLASS (K–5)

Amplify’s mClass is the gold-standard universal and dyslexia screener grou…

See All Programs

Introduction

Amplify Education, Inc. (“Amplify” or “we”) recognizes the importance of protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This App Privacy Policy describes our practices in connection with information that we may collect through your use of the Cell Simulator iOS application (the “App”).

This App Privacy Policy describes Amplify’s practices for handling non-personal information (e.g., site activity) in connection with the App.

Children. The App does not collect personal information from any users, including children under 13 years of age.

By using the App, you agree to the terms and conditions of this App Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this App Privacy Policy, please discontinue your use of the App.

Collection of information

Amplify may collect information from you at various points, including the following:

App activity information. When you access and interact with the App, we and our Third Party Agents (as defined below) may collect certain information about those visits. For example, we or our Third Party Agents may receive and record information about your computing device, including potentially your IP address, a unique application identifier assigned to that copy of the App (the “App ID”), or other characteristics of the device hardware, operating system and configurations for that device. The App ID and any other persistent identifiers we collect will be used solely for the purpose of recording information about your usage of the App, and will not be used to collect information through any other product or service.

Notice and choice

Updates to App Privacy Policy; Choice. Amplify may modify this App Privacy Policy. Please look at the Last Revised Date at the top of this App Privacy Policy to see when this App Privacy Policy was last revised. Any changes to this App Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised App Privacy Policy to this URL: http://amplify.com/curriculum/cell-module/privacy. If you do not wish to be bound by the terms of the revised App Privacy Policy, you must discontinue your use of the App.

Location of Data. The App is hosted in and managed and controlled by us from the United States and is not intended to subject us to the laws or jurisdiction of any jurisdiction other than that of the United States. If you are a user located outside the United States, you understand and consent to having any personal information processed in the United States. United States data protection and other relevant laws may not be the same as those in your jurisdiction.

Linked Services.The App may be linked to sites operated by unaffiliated companies. Amplify is not responsible for the privacy practices of unaffiliated companies, and once you leave the App via a link, you are subject to the applicable privacy policy of the unaffiliated service.

Use and disclosure

We may use and/or disclose any information we collect from you for the following purposes and as described elsewhere in this App Privacy Policy:

To provide and manage the App. We use the usage information we collect from you to provide the App and features to you, including to measure and improve its services and features, and to personalize your experience by delivering relevant content. We may also use and disclose aggregate or anonymous data about your use of and activity in the App to assist us in this regard and for any other purpose.

To improve our products and services. We may use your usage information for our internal business purposes, such as data analysis, developing new products and services, enhancing the App, and improving our services. To share with our affiliated education companies. Amplify may share your usage information with Amplify’s affiliated education companies for the purposes described in this App Privacy Policy.

To allow Third Party Agents to assist us. We may engage third party service providers, agents and partners (“Third Party Agents”) to perform functions on our behalf, such as analytics. We may disclose your usage information to such Third Party Agents to enable them to assist us in these efforts, for the purposes described in this App Privacy Policy.

To protect the rights of Amplify and our users. There may be instances when Amplify may disclose your usage information, in situations where Amplify has a good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary or appropriate in order to: (i) protect, enforce, or defend the legal rights, privacy, safety, operations, or property of Amplify, our parents, subsidiaries or affiliates or our or their employees, agents and contractors (including enforcement of our agreements, including our terms of use); (ii) protect the rights, safety, privacy, security or property of users of the Site or others; (iii) protect against fraud or for risk management purposes; (iv) comply with the law or legal process, including laws outside your country of residence; (v) respond to requests from public and government authorities, including those outside your country of residence; or (vi) allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.

To complete a merger or sale of assets. If Amplify sells all or part of its business or makes a sale or transfer of its assets or is otherwise involved in a merger, transfer or other disposition of all or part of its business, assets or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings), Amplify may transfer your information to the party or parties involved in the transaction.

Security

Amplify uses commercially reasonable administrative, technical, personnel and physical measures to safeguard information in its possession against loss, theft and unauthorized use, disclosure or modification.

Sensitive information

We ask that you not send or disclose to us any personal and/or sensitive information (e.g., name, address, social security numbers, information related to racial or ethnic origin, health, or criminal background) on or through the App or otherwise.

Contact us

If you have questions about this App Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@amplify.com

Mail: Amplify, 55 Washington St., Ste 900, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 Attn: General Counsel

Website Privacy Policy

Last Modified:  February 2026

Update: February 2, 2026: This Privacy Policy has been updated to address additional rights for individuals in the European Union/UK.

Below is the Website Privacy Policy for the amplify.com site (“Privacy Policy”). For purposes of clarity and as further outlined below, this Privacy Policy does not apply to student data. You can visit this page to read about the principles and policy governing student data collected and maintained on behalf of our school customers.

We advise you to read this Privacy Policy in its entirety, including the jurisdiction-specific provisions in the appendix. Our Notice at Collection for California Residents is available in the Notice for our California Customers.

Who We Are / What This Privacy Policy Covers

Amplify Education, Inc. (“Amplify”) recognizes the importance of protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes our practices in connection with information that we may collect through your use of this website (the “Site”).

This Privacy Policy does not apply to Amplify’s handling of:

  • student data or other information collected from users of Amplify’s products that support classroom instruction and learning, which are governed by our Customer Privacy Policy.
  • staff or applicant data that we process in accordance with our staff or applicant privacy notice, respectively.

If you have any question as to what legal agreement or privacy policy controls the collection and use of your information, please contact us using information below in the Contact Us section.

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and is subject to our Website Terms of Use, which governs your use of the Site.

Our Role: We are the controller of all personal information (as defined below) that we receive through our Site and can be reached by email at privacy@amplify.com or by mail at Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington St.#800, Brooklyn, NY, 11201.

1. What personal information do we collect?

When you visit and / or interact with our Site, we may collect the following information about you that, alone or in combination, could be used to identify you or your device (“personal information”):

  • Contact Information, such as name, district / school name, professional affiliation, title / role, email address, shipping address, address and phone number.
  • Account Information, such as customer user login and password. 
  • Demographic Information, such as age and gender.
  • Information You Submit, such as information voluntarily provided on message boards, feedback sections, and other public areas of the Site.
  • Site Activity Information, which is collected when you access and interact with the Site, we and our Service Providers (as defined below) may collect certain information about those visits. For example, we or our Service Providers may receive and record information about your computer and browser, including your IP address, browser type, and other software or hardware information. If you access the Site from a mobile or other device, we may collect a unique device identifier assigned to that device, or other characteristics of the device hardware, operating system and configurations for that device. On certain pages of the Site, we may use third party tools to help us look at mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, data or text entered, and the pages you visit.
  • Location Information, such as state, country and / or zip code, which we use to help us customize your experience, as well as to help us facilitate your privacy rights.
  • Audio, electronic, visual, or similar information: such as customer service interactions, call recordings, chat transcripts, files you attach, and email, text, or other correspondence.

If you make a purchase through our online store, you may provide payment and other information directly to our third party e-commerce platform to complete your purchase.

We ask that you not send us, and you not disclose, any government identifiers (such as social security numbers) or information related to racial or ethnic origin, health, or criminal background on or through the Site or otherwise.

2. Where/How do we collect personal information?

Amplify may collect personal information directly from you at various points, including the following:

  • Product Information and Newsletters. When you submit a request to obtain information about our products, services or other informational material or subscribe to one of our newsletters, you may be asked to submit information such as name, professional affiliation, email address, company name, address and phone and details on your query or interests in our products and services. This information is collected to help us process your request.
  • Customer Support. When you submit a form to contact our customer service, you may be asked to submit information such as name, e-mail, district, customer user login and password and details on your query. In addition, some features of our Site, such as our customer live chat functionality or other customer service systems may allow you to voluntarily provide personal information to us. This information is collected to help us process your request. Please only provide what is needed to facilitate the support request.
  • Product Orders. If you use e-commerce areas of our Site to order our products, we request information from you on our order form. To purchase products through the Site, you must provide contact information (such as name and shipping address) and financial information (such as credit card number). This information is used for billing purposes and to fill your orders. We will also use this information to contact you to confirm your order or to inform you of any issues or delays.
  • Registration. You may be asked to submit information to use certain parts of the Site (such as posting comments on certain areas of the Site), register for an event or webinar, or view restricted content that may be available on the Site. For instance, you may be asked to provide your name, email address and event or webinar-related preferences to help us process your registration or content request.
  • Public Areas and Discussion Forums. Any information you share in public areas, such as message boards or feedback sections, becomes public. Please be careful about what you disclose and do not post any personal information that you expect to keep private.
  • Contests and Sweepstakes. When we run a contest or sweepstakes relating to the Site or Amplify, it will be accompanied by a set of rules. The rules for each contest/sweepstakes will specify how the information gathered from you for your entry will be used and disclosed.

As you visit or use our Site, we may collect Site activity information through cookies and similar technologies.

  • Cookies, Pixels, and Other Tracking Technologies. Cookies and other tracking technologies (such as pixels, beacons, and Adobe Flash technology) are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They allow the website or mobile app to remember your actions and preferences over a period of time. We use the following types of cookies:
    • Strictly necessary cookies – These are cookies that are required for the operation of our Site. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our Site. These cookies are not generally stored beyond the browser session and are less likely to include personal information. This category of cookies cannot be disabled.
    • Functionality Cookies – We use these cookies so that we recognize you on our Site and remember your previously selected preferences. These cookies are stored on your device between browsing sessions but expire after a pre-defined period. These cookies enable our Site to “recognize” you when you use our Site, including your preferences such as your preferred language , time, and location. A mix of first party (placed by us) and third-party cookies (placed by third parties) are used.
    • Analytics Cookies – These cookies help us and our Service Providers compile statistics and analytics about users of the Site, including Site Activity Information. For example, we use Google Analytics to help us understand how users interact with the Platform. Google Analytics uses cookies to track your interactions with the Site, then collects that information and reports it to us. This information helps us improve the Site so that we can better serve you. To learn more about Google Analytics, visit https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en. If you wish, you can opt-out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available on https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
    • Advertising Cookies – We use these cookies to collect information about your visit to our Site, the content you viewed, the links you followed and information about your browser, device, and your IP address. We sometimes share some limited aspects of this data with third parties for advertising purposes. We may also share Site Activity Information collected through cookies with our advertising partners. This means that when you visit another website, you may be shown advertising based on your browsing patterns on our Site.

For information on how to opt-out of these technologies, please see What Choices Do You Have? below.

  • Social Plugins. Certain areas of our Site permit you to utilize social media functionality, such as the Facebook “Like” or Google “+1” buttons (“Social Plugins”). To use a Social Plugin, you must authorize the third-party provider of that Social Plugin, e.g. Facebook or Google, to access, collect, and/or disclose your information related to your use of that Social Plugin, subject to that company’s privacy policies, which may differ from this Privacy Policy. In addition, such providers may be able to collect information about you, including your activity on the Site, and they may notify your connections on their social networking platform about your use of the Site. Such services may also employ unique identifiers that allow your activity to be monitored across multiple websites for purposes of delivering more targeted advertising to you.

Amplify also receives information from other sources.

  • Information from Other Sources. We may supplement any information we collect via this Site with information from publicly or commercially available sources.

3. How do we use personal information?

We may use any personal information and other information we collect from and about you for the following purposes and as described elsewhere in this Privacy Policy:

  • To provide and manage the Site. We use the personal information we collect from and about you to provide the Site and features to you, including to measure and improve its services and features, to personalize your experience by delivering relevant content, to deliver marketing messages, to allow you to comment on content, to provide you with customer support, and to respond to inquiries. We may also use and disclose aggregate or anonymous data about your use of and activity on the Site to assist us in this regard and for any other purpose.
  • To contact you. Amplify may periodically send promotional materials (e.g., newsletters) or notifications related to the Site and to Amplify’s business to the contact information you provided to us at registration.
  • To improve our products and services. We may use your personal information for our business purposes, such as data analysis, audits, developing new products and services, enhancing the Site, improving our services, identifying usage trends, and determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns.
  • For marketing and advertising. We may use your personal information to help us market our products to you or your school district.

4. To whom do we disclose personal information?

We may disclose any personal information and other information we collect from and about you for the following purposes and as described elsewhere in this Privacy Policy:

  • To share with our affiliated education companies. Amplify may share your personal information with Amplify’s affiliated education companies for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
  • To allow service providers to assist us. We may engage third party service providers, agents and partners (“Service Providers”) to perform functions on our behalf, such as analytics, credit card processing, shipping or stocking orders and providing customer service. We may disclose your personal information to such Service Providers to enable them to assist us in these efforts.
  • To allow our marketing and advertising partners to assist us. We may engage marketing and advertising partners to help us market and advertise our products and services, including via digital ads sent in connection with your visit to the Site. We may disclose Site Activity information, as well as contact information and other aggregate insights to such partners to enable them to assist us in these efforts.
  • To protect the rights of Amplify and our users. There may be instances when Amplify may disclose your personal information, in situations where Amplify has a good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary or appropriate in order to: (i) protect, enforce, or defend the legal rights, privacy, safety, operations, or property of Amplify, our parents, subsidiaries or affiliates or our or their employees, agents and contractors (including enforcement of our agreements, including our terms of use); (ii) protect the rights, safety, privacy, security or property of users of the Site or others; (iii) protect against fraud or for risk management purposes; (iv) comply with the law or legal process, including laws outside your country of residence; (v) respond to requests from public and government authorities, including those outside your country of residence; or (vi) allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.
  • To complete a merger or sale of assets. If Amplify sells all or part of its business or makes a sale or transfer of its assets or is otherwise involved in a merger, transfer or other disposition of all or part of its business, assets or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings), Amplify may transfer your personal information to the party or parties involved in the transaction.

5. What rights and choices do you have?

Opt-out of Marketing Communications. If you want to stop receiving promotional materials from Amplify, you can follow the unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each email. There are certain service notification emails that you may not opt-out of, such as notifications of changes to the Site or policies. If you have additional questions, please contact us using information below in the Contact Us section.

Opt-of Cookies and Similar Tracking Technologies. There are a few ways to opt out or delete cookies.

  • On Your Browser. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies, but your browser may permit you to change your settings to notify you of a cookie being set or updated, or to block cookies altogether. Please consult the “Help” section of your browser for more information. Please note that by blocking any or all cookies you may not have access to certain features, content or personalization that may be available through the Site. Please also note that you must opt out separately on each device (including each web browser on each device) that you use to access our Site if you wish to opt out, and if you clear your cookies or if you use a different browser or device, you will need to renew your opt-out preferences.
  • Interest-Based Advertising. Some advertisers and marketing companies participate in the self-regulatory programs of the Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”) and European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (“eDAA”) in connection with online interest-based advertising. DAA and eDAA provide consumers with the ability to opt out of receiving interest-based advertising from their program participants at the following links:

What Rights Do You Have?

6. Security

Amplify uses commercially reasonable administrative, technical, personnel and physical measures to safeguard personal information in its possession against loss, theft and unauthorized use, disclosure or modification.

7. Data retention / Deletion

We will retain your personal information for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a longer retention period is required or allowed by law. Even after we have deleted your personal information from our systems, copies of some information from your account may remain viewable in some circumstances – where, for example, you have shared information with social media platforms and other unaffiliated services. We may also retain backup information related to your account on our servers for some time after cancellation for fraud detection or to comply with applicable law or our internal security policies. Because of the nature of caching technology, your account may not be instantly inaccessible to others, and there may be a delay in the removal of the content from elsewhere on the Internet and from search engines.

8. Data Storage and Transfers

We are a United States Company, and our servers are hosted, managed, and controlled by us in the United States. If you are outside of the United States, we use industry standards to protect your data when it leaves your country of residence and your data will always be protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy, Applicable Laws and our Agreement regardless of the storage location.

Additionally, where we transfer your personal information to service providers outside of the United Kingdom (UK), European Economic Area (EEA), or other region that offers similar protections, we use specific appropriate safeguards to contractually obligate such service providers to protect personal information in accordance with Amplify’s commitment to privacy and security and applicable data protection laws.

If you have questions or wish to obtain more information about the international transfer of your personal information or the implemented safeguards, please contact us using the contact information below.

9. External third-party services

The Site may be linked to sites operated by unaffiliated companies, and may carry advertisements or offer content, functionality, games, newsletters, contests or sweepstakes, or applications developed and maintained by unaffiliated companies. Amplify is not responsible for the privacy practices of unaffiliated companies, and once you leave the Site via a link or enable an unaffiliated service, you are subject to the applicable privacy policy of the unaffiliated service.

10. Updates to this policy

Amplify may modify this Privacy Policy. Please look at the Last Revised Date at the top of this Privacy Policy to see when this Privacy Policy was last revised. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on the Site. If you do not wish to be bound by the terms of the revised Privacy Policy, you must discontinue your use of the Site.

11. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@amplify.com
Mail: Amplify Education, Inc.
55 Washington St.#800
Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Phone: (800) 823-1969
Attn: General Counsel

Appendix – Supplemental Disclosures

1. Notice for our California Customers

We retain your personal information for as long as you are an active user of our Site or continue to have an account with us, and in accordance with our legal obligations (which may require us to hold information to provide financial and other reporting and to defend against potential claims). If you are a California resident, please see below for information about your rights pursuant to California law.

Personal Information We Collect
How We Use Personal Information
Contact Information
  • To provide you with customer support and respond to inquiries.
  • To contact you with promotional emails (e.g. newsletters) or notifications related to the Site
  • To help us verify the identity of our user
  • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection
Account Information
  • To provide and manage the Site
  • To improve our products and services
  • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection
Payment Information
  • To complete your payment of purchases made through the Site
  • For internal operations (e.g. to improve and update our products)
  • For security and fraud prevention
  • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection
Information You Submit
  • To provide the Site and features to you, including to allow you to comment
  • To improve our products and services
  • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection.
Site Activity Information
  • We sell or share information about your Site activity with third parties for targeted advertisements on and off of Amplify. We also use this information to:
    • To provide and manage the Site
    • To improve our products and services
    • For internal operations (e.g. to improve and update our products)
    • For security, safety, and due diligence purposes
    • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection
Location Information
  • We use location information , such as state, country and / or zip code, which we use to help us customize your experience, as well as to help us facilitate your privacy rights.
Inferences
  • We may make inferences about your interests and personal preferences (such as the content you like to consume). We also use this information to:
    • To personalize your experience on the Site
    • For internal operations (e.g. to improve and update our products)
    • As otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection

Some of the information described above may be considered “sensitive” under the laws of certain jurisdictions (including payment information and account login credentials (“Sensitive Information”). Whether information is Sensitive Information will depend on the laws of your jurisdiction. We only use Sensitive Information, such as payment information and account credentials for necessary or reasonably expected purposes – specifically, to provide you with our Services (i.e., fulfill purchases and to allow account logins).

Shine the Light

California’s Shine the Light law (Civil Code § 1798.83) permits California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of certain categories of personal information to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year. We do not share personal information, as defined by California’s Shine the Light law, with third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.

Notice of Financial Incentive 

 As part of our services, there may be opportunities for you to complete surveys and questionnaires. As an incentive for completing the survey or questionnaire, you can voluntarily provide your personal information, which in turn enters you into a raffle drawing or enables us to provide you with other benefits, discounts, offers, or deals that may constitute a financial incentive under California law (“Financial Incentive”). The categories of personal information required for us to provide the Financial Incentives include: contact information and any other information that you choose to provide when you complete the survey.

Participation is voluntary and you can opt out at any time before your survey is complete.

The value of the personal information we collect in connection with our Financial Incentives is equivalent to the value of the benefit offered.

2. Additional U.S. State Privacy Law Rights

Residents of certain U.S. states have the following rights, regarding your personal information (each of which are subject to various exceptions and limitations):

  • Access. You have the right to request, up to two times every 12 months, that we disclose to you the categories of personal information collected about you, the categories of sources from which the personal information is collected, the categories of personal information sold or shared, the business or commercial purpose for collecting, selling, or sharing the personal information, the categories of third parties with whom personal information was shared, and the specific pieces of personal information collected about you.
  • Correct. You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information collected from you. 
  • Deletion. You can request that we delete your personal information that we maintain about you.
  • Opt-out (Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information). Under several U.S. state privacy laws, consumers have the right to opt-out of the “sale” of their personal information (defined very broadly to include situations where we provide personal information to partners who provide advertising services to us) and the “sharing” of personal information in connection with the display of targeted advertising across third party websites. While we do not sell your personal information, we do share it in connection with our advertising efforts. Please also note that we do not knowingly sell or share the Personal Information of minors under 16 years of age.

We also honor the Global Privacy Control, a browser-based opt-out signal. We do not respond to other browser-based signals that do not meet applicable state law requirements, which may include older Do Not Track signals.

  • No Discrimination. You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights.
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As detailed at the beginning of our Privacy Policy (under the section titled “Our Role”), Amplify acts as a controller with respect to personal information collected as you interact with our Site.

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If you are located in the EEA/UK, you have the following rights, subject to certain exceptions:

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To exercise any of these rights, contact us as set forth in the section entitled “Contact Us” above and specify which European privacy right you intend to exercise. We may require additional information from you to allow us to confirm your identity. Please note that we store information as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, and may continue to retain and use the information even after a data subject request for purposes of our legitimate interests, including to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, and enforce our agreements.

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If you have any issues with our compliance, you have the right to lodge a complaint with an EEA or UK supervisory authority. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you approach a data protection regulator, and would welcome you directing an inquiry first to us. To do so, please contact us by email at privacy@amplify.com or by mail at Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington St.#800, Brooklyn, NY, 11201.

Special miniseries, Episode 1

Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below

To kick off our season focused on how the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs), Amplify Vice President of Biliteracy Kajal Patel Below joins Susan Lambert for a retrospective discussion of the history of literacy education through a biliteracy lens. Together, they discuss the significance of a recent joint statement put out by The Reading League and the National Committee for Effective Literacy. Below sheds light on why this statement is so monumental, and what it means for serving ML/ELs going forward.

Join Science of Reading: The Community to connect with fellow educators.

Guest on Science of Reading podcast in a Special Mini-Series Episode 1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below
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Transcripts and additional resources:

Read: “Joint Statement from The Reading League (TRL) and the National Committee for Effective Literacy (NCEL)”
Read: “2006 Report: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners”
Transcript

Meet Our Guest(s):

Guest on Science of Reading podcast in a Special Mini-Series Episode 1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below

Kajal Patel Below

Kajal Patel Below is Vice President of Biliteracy at Amplify, where she collaborates with multiple teams to leads initiatives across Amplify’s Spanish offerings and in service of multilingual/English learners. In this role, she works with national experts in the field and keeps her finger on the pulse of what schools and districts need to serve ML/ELs, especially in Spanish.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Retrato de una mujer caucásica sonriente con cabello rubio corto, involucrada en un podcast sobre la ciencia de la lectura, con gafas, lápiz labial rojo y un collar de perlas.

Quotes

“It must be acknowledged that there is more scientific research, or there has been more scientific research, conducted with monolingual English-speaking children, and that additional research related to teaching literacy development for English learners and emergent bilinguals is needed to advance our understanding of their literacy development.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“We have an underserved area that's experiencing a massive growth in student population. And so it's really important to then focus on it. Schools are adjusting, they're quick, they're doing the best they can, but we need to be having these conversations around research [and] best practices so that we can set schools up for success and students up for success.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“I just think we have an exciting future in this country. I was in a classroom last week, I saw some of their writing. I saw them speaking, heard them speaking in two languages fluently, easily, excitedly. I just got very excited. These kids are going to be our doctors and our teachers and our engineers and they’re bilingual or multilingual.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“Their language is an asset, whatever language it is and however much it is.”

—Kajal Patel Below

Season 3, Episode 5

Developing an asset orientation with Lani Horn

In this episode, math education professor Lani Horn shares with us what it means to have an asset orientation towards students, contrasting it with a deficit orientation, and helping Bethany and Dan understand the many ways students experience one or the other. Their conversation hit both high notes and low notes and included a challenge that Bethany and Dan both found extremely valuable for helping a teacher develop an asset orientation towards their students.

A smiling woman with shoulder-length curly hair, wearing a dark blazer and a necklace, framed by a circular border with a math fluency pattern background.

Meet Our Guest(s):

A woman with wavy brown hair, wearing a green top, black jacket, and hoop earrings, is smiling at the camera against a blurred light background with a blue circular border.

Lani Horn

Lani Horn centers her research on ways to make authentic mathematics accessible to students, particularly those who have been historically marginalized by our educational system. Professor Horn focuses primarily on mathematics teaching in two ways. First, Professor Horn looks at classroom practices that engage the most students in high-quality mathematics. Second, Professor Horn views teaching as a contextually-embedded practice – how school environments, communities, colleagues, and policies shape what is instructionally possible. All of this is unified through a pursuit to understand teacher learning as a situative phenomenon.

Meet our hosts: Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer

Bethany Lockhart Johnson is an elementary school educator and author. Prior to serving as a multiple-subject teacher, she taught theater and dance, and now loves incorporating movement and creative play into her classroom. Bethany is committed to helping students find joy in discovering their identities as mathematicians. In addition to her role as a full-time classroom teacher, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations. Bethany is a member of the Illustrative Mathematics Elementary Curriculum Steering Committee and serves as a consultant, creating materials to support families during distance learning.

Dan Meyer taught high school math to students who didn’t like high school math. He has advocated for better math instruction on CNN, Good Morning America, Everyday With Rachel Ray, and TED.com. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in math education and is currently the Dean of Research at Desmos, where he explores the future of math, technology, and learning. Dan has worked with teachers internationally and in all 50 United States and was named one of Tech & Learning’s 30 Leaders of the Future.

Two people smiling at the camera, each in a separate circular frame, with geometric shapes decorating the background—perfect for a math teacher lounge or highlighting fresh math teacher resources.

Transcripts and additional resources:

Create an account with Amplify Classroom, a highly interactive teaching and learning platform with hundreds of free K–12 lessons, virtual manipulatives, and teaching tools.
Transcript

Quotes

“An asset orientation is looking for students' strengths and trying to work from those strengths as a basis for your teaching. ”

—Lani Horn

Stay connected!

mCLASS K–8 Literacy & Math Assessment System | Amplify

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Season 2, Episode 1

An asset-based return to school | Math teaching ideas

A lot of great learning occurred over the last school year. Watch Bethany and Dan’s conversation with math educators (Zak Champagne, Natali I. Gaxiola, Howie Hua, Janaki Nagarajan, Brian Shay, and Dolores Torres) to hear what learning, practices, and ideas they want to bring with them to the 2021-2022 school year.

Meet our hosts: Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer

Bethany Lockhart Johnson is an elementary school educator and author. Prior to serving as a multiple-subject teacher, she taught theater and dance, and now loves incorporating movement and creative play into her classroom. Bethany is committed to helping students find joy in discovering their identities as mathematicians. In addition to her role as a full-time classroom teacher, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations. Bethany is a member of the Illustrative Mathematics Elementary Curriculum Steering Committee and serves as a consultant, creating materials to support families during distance learning.

Dan Meyer taught high school math to students who didn’t like high school math. He has advocated for better math instruction on CNN, Good Morning America, Everyday With Rachel Ray, and TED.com. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in math education and is currently the Dean of Research at Desmos, where he explores the future of math, technology, and learning. Dan has worked with teachers internationally and in all 50 United States and was named one of Tech & Learning’s 30 Leaders of the Future.

Two people smiling at the camera, each in a separate circular frame, with geometric shapes decorating the background—perfect for a math teacher lounge or highlighting fresh math teacher resources.

Stay connected!

Welcome to your Amplify Desmos Math Pilot!

We’re thrilled to welcome you to the Amplify family, and we look forward to making your experience with Amplify Desmos Math successful from day one.

On this site, you’ll find resources, tips, videos, and other helpful information designed to support you throughout your pilot experience.

A man in a plaid shirt sits at a desk with a laptop and a pencil holder, with educational posters and drawings on the wall behind him.

Tips for getting started

It takes time to learn any new program and get used to its patterns and flow—time that you aren’t always afforded in a pilot situation. Based on our work with pilot teachers who are now happy users, we can tell you with 100% confidence that it gets easier. In no time, you’ll be preparing and delivering all your lessons with ease.

As you get comfortable with the organization of each unit and the ways one lesson flows into the next, you’ll find the following resources helpful.

Helpful links for getting started

Topic

Description

Link

Introduction to the program

Getting to know Amplify Desmos Math

Program Overview brochure
K–5 Lesson Walkthrough (video)
6–A1 Lesson Walkthrough (video) 
Lesson structure (K–1, 2–5, 6–A1)

Accessing Amplify Classroom

Logging in and navigating the platform

Accessing Amplify Desmos Math (video)
Educator Home navigation

Preparing to teach a lesson

Manipulatives (kits and virtual) and Centers Kits

Exploring ready-to-go Centers materials and unleashing your creativity with the world’s best manipulatives

Materials and classroom setup
Unboxing your Centers Kits (K–5)
Exploring Polypad Virtual Manipulatives

How to use the Teacher Dashboard

Getting started with and using the Teacher Dashboard

Using the Teacher Dashboard
Try It: Teacher Dashboard

Advanced topics: Snapshots, Students uploading images, Giving students feedback, Companion and Projector Mode, Sketch Everywhere tool

Fluency Practice

A learner’s guide for using our adaptive digital fluency resource

Getting started with Fluency Practice
Accessing Fluency Practice

Assessments

Guidance for understanding assessment resources

Assessment overview
Admin reports
mCLASS®Beginning-of-Year Screener (video)

Differentiation and practice

Resources available to support student learning

Differentiation and practice

Support resources you may want to use during your pilot

Resource

Description

Link

Help articles and PD videos

Access articles, videos, and step-by-step guides to help answer your questions and guide you through your Amplify Desmos Math implementation. See Amplify Desmos Math in action in real classrooms.

Help Articles support page
Amplify Desmos Math PD Library

Unit Zero (K–5)

Get teachers and students familiar with the routines and structure of Amplify Desmos Math. Unit Zero is a set of five optional lessons and resources designed to support the first five days before Unit 1.

Unit Zero overview

In each grade-level collection on learning.amplify.com before Unit 1

Caregiver Hub

Get families involved in the process of learning math by sharing the link to our Caregiver Hub in your home communications, offering access to subunit summaries and practice.

amplify.com/caregiver-hub/

In-the-moment instructional suggestions

Answer questions that frequently arise when teachers shift to a problem-based approach, with these cards that include tips on how to respond to common challenges while teaching.

Instructional support cards

The Five Instructional Shifts of Problem-Based Learning

Read this ebook describing what the five main shifts look and feel like as you infuse a more student-centered approach into your math instruction.

Ebook

Instructional and math language routine cards

Use routines to create a powerful, practical force for establishing a classroom learning community and engaging students in conversations during math. Facilitation guides and routine cards provide instructions for routines you can use in your math classroom.

Facilitation guides for routines in Amplify Desmos Math

K–5 routines cards
6–A1 routines cards

Infusing Problem-Based Learning Into Math Classrooms

A quick guide to starting the shift to problem-based learning, this ebook includes a host of resources from the Amplify math Symposium and the Math Teacher Lounge Podcast.

Ebook

Making the Shift to Problem-Based Learning

In this ebook, we’ll go through what problem-based learning is, why it’s becoming so critical to math instruction, and how to start making the shift with a form of professional learning: Learning Labs.

Ebook

Asset-Based Assessment

This ebook summarizes what asset-based assessment is and how it benefits students.

Ebook
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Want to learn more from Amplify experts?

Amplify offers a wide variety of learning opportunities outside our pilot meeting times: 

Our math webinar library hosts all our past sessions.

Our Events page is where you can search for and register to attend upcoming math webinars.

The Amplify Blog is a great resource for helpful articles and research-based information.

Power up your Science of Reading knowledge: 2024 podcast recap

Amplify’s Science of Reading: The Podcast won both Silver and the Listeners’ Choice Award in the education category at the 2024 Signal Awards! If you haven’t already, we hope you’ll join those who have helped catapult the podcast to more than six million downloads.

You’re welcome to binge-listen all 29 podcast episodes released in 2024, but here, we’ve selected a few to highlight for you.

The power of the Science of Reading

Some context: As you probably know, the Science of Reading is a much-researched area alongside the science of learning. Applying cognitive, neuroscience, and educational principles, it helps us understand and improve how students acquire and develop reading skills. This knowledge is essential because, while humans typically learn to speak naturally, reading (and writing) require formal instruction. According to the Simple View of Reading, reading comprehension is the product of both decoding and linguistic comprehension. So kids must be taught the relationships between sounds and letters, and how to decode words. Systematic instruction presents these skills in a logical order, explicit instruction goes beyond just “exposing” kids to words and texts, and cumulative instruction builds on skills learned before.

The episodes below are a great start to exploring the fundamentals of evidence-based instruction beginning in early literacy. You’ll hear about the importance of knowledge building, the symbiosis between reading and writing, and the power of multilingual learning, just to name a few topics.

The power of knowledge

Season 8 focuses on why knowledge is so critical for literacy development and how educators can empower students to build it.

Many of us (as students and educators) were taught or trained with comprehension framed as a skill. But award-winning researcher and author Sharon Vaughn, Ph.D., says (spoiler!) that comprehension is not a skill to be taught in a vacuum, but rather an outcome—of strong decoding, vocabulary, and background knowledge. “If students can’t read words or don’t know what they mean, emphasizing comprehension is just the wrong priority,” she says. Vaughn stresses the importance of systematically building background knowledge through coherent, high-level informational texts and relevant content lessons, enabling students to connect ideas and deepen understanding. By focusing on these foundational elements, educators can support comprehension and meaningful learning.

Episode 11: Cognitive load theory: Four items at a time, with Greg Ashman, Ph.D.

Drawing from his book A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory, deputy principal and professor Greg Ashman argues that students need to build a strong foundation of knowledge in order to think and learn effectively. He challenges the idea of leaving students to “figure things out” on their own. “Kids are not little scientists,” he says, and advocates instead for structured instruction to build the schemas necessary for deeper learning.

Ashman also recommends reducing extra cognitive load—distractions that overwhelm working memory—and cautions against overrelying on approaches like “productive failure,” which can frustrate students who happen to lack relevant foundational knowledge. His advice: Use evidence-based methods and prioritize clear, incremental instruction.

The power of evidence-based literacy instruction

Season 9 dives deep into the key principles of and latest developments in the Science of Reading.

Episode 3: Know the non-negotiables in a program aligned to the Science of Reading, with Kari Kurto

Kari Kurto, national Science of Reading project director with the Reading League, discusses the organization’s curriculum evaluation tool designed to assess research-based practices in reading programs. Drawing from her experience teaching students with dyslexia, Kurto emphasizes the necessity of explicit, systematic instruction in phonics and (like Ashman) the importance of reducing extraneous cognitive load.

She says one must-have for any effective, evidence-based curriculum is explicit instruction in phonics through a clear scope and sequence, which ensures that students build foundational skills, such as phonemic awareness, in a systematic way. “No program is perfect, but understanding both its strengths and areas for improvement allows schools to maximize its impact,” she says.

Episode 4: Comprehension is not a skill, with Hugh Catts, Ph.D.

Hugh Catts, like Vaughn, continues to challenge us to rethink reading comprehension. “Comprehension isn’t the purpose of reading,” says Catts, a professor at Florida State University. “The purpose of reading is whatever you’re reading for.” Whether scanning for a fact, grasping the gist, or diving deep into a complex topic, comprehension varies based on the reader’s intent and context. He also urges educators to do what the evidence asserts: Move beyond isolated skill drills to content-rich instruction that builds knowledge and engages students meaningfully. Catts notes that comprehension grows over time, as students develop mental models and apply critical thinking in a variety of reading contexts.

The power of multilingualism

In this special miniseries, our podcast focuses on how the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs).

Episode 1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below

Kajal Patel Below, Amplify’s vice president of biliteracy, highlights why language is such a powerful asset, and how multilingualism is not a barrier, but a gift. “Literacy in a new language builds from literacy in the home language,” she says.

But that’s not—yet—the prevailing view. Multilingual and English learners often face challenges like being left out of research or misidentified in assessments. Below also notes schools focus too much on phonics and foundational skills, sometimes overlooking the equally important elements of language comprehension, vocabulary, and speaking skills.

With the number of multilingual learners growing fast in the U.S., Below calls for schools and educators to embrace bilingual education, create stronger resources, and celebrate the unique strengths these students bring to the classroom.

More to explore

¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de mCLASS Math!

Nos entusiasma poder colaborar con usted este año escolar para apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas de su estudiante. Este Caregiver Hub de mCLASS® Math está diseñado para ayudarle a comprender cómo funciona mCLASS Math y brindarle formas sencillas de apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa, antes y después de las evaluaciones.

For English version, please click here.

A teacher assists a student wearing headphones at a laptop in a classroom, using math resources for teachers, while other students work at their desks in the background.

¿Qué es mCLASS Math?

mCLASS Math es un sistema de evaluación digital que ofrece a los maestros una visión clara de cómo conciben los estudiantes los conceptos matemáticos principales de su nivel escolar. También ayuda a identificar lo que su estudiante ya sabe y en qué aspectos podría necesitar más apoyo. Lo anterior permite que los maestros puedan personalizar la enseñanza y ayudar al desarrollo del aprendizaje de cada estudiante. Las evaluaciones de mCLASS Math son completamente digitales y permiten que los estudiantes demuestren su razonamiento mediante preguntas abiertas. De esa manera, los maestros obtienen una visión inmediata del progreso de los estudiantes y de sus necesidades educativas. Para obtener más información sobre la experiencia del estudiante, haga clic aquí.

Obtenga más información sobre mCLASS Math.

Primeros pasos

¿Por qué es importante evaluar?

Con las evaluaciones de mCLASS Math, los maestros comprenden no solo lo que los estudiantes ya conocen, sino también cómo piensan. Esto les permite apoyar mejor su desarrollo del aprendizaje.

Más allá de respuestas correctas o incorrectas, mCLASS Math captura cómo resuelven problemas los estudiantes, destacando sus fortalezas, experiencias, razonamientos y estrategias individuales (o “assets” (ventajas), como los llamamos colectivamente), y utilizándolos para orientar el proceso de enseñanza. Con esta información, los maestros pueden personalizar el aprendizaje, reconocer las fortalezas de los estudiantes y fomentar un crecimiento significativo.

Obtenga más información sobre la evaluación basada en “assets”.

Formas de apoyar a su estudiante

Junto a su estudiante, obtenga una vista previa de los ítems de muestra en casa.

Exploren los ítems de muestra de mCLASS Math juntos para que su estudiante se sienta más cómodo y familiarizado con la experiencia de evaluación. Estos ejemplos muestran los tipos de preguntas que su estudiante podría ver y cómo va a interactuar con la plataforma.

Mientras revisan los ítems juntos, anime a su estudiante a explicar su razonamiento. Intente hacer preguntas tales como:

  • “¿Qué te piden que resuelvas?”
  • “¿Cómo puedes demostrar tu pensamiento?”
  • “¿Puedes explicar tu respuesta?”

Si su estudiante no consigue avanzar, ayúdele con preguntas como:

  • “¿Qué sabes hasta ahora?”
  • “¿Cómo podrías representar este problema usando objetos o dibujos?”

Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es normal y una parte necesaria del proceso de aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (y personas adultas) temen cometer errores, pero las investigaciones demuestran que cometerlos ayuda a que nuestro cerebro se desarrolle. Desarrollar la confianza en el uso de las matemáticas comienza con la práctica en un espacio de apoyo donde el estudiante se sienta seguro.

Apoye a diario el proceso de aprendizaje matemático con Fluency Practice.

Ayude a su estudiante a fortalecer las habilidades matemáticas básicas (suma, resta, multiplicación y división) con solo 5 a 10 minutos diarios de Fluency Practice (Práctica de la fluidez). Fluency Practice utiliza un método de aprendizaje probado llamado repetición espaciada, con el fin de aumentar la precisión, velocidad y confianza en el uso de operaciones y datos matemáticos.

Para obtener una introducción a Fluency Practice haga clic aquí.

Otras ideas para apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas

  • Siempre que sea posible, destaque el uso que haga su estudiante de las matemáticas en el mundo real y promueva esta práctica.
  • Ayude con la tarea de matemáticas tanto como sea posible.
  • Utilice frases intencionales y positivas sobre las matemáticas, incluyendo el uso que su estudiante haga de ellas.

Próximamente: Actividades matemáticas asistidas por cuidadores

Para el aprendizaje en casa, mCLASS ofrece una serie de recursos matemáticos que las familias pueden usar trabajando juntas, incluyendo actividades matemáticas asistidas por los cuidadores para ayudar a reforzar y practicar destrezas en casa.

Le recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.

¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!

¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre mCLASS Math?

Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.

Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.

Welcome, mCLASS Math families!

We’re excited to partner with you this school year to support your child’s math learning. This mCLASS® Math Caregiver Hub is designed to help you understand how mCLASS Math works and give you easy ways to support math learning at home—both before and after assessments.

Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

A teacher assists a student wearing headphones at a laptop in a classroom, using math resources for teachers, while other students work at their desks in the background.

What is mCLASS Math?

mCLASS Math is a digital assessment system that gives teachers a clear picture of how students are thinking about major grade-level math concepts. It helps identify what your child knows and where they might need more support, so teachers can personalize instruction and help every student grow. mCLASS Math assessments are entirely digital and allow students to show how they think through open-ended questions. Teachers then gain immediate insight into student progress and instructional needs. You can learn more about the student experience here.

Learn more about mCLASS Math.

Getting started

Why is assessment important?

With mCLASS Math assessments, teachers understand not just what students know, but also how they think. This lets teachers better support students’ growth.

Going beyond right or wrong answers, mCLASS Math captures how students solve problems by highlighting their individual strengths, experiences, understandings, and strategies (or assets, as we collectively refer to them) and using them to inform instruction. With these insights, teachers can personalize learning, celebrate student strengths, and support meaningful growth.

Learn more about asset-based assessment.

Ways to support your child

Preview sample items at home with your child.

Explore mCLASS Math sample items together to help your child feel more comfortable and familiar with the assessment experience. These examples show the types of questions your child may see and how they’ll interact with the platform.

As you review the items together, encourage your child to explain their thinking. Try prompts like:

  • “What are they asking you to solve?”
  • “How can you show your thinking?”
  • “Can you explain your answer?”

If your child feels stuck, guide them with questions such as:

  • “What do you know so far?”
  • “How could you represent this problem using objects or drawings?”

Remind your child that getting stuck is normal and a necessary part of the learning process. Many children (and adults) fear making mistakes, but research shows that making mistakes helps your brain grow. Building math confidence starts with practicing in a safe, supportive space.

Support math growth with daily Fluency Practice.

Help your child strengthen core math skills—in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—with just 5–10 minutes of daily fluency activities. Fluency Practice uses a proven learning method called spaced repetition to boost accuracy, speed, and confidence with math facts and operations.

Get started with Fluency Practice here.

Other ideas to support math learning

  • Use and point out your child’s use of math in the real world wherever possible.
  • Help with math homework as much as possible.
  • Use intentional, positive phrasing about math—including about your child’s own use of it.

Coming soon: Caregiver-assisted math activities

For at-home learning, mCLASS offers a number of math resources families can use together, including caregiver-assisted math activities to help reinforce and practice skills at home.

We recommend reviewing this Protecting Kids Online article by the Federal Trade Commission, addressing digital safety.

We’re here to help!

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From Gaps to Growth: Supporting Students with an Asset-Based Lens

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What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
Measure Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
Fluidez en nombrar letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
¿Qué queda? A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en las palabras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Fluidez en la lectura oral   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
¿Cuál palabra?   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Vocabulario A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators across the state are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a scoring algorithm which aligns to the Colorado Department of Education’s stated purpose of a diagnostic assessment.

Our innovative approach to diagnostic assessment leverages an item-level evaluation of individual student responses in order to provide deeper insights into specific student weaknesses and areas of improvement. mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a scoring algorithm which aligns to the Colorado Department of Education’s stated purpose of a diagnostic: “… to pinpoint a student’s specific area(s) of weakness and provide in-depth information about students’ skills and instructional needs.”

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
Screenshot of a student's mCLASS Lectura literacy skills evaluation report detailing progress in English and Spanish reading abilities, with charts and textual information.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Colorado READ Plans

The Colorado READ Act places importance on considering students’ English proficiency and the impact it may have on assessment. Thus the READ Act provides an option for districts to assess Spanish-speaking students in their native language, who are not yet partially proficient in English.

Amplify recommends that a student who is categorized by the mCLASS Lectura composite score as “At High Risk” (denoted in all reports as “red”) be considered as potentially having a “Significant Reading Deficiency,” then further diagnosed using mCLASS’ Instruction diagnostics.

When devising a READ Plan, teachers and instructional staff should first consider students at high risk on mCLASS Lectura as potentially having a “Significant Reading Deficiency,” and eligible for a READ Plan. Students are then further diagnosed using mCLASS’ Instruction diagnostics. When devising a READ Plan, teachers can rely on the relevant mCLASS Instruction and Reports to comply with the READ Act.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

Screenshot of a digital document showing a student's performance evaluation, with text, tables, and color-coded performance ratings.

Explore our self-guided tour

Our self-guided tour is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform. Click the button below to get started.

A webpage titled "mCLASS overview" featuring text about the mCLASS early literacy suite for grades K-6. The page includes photos of children engaged in reading activities and navigation options on the left.
Start self-guided tour

Contact us

Looking to speak directly with your Colorado representative? Get in touch with a team member by emailing HelloColorado@amplify.com or by calling us directly.

Enrollment over 2,500 students
Enrollment under 2,500 students
Man wearing a blue plaid shirt and blue blazer, smiling at the camera against a plain light background. A woman with curly hair wearing glasses.

Monty Lammers

Senior Account Executive

(719) 964-4501

mlammers@amplify.com

Vanessa Scott

Account Executive

(602) 690-9216

vscott@amplify.com

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Text Reading and Comprehension (a.k.a. running records via Amplify Atlas Español)
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
Measure Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grades 4–6
Fluidez en nombrar letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas      
¿Qué queda? A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras      
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas      
Fluidez en las palabras
Fluidez en la lectura oral  
¿Cuál palabra?   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español    
Vocabulario

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura support the use of running records?

Track your students’ reading progress from every angle with the Text Reading and Comprehension (TRC) assessment. When TRC is paired with the Lectura assessment, classroom teachers unlock the ability to record reading behaviors through running digital records. Available in English and Spanish, it measures reading comprehension and provides insight into how each student finds meaning in text.

A digital interface showing a step-by-step guide in Spanish for a language and oral class. The guide includes sections on content and organization with expandable details for each step.

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a proprietary scoring algorithm that pinpoints a student’s specific area(s) of growth and improvement, providing classroom teachers in-depth insight into a students’ instructional needs.

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
Screenshot of a student's mCLASS Lectura literacy skills evaluation report detailing progress in English and Spanish reading abilities, with charts and textual information.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

Screenshot of a digital document showing a student's performance evaluation, with text, tables, and color-coded performance ratings.

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Text Reading and Comprehension (a.k.a. running records via Amplify Atlas Español)
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
Measure Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grades 4–6
Fluidez en nombrar letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
¿Qué queda? A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
Fluidez en las palabras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Fluidez en la lectura oral   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
¿Cuál palabra?   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Vocabulario A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura support the use of running records?

Track your students’ reading progress from every angle with the Text Reading and Comprehension (TRC) assessment. When TRC is paired with the Lectura assessment, classroom teachers unlock the ability to record reading behaviors through running digital records. Available in English and Spanish, it measures reading comprehension and provides insight into how each student finds meaning in text.

Screenshot of a website feedback form with sections titled

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a proprietary scoring algorithm that pinpoints a student’s specific area(s) of growth and improvement, providing classroom teachers in-depth insight into a students’ instructional needs.

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
Screenshot of a student's mCLASS Lectura literacy skills evaluation report detailing progress in English and Spanish reading abilities, with charts and textual information.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

A student evaluation report for Gabriel Archuleta showing categories, descriptions, progress charts, and comments on reading abilities and areas for growth.

Clickable demo

Our clickable demo is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform and the mCLASS Lectura assessment. Click the button below to get started.

Amplify Lectura clickable demo
Explore clickable demo

Here you will find 10 interactive screens:

  • Screen 2: Scroll down to the class list. Find Gabriel Archulata. Click on his score for “Decodificación”.
  • Screen 3: Explore Gabriel’s measure transcript. Then click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 4: Click on the “Instruction” tab.
  • Screen 5: Scroll down to “Decoding Group 4” and click “See Activities”.
  • Screen 6: Click on the first activity called “Identificar y leer palabras con los dígrafos ch y ll.”
  • Screen 7: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 8: Explore the detailed “Student” tab and then click the “Dual Language” tab.
  • Screen 9: Scroll down to the section about Gabriel’s phonological awareness skills. Click on the link called “Cross-Linguistic Transfer: Phonological Awareness”.
  • Screen 10: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen. Explore the “Home Connect” letter.

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Text Reading and Comprehension (a.k.a. running records via Amplify Atlas Español)
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
Measure Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grades 4–6
Fluidez en nombrar letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
¿Qué queda? A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.      
Fluidez en las palabras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Fluidez en la lectura oral   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
¿Cuál palabra?   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Vocabulario A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura support the use of running records?

Track your students’ reading progress from every angle with the Text Reading and Comprehension (TRC) assessment. When TRC is paired with the Lectura assessment, classroom teachers unlock the ability to record reading behaviors through running digital records. Available in English and Spanish, it measures reading comprehension and provides insight into how each student finds meaning in text.

Screenshot of a website feedback form with sections titled

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a proprietary scoring algorithm that pinpoints a student’s specific area(s) of growth and improvement, providing classroom teachers in-depth insight into a students’ instructional needs.

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
Screenshot of a student's mCLASS Lectura literacy skills evaluation report detailing progress in English and Spanish reading abilities, with charts and textual information.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

Screenshot of a digital document showing a student's performance evaluation, with text, tables, and color-coded performance ratings.

Clickable demo

Our clickable demo is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform and the mCLASS Lectura assessment. Click the button below to get started.

Amplify Lectura clickable demo
Explore clickable demo

Here you will find 10 interactive screens:

  • Screen 2: Scroll down to the class list. Find Gabriel Archulata. Click on his score for “Decodificación”.
  • Screen 3: Explore Gabriel’s measure transcript. Then click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 4: Click on the “Instruction” tab.
  • Screen 5: Scroll down to “Decoding Group 4” and click “See Activities”.
  • Screen 6: Click on the first activity called “Identificar y leer palabras con los dígrafos ch y ll.”
  • Screen 7: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 8: Explore the detailed “Student” tab and then click the “Dual Language” tab.
  • Screen 9: Scroll down to the section about Gabriel’s phonological awareness skills. Click on the link called “Cross-Linguistic Transfer: Phonological Awareness”.
  • Screen 10: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen. Explore the “Home Connect” letter.

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Quick 1-minute assessment measures
  • Real-time results, instant analysis, automatic student grouping
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction with ready-to-use mini-lessons

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
Measure Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
Fluidez en nombrar letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
¿Qué queda? A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
Fluidez en las palabras A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Fluidez en la lectura oral   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
¿Cuál palabra?   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Vocabulario A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators across the state are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

A classroom assessment dashboard shows student reading levels categorized as well below, below, at, and above benchmark, with percentage and student counts for each group.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a innovative scoring algorithm that leverages an item-level evaluation of individual student responses in order to provide deeper insights into specific student weaknesses and areas of improvement.

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
A student profile page shows Gabriel Archuleta’s literacy skills report, including performance graphs, assessment notes, and a list of classmates on the left sidebar.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

A school progress report for Gabriel Archuleta displays reading skills, proficiency levels with colored bars, teacher comments, and recommendations for improvement.

Explore our self-guided tour

Our self-guided tour is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform. Click the button below to get started.

mCLASS self-guided tour
Start self-guided tour

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 
MeasureGrade KGrade 1Grade 2Grade 3
Fluidez en nombrar letras
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas
¿Qué queda?
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas
Fluidez en las palabras
Fluidez en la lectura oral
¿Cuál palabra?
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español
Vocabulario

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators across the state are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

How is mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a student’s strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

A tablet screen displays an mCLASS assessment dashboard showing class reading performance data by benchmark categories and percentages for Springfield, Washington Elementary.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a scoring algorithm which aligns to the Colorado Department of Education’s stated purpose of a diagnostic assessment.

Our innovative approach to diagnostic assessment leverages an item-level evaluation of individual student responses in order to provide deeper insights into specific student weaknesses and areas of improvement. mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a scoring algorithm which aligns to the Colorado Department of Education’s stated purpose of a diagnostic: “… to pinpoint a student’s specific area(s) of weakness and provide in-depth information about students’ skills and instructional needs.”

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
A student profile page displays Gabriel Archuleta's Spanish literacy assessment scores, progress bars, and recommendations for supporting his biliteracy development in English and Spanish.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Colorado READ Plans

The Colorado READ Act places importance on considering students’ English proficiency and the impact it may have on assessment. Thus the READ Act provides an option for districts to assess Spanish-speaking students in their native language, who are not yet partially proficient in English.

Amplify recommends that a student who is categorized by the mCLASS Lectura composite score as “At High Risk” (denoted in all reports as “red”) be considered as potentially having a “Significant Reading Deficiency,” then further diagnosed using mCLASS’ Instruction diagnostics.

When devising a READ Plan, teachers and instructional staff should first consider students at high risk on mCLASS Lectura as potentially having a “Significant Reading Deficiency,” and eligible for a READ Plan. Students are then further diagnosed using mCLASS’ Instruction diagnostics. When devising a READ Plan, teachers can rely on the relevant mCLASS Instruction and Reports to comply with the READ Act.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

Student progress report with evaluation categories, colored progress bars, and comments about Gabriel Archuleta’s performance in first grade at midyear.

Explore our self-guided tour

Our self-guided tour is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform. Click the button below to get started.

A webpage titled "mCLASS overview" featuring text about the mCLASS early literacy suite for grades K-6. The page includes photos of children engaged in reading activities and navigation options on the left.
Start self-guided tour

Meet Amplify Desmos Math

Meet Amplify Desmos Math, a new, curiosity-driven K–12 math program that builds students’ lifelong math proficiency. Lessons in Amplify Desmos Math are standards-aligned, easy to use, and fully customizable by educators. And every Amplify Desmos Math lesson includes suggestions for differentiation that support, strengthen, and stretch student understanding.

“Engagement is a real challenge in math classrooms,” said Jason Zimba, Amplify Chief Academic Officer of STEM. “Knowing this, we created a program with interesting problems that students are eager to solve, one that keeps them engaged and learning. Amplify Desmos Math achieves rigor and delight, motivating all students to explore new horizons and develop new understanding.”

We believe that math class is a place where teachers can elicit, celebrate, and build on their students’ interesting ideas. Those ideas fuel meaningful classroom conversations and drive the learning process. Read on to learn more.

Meet Amplify Desmos Math. This is math that motivates.

A structured approach to problem-based learning

The program combines the best problem-based lessons with tightly aligned personalized practice, assessments, and intervention, creating an integrated experience for teachers and students. Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds and targeted intervention when needed.

Amplify Desmos Math is a powerful suite of math resources that includes:

  • Core instruction: Amplify Desmos Math lessons provide a structured approach to problem-based learning, where each lesson builds on students’ curiosity using a Proficiency Progression™ to develop lasting grade-level understanding for all students.
  • Screening and progress monitoring: mCLASS® assessments and daily formative checks measure what students know and how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources.
  • Integrated personalized learning: Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. The program’s signature Responsive Feedback™ adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.
  • Embedded intervention: Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons and math fluency games provide targeted intervention on specific concepts or skills connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Amplify Desmos Math expands on the Desmos Math 6–8 curriculum, which is featured in a recent efficacy study led by WestEd that demonstrates increased math achievement across more than 900 schools in nine states.

Delightful digital activities and tools

To complement robust printed materials, Amplify Desmos Math leverages a digital platform that enables educators and students to connect with one another as they work through lessons, engage in personalized learning, and check for understanding. The interactive platform and facilitation tools foster mathematical discussions and allow educators to see student thinking in real time.

“Right now, teachers have to jump between platforms to access meaningful data, understand it, and use it,” said Alexandra Walsh, Amplify Chief Product Officer. “By combining instruction, assessment, and differentiation on the same digital platform, we’ve made student data more accessible, so educators can spend less time toggling and more time responding to student needs.”

Amplify Desmos Math is available:

  • Kindergarten–Algebra 1
    • As a beta release for the 2024-2025 school year, for pilot implementations and early adoptions
    • As a commercial release for the 2025-2026 school year
  • Geometry, Algebra 2, Integrated 1, Accelerated Grades 6 and 7
    • As a beta release for the 2025-2026 school year
    • As a commercial release for the 2026-2027 school year
  • Integrated 2 and 3
    • As a commercial release for the 2026-2027 school year

Try a free lesson.

Hundreds of free math lessons and activities from Amplify Desmos Math are available on Desmos Classroom, a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction. Desmos Classroom features free lessons, lesson-building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by math educators, the platform makes leaning into good pedagogy easier for teachers—which makes the lesson a more interactive experience for students.

You can teach these free lessons, but also customize them, or even build your own from scratch. Visit teacher.desmos.com to create a free account.

Learn more!

mCLASS Lectura Review for Colorado

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mCLASS® Lectura for SFUSD

mCLASS® Lectura is the brand-new Spanish-language counterpart to the mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition comprehensive diagnostic assessment system. Its screening, diagnostic assessment, and progress monitoring measures gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, and helps identify students who may be at risk of future reading difficulties such as dyslexia.

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment platform that houses a suite of proven, gold-standard assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students across grades K–6, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Text Reading and Comprehension (a.k.a. running records via Amplify Atlas Español)
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction

What is the Lectura assessment?

The Lectura assessment is a brand-new interim and diagnostic assessment that consists of measures based on the latest research of how Spanish literacy develops.

Co-developed with the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (UO CTL) and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán, the Lectura assessment was created to provide educators with a high-quality, evidence-based tool to support understanding of Spanish-speaking students’ biliteracy development, specifically foundational Spanish reading skills, which includes measures of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding and decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

The measures in Lectura were written from the ground-up to assess students’ literacy development based on how Spanish literacy develops. Measures explicitly account for the syllabic and morphological structures of Spanish, and connected text was written and calibrated with respect to syntactical, lexical, and grammatical rules of Spanish. For example, phonological awareness is measured using syllable segmentation, and letter sounds and syllable reading are included in the decoding subtests for greater face-validity (in lieu of pseudowords). Word choice reflects the multisyllabic word complexity and variety of Spanish, driven by how decoding skills develop in Spanish. As such, Lectura provides instructionally actionable data for all students, including those scoring below the benchmark and those who meet or exceed the benchmark.

The Lectura assessment measures were purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address limitations that educators of Spanish speaking students have experienced in assessments. Specifically in these ways:

  • Assessment measures based on current research on how Spanish literacy is developed
  • Culturally responsive word choice and content reflecting the regional diversity of Spanish
  • Technical adequacy established through rigorous study
  • A sample size and geographic diversity reflecting the broad population of Spanish speakers across the U.S.
  • Complete parity with English solutions (instructional tools, skill coverage)
Download research paper

Assessment measures by grade

Lectura measures at each grade level 

Measure

 Grade K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grades 4–6
Fluidez en nombrar letras An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.    
Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.      
¿Qué queda?    
Fluidez en los sonidos de letras An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.      
Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.      
Fluidez en las palabras An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.
Fluidez en la lectura oral   An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.
¿Cuál palabra?   An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.
Amplify measures at each grade level
Oral Language Español An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.    
Vocabulario An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background. An orange check mark icon on a white background.

Assessment measures sample videos

Please note that the videos below are intended for illustrative purposes only. Performance levels in mCLASS Lectura have yet to be finalized.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)

Students are asked to identify as many uppercase and lowercase letter names as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)

Students are asked to identify the sounds of as many uppercase and lowercase letters as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en los sonidos de sílabas (LSS)

Students are presented with a page of printed orthographically regular Spanish syllables and asked to read as many syllables as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)

Students are presented with an authentically written informational or narrative passage of Spanish connected text and asked to read as much of the passage as they can in one minute.

mCLASS Lectura measure: ¿Qué Queda? (QQ)

Students are presented with a word orally and then the examiner omits part of the word (i.e., compound word part, syllable, or phoneme). Students are asked to identify what word remains after the word part has been elided.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

mCLASS Lectura combines the power of the mCLASS assessment platform and the effectiveness of the Lectura assessment measures. As a result – educators are empowered with latest and greatest assessment tool.

More than a test, mCLASS Lectura is an integrated system that closes the knowing-doing gap by helping teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student. What’s more, it addresses the classroom inequities Spanish-speaking students face along their early literacy journeys.

Spanish-speaking students have been underserved and misclassified for decades. With mCLASS Lectura, teachers of Spanish-speaking students finally have access to the same robust assessment tools that have been available to teachers of English-speaking students for years.

Plus! When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers are empowered with a more holistic view of their Spanish-speaking students abilities in both English and Spanish, making instructional next steps more targeted and effective.

What makes mCLASS Lectura different?

  1. It gives teachers access to authentic Spanish measures. Amplify is the only provider of the Lectura assessment. Rather than a direct translation of an English assessment, our solution is the only one to provide teachers a research-based, authentic Spanish assessment that is both valid and reliable.
  2. It makes it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. By combining 1:1 observational diagnostic assessments, dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, instant scoring, rigorous reporting, automatic student grouping, and targeted instruction all in one place, it reduces the instructional delays associated with manual scoring, manual data analysis, and manual lesson planning.
  3. It brings more equity to the classroom. When used in conjunction with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, teachers have access to Dual Language Reports that highlight a students strengths and weaknesses in both English and Spanish.
  4. It makes every instructional minute count. In addition to one-minute measures that quickly gauge student progress toward reading proficiency, it leverages a teacher’s most powerful instructional tool — their own 1:1 observations.
  5. It drives growth more efficiently. Rather than relying on broad composite scores alone, granular data and in-depth insights for every student help teachers pinpoint exact skill gaps and areas of unfinished learning, making whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 instruction more targeted and effective.
  6. It saves teachers time. Instant reports, automatic student groups, and ready-to-teach lessons mean teachers spend less time cobbling together materials and more time working directly with students and responding to their needs.

Assessment systems must enable and compel educators to answer not just the “What?” questions, but also the “So What?” and “Now What?” questions. These are the questions that are essential in transforming classroom instruction, and the questions that mCLASS Lectura helps teachers answer with confidence.

Download the mCLASS Program Guide

How does mCLASS Lectura support screening for dyslexia risk?

mCLASS Lectura subtests have been specifically designed and validated to screen for dyslexia risks.

mCLASS Lectura was specifically developed to ensure the measure is able to meet state-level screening requirements for both dyslexia and universal reading screening. The research and development of Lectura was designed with this use in mind to accurately identify reading difficulties, including difficulties related to risk for dyslexia.

How does mCLASS Lectura support the use of running records?

Track your students’ reading progress from every angle with the Text Reading and Comprehension (TRC) assessment. When TRC is paired with the Lectura assessment, classroom teachers unlock the ability to record reading behaviors through running digital records. Available in English and Spanish, it measures reading comprehension and provides insight into how each student finds meaning in text.

A digital interface showing a step-by-step guide in Spanish for a language and oral class. The guide includes sections on content and organization with expandable details for each step.

How does mCLASS Lectura turn data into instant action?

mCLASS Lectura gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student.

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Download the mCLASS Reporting Guide

Diagnostic assessment

mCLASS Lectura analyzes individual student response data through a proprietary scoring algorithm that pinpoints a student’s specific area(s) of growth and improvement, providing classroom teachers in-depth insight into a students’ instructional needs.

Ready-to-teach instruction

Immediately following the analysis of individual student responses, mCLASS Lectura provides an in-depth diagnostic report complete with suggested next steps, also known as “mCLASS Instruction.”

mCLASS Instruction evaluates each student’s responses on each individual subtest and instantly:

  • Provides a list of specific needs by student, such as struggling with medial vowel sounds or difficulty reading words with consonant blends.
  • Groups students automatically based on similar discrete skill needs, not simply composite scores like other assessment tools.
  • Recommends a variety of ready-to-teach lessons that specifically target each individual student’s areas of need or common areas of need for small-group instruction.

Classroom skill and benchmark summary

The Classroom Skill Summary report is a dashboard showing benchmark performance on each skill. Teachers can use it to determine which skill areas need instructional focus at a classroom level.

The Classroom Benchmark Summary report is a classroom-wide view of overall reading performance. Teachers can use this report to determine if composite scores improved, declined, or remained the same each semester.

Detailed benchmark performance

Teachers can see each student’s performance during the current school year, on each subtest as well as the overall composite. The benchmark goal displays below the subtest name when applicable. The ability to sort the columns in this report gives teachers more flexibility to analyze data the way they prefer.

Dual language reports

When mCLASS Lectura and mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, teachers will receive an asset-based picture of a student’s biliteracy and instructional guidance on how to leverage literacy skills in one language to support literacy skill development in the second language.

  • Side-by-side view of foundational literacy skills in English and Spanish
  • Explicit guidance to teachers to support asset-based instruction using cross-linguistic transfer strategies
Screenshot of a student's mCLASS Lectura literacy skills evaluation report detailing progress in English and Spanish reading abilities, with charts and textual information.

Progress monitoring summary

See which subtests have been assessed since the most recent benchmark assessment, how students performed on the three most recent progress monitoring assessments for each measure, and which students have not been progress monitored since the benchmark assessment.

Caregiver supports

The mCLASS Home Connect letter provides parent and caregivers information in English or Spanish about the student’s literacy and guidance on how to support their child at home.

Screenshot of a digital document showing a student's performance evaluation, with text, tables, and color-coded performance ratings.

Clickable demo

Our clickable demo is a great way to orient yourself to the organization of our mCLASS platform and the mCLASS Lectura assessment. Click the button below to get started.

Screenshot of an educational software dashboard displaying student progress, with tabs for instruction and home connection in dual language.
Explore clickable demo

Here you will find 10 interactive screens:

  • Screen 2: Scroll down to the class list. Find Gabriel Archulata. Click on his score for “Decodificación”.
  • Screen 3: Explore Gabriel’s measure transcript. Then click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 4: Click on the “Instruction” tab.
  • Screen 5: Scroll down to “Decoding Group 4” and click “See Activities”.
  • Screen 6: Click on the first activity called “Identificar y leer palabras con los dígrafos ch y ll.”
  • Screen 7: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen.
  • Screen 8: Explore the detailed “Student” tab and then click the “Dual Language” tab.
  • Screen 9: Scroll down to the section about Gabriel’s phonological awareness skills. Click on the link called “Cross-Linguistic Transfer: Phonological Awareness”.
  • Screen 10: Click on the gray arrow to the far right to advance to the next screen. Explore the “Home Connect” letter.

Amplify Desmos Math California

Welcome, Algebra 1 Reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify Desmos Math California. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California Math Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your Review Samples

As a curriculum that incorporates both print and digital resources, it’s important that you explore both our physical materials (delivered to you in grade-specific tubs) and our digital materials (accessible through our platform). We invite you to explore both types of resources using the instructions and tips below.

Print Samples

Your print samples should have arrived in grade-specific tubs with a copy of your Reviewer Binder contained within the Algebra 1 shipping box. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside the tub as well as within your Reviewer Binder.

Digital Samples

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Access Flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Access Flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation Tips

Below you will find helpful tips for navigating Amplify Desmos Math California. We recommend reading these pages alongside the program’s print materials and digital experience to gain a deeper understanding of the program. 

Click the links below to read about navigating program features including:

Built for California

The Amplify Desmos Math California program is designed around the vision articulated in the California Mathematics Framework to enable all California students to become powerful users of mathematics. Our program incorporates the latest research in student learning, meaning that we:

  • Focus on the Big Ideas: Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons.
  • Center on open and engaging tasks: Amplify Desmos Math California is grounded in engaging tasks meant to address students’ often-asked question: “Why am I learning this?”  Students are invited into learning with low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that provide an entry point for all. Open tasks in Amplify Desmos Math California provide the space for students to try on multiple strategies and represent their thinking in different ways, and allow student explanation and discussion to serve as the center of the classroom. All lessons offer both print and digital representations of lessons.
  • Provide enhanced digital experiences: Amplify Desmos Math California includes digitally-enhanced lesson activities, incorporating interactive digital tools alongside print materials. These purposefully-placed resources allow students to visualize mathematical concepts, receive actionable feedback while practicing, encounter personalized learning support from an onscreen tutor, and engage in discussions about their thinking and approaches.
  • Treat core instruction and differentiation as integral partners: The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to lesson content and offer students the individualized support as they dive into the mathematics.

Category 1: Mathematics Content/Alignment with the Standards

Standards Map

Linked here is the Standards Map for Amplify Desmos Math California for Algebra 1.

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked here is the Evaluation Criteria Map Algebra 1. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

Linked here is the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the Standards for Mathematical Practice at Algebra 1.

Drivers of Investigation and Content Connections

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations — from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded around the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life.

A three-column chart details: Drivers of Investigation, Standards for Mathematical Practice, and Content Connections, each with their respective codes and brief descriptions.

California English Language Development Standards

Linked here is the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the California English Language Development Standards for Algebra 1.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts

Select lessons, performance tasks, and investigations across grade levels in Amplify Desmos Math California are aligned to one or more of the California Environmental Principles and Concepts. Click this link to view how the California Environmental Principles and Concepts are represented in Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 1.

Category 2: Program Organization

Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Big Ideas

Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons. Please refer to Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center, linked here, for the Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 1 lesson design and alignment to the Big Ideas.

Program Structure

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A diagram showing three stages: Core instruction, Integrated personalized learning, and Embedded intervention, under Screening and progress monitoring with daily tiered support.

Lessons and units in Amplify Desmos Math California are designed around a Proficiency Progression, a model that steps out problem-based learning by systematically building students’ curiosity into lasting grade-level understanding.

Five steps for learning: 1. Activate prior knowledge, 2. Collaborate, 3. Refine ideas, 4. Guide to understanding, 5. Practice and extend for lasting understanding.

In the Proficiency Progression, lessons begin by activating students’ natural curiosity and offering opportunities to generate new ideas through collaboration. Teachers are then able to refine ideas through intentional facilitation and guide students to grade-level understanding, while students retain the ability to use different strategies and methods to show their comprehension of the content. Students are provided ample opportunities to develop lasting understanding.

Scope and Sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 1. 

A chart showing Algebra 1 units across two volumes, detailing instructional days, assessment days, and optional days for each unit, totaling 180 days plus 40 optional days.

Lesson Design and Structure

A four-part diagram shows: Warm-Up, Activities with a graph of student ideas to grade-level understanding, Synthesis with notes, and Practice and differentiation with students building a structure.

Amplify Desmos Math California is designed with a structured approach to problem-based learning that systematically builds on students’ curiosity and allows students to grapple with the Big Ideas of the California Framework. Every lesson activity is organized into a Launch, Monitor, Connect format.

Launch: The launch is a short, whole-class conversation that creates a need or excitement, provides clarity, or helps students connect their prior knowledge or personal experience, which ensures that everyone has access to the upcoming work.  

Monitor: As students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, teachers explore student thinking, ask questions, and provide support to help move the conversations closer to the intended math learning goal. 

Connect: Teachers connect students’ ideas to the key learning goals of the lesson, facilitating class discussions that help synthesize and solidify the Big Ideas.  

Each lesson within Amplify Desmos Math California follows the same structure. 

Warm-Up: Every Amplify Desmos Math California lesson begins with a whole class Warm-Up. Warm-Ups are an invitational Instructional Routine intended to provide a social moment at the start of the lesson in which every student has an opportunity to contribute. Warm-Ups may build fluency or highlight a strategy that may be helpful in the current lesson or act as an invitation into the math of the lesson.

Lesson Activities: Each lesson includes one or two activities. These activities are the heart of each lesson. Students notice, wonder, explore, calculate, predict, measure, explain their thinking, use math to settle disputes, create challenges for their classmates, and more. Guidance is provided to help teachers launch, monitor, and connect student thinking over the course of the activity.

Synthesis and Show What You Know: The Synthesis is an opportunity for the teacher and students to pull all the learning of the lesson together into a lesson takeaway. Students engage in a facilitated discussion to consolidate and refine their ideas about the learning goals, and the teacher synthesizes students’ learning. Show What You Know is a daily assessment opportunity for students to show what they know about the learning goals and what they are still learning.

Practice and Differentiation: Daily practice problems for the day’s lesson are included both online and in the print Student Edition, including fluency, test practice, and spiral review.

Flowchart showing classroom activity timing: Warm-Up (5 min), Lesson Activities (30 min), Synthesis and Show What You Know (10 min), Practice and Differentiation (time varies).

Routines

Amplify Desmos Math California features a variety of lesson routines. Instructional routines and Math Language Routines (MLRs) are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition. Both are called out at point-of-use within the Teacher Edition and Teacher Presentation Screens. Below are the types of routines used throughout the Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum:

Math Language Routines

  • MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
  • MLR2: Collect and Display
  • MLR3: Critique, Correct, Clarify
  • MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
  • MLR6: Three Reads
  • MLR7: Compare and Connect
  • MLR 8: Discussion Supports

Instructional Routines 

  • Decide and Defend
  • Notice and Wonder
  • Number Talk
  • Tell a Story
  • Think-Pair-Share
  • Which One Doesn’t Belong?

Category 3: Assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math California provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessment

Amplify Desmos Math California has embedded unit assessments that offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

Pre-Unit Check: Each unit begins with a formative assessment designed to identify the student skills that will be particularly relevant to the upcoming unit. This check is agnostic to the standards covered in the following unit and serves not as a deficit-based acknowledgment of what students do not know, but rather as an affirmation of the knowledge and skills with which students come in.

End-of-Unit Assessment: Students engage with rigorous grade-level mathematics through a variety of formats and tasks in the summative End-of-Unit Assessment. A combination of auto-scored (when completed digitally) and rubric-scored items provides deep insights into student thinking. All Amplify Desmos Math California End-of-Unit Assessments include two forms.

Sub-Unit Quizzes: Sub-Unit Quizzes are formative assessments embedded regularly in Algebra 1. In these checks, students are assessed on a subset of conceptual understandings from the unit, with rubrics that help illuminate students’ current understanding and provide guidance for responding to student thinking.

Performance Tasks: At the end of each unit there is a summative assessment performance task provided to evaluate students’ proficiency with the concepts and skills addressed in the unit. 

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math California lessons include daily moments of assessment to provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student. Beyond formative, summative, and benchmark assessments, students also have opportunities for self-reflection with Watch Your Knowledge Grow. Students take ownership of their learning by reflecting and tracking their progress before and after each unit.

Show What You Know: Each lesson has a daily formative assessment focused on one of the key concepts in the lesson. Show What You Know moments are carefully designed to minimize completion time for students while maximizing daily teacher insights to attend to student needs during the following class. 

Responsive Feedback™: Teachers have the ability to see and provide in-the-moment feedback as students progress through a digital lesson. Responsive Feedback motivates students and engages them in the learning process.

Diagnostic Assessment

Every grade level features an asset-based diagnostic assessment designed to be administered at the beginning of the year.  Delivered digitally and to the whole class, our diagnostic assessment is uniquely designed to reveal underlying math thinking and identify what students know about grade-level math. With data beyond just right and wrong, teachers have the type of deeper level of insights need to take the right next step.

CAASPP-Aligned Assessment Preparation

Amplify Desmos Math is designed to support students’ mathematical development through problem-based learning, differentiation, and embedded assessments. The program’s emphasis on conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application aligns with the mathematical practices and content standards assessed by the CAASPP.

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a CAASPP-aligned Item Bank. This standards-aligned bank of questions allows teachers to filter and search by grade and standard to find items. Once assigned on the digital platform, students will experience CAASPP-like practice with the online digital tools.

Data and Reporting

Amplify Desmos Math California provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students. Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, diagnostic data and progress monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning. Program reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments, then highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reporting provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

Category 4: Access and Equity

The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Our lessons are developed using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to the day’s content and offer students the individualized supports they need to be successful.

Each lesson and unit contains guidance for teachers on how to identify students who may need support, students who need to keep strengthening their understanding, and students who may be ready to stretch their learning. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

Universal Design for Learning

Each lesson in the program incorporates opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Students engage in both print and digital learning, and are regularly participating in discussions and hands-on activities. Students are invited to build their own challenge for other students to solve, which provides opportunities for choice and autonomy, as well as joy and play.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning using mathematical representations, both print and digital, and regularly engage with their peers in analyzing multiple possible solutions. Classes engage in open-ended discussions about what individual students notice and wonder about mathematical concepts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Learners differ in how they navigate learning environments and express what they know. Students can communicate their ideas in multiple ways, including in print, sketching, uploading photos, or recording an audio response.

Accessibility

Lesson facilitation supports

Every lesson includes at least one specific suggestion the teacher can use to increase access to the lesson without reducing the mathematical demand of the tasks. These suggestions address the following areas:

  • Conceptual Processing
  • Visual-Spatial Processing
  • Executive Functioning
  • Memory and Attention
  • Fine Motor Skills

Accessibility tools

Students have the ability to control accessibility tools so that each learning experience is customized to their individual needs. In many instances, these tools can be turned on or off at any point of instruction.

  • Text to speech: Reads text instructions to students in multiple languages
  • Enlarged font: Increases the size of all text on screen
  • Braille mode: Includes narration of digital interactions
  • Language selection: Toggles between languages

Differentiation: In-Lesson Teacher Moves

Within every lesson activity, teachers can use the suggestions in the Differentiation Teacher Moves table to provide in-the-moment instructional support while students are engaged in the work of the lesson. This table can help teachers anticipate the ways students may approach the activity, and provides prompts that they can use during the lesson to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch individual students in their thinking. Teachers are provided with clear student actions and understanding to look for, each matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to the student thinking illustrated in each row of the table. In addition to using these suggestions in the moment as teachers monitor student work, teachers can review the Differentiation table in advance to help them anticipate how students are likely to approach the activity.

A chart outlines three differentiation strategies—Support, Strengthen, and Stretch—with specific actions for each. A Math Language Development box is shown at the bottom.

Differentiation: Beyond the Lesson

Teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students needing support, strengthening, and stretching after each lesson. Support, Strengthen, and Stretch resources include:

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute, small-group direct instruction lessons targeted to a specific concept or skill
  • Item Banks: Space for teachers to create practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more
  • Fluency Practice: Adaptive, personalized practice built out for basic operations and more
  • Extensions: Lesson-embedded Teacher Moves including possible stretch questions and activities for students
  • Lesson Practice: Additional practice problems support every lesson
  • Math Adventures: Strategy-based math games where students engage with math concepts and practice skills in a fun digital environment
  • Lesson Summary Support: Support for students and caregivers that provides efficient explanation of the learning goal with clear examples

Math Identity and Community

The Math Identity and Community feature supports teachers in helping students build confidence in their own mathematical thinking, develop skills to work with and learn from others when doing math, and learn how math is an interwoven part of their broader community. The embedded prompts throughout the lessons are designed to highlight what it means to be good at math, the value of sharing ideas, and the power of flexible and creating thinking. Here are some examples of the Math Identity and Community supports embedded in each lesson:

  • I can be all of me in math class. You will work with partners every day in math class. What do you want your partners to know about you? 
  • We are a math community. What does good listening look like and sound like in a math community? 
  • I am a doer of math. What math strengths did you use today?

Math Language Development

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California includes opportunities for all students to develop mathematical language as they experience the content. Amplify Desmos Math California purposefully progresses language development from lesson to lesson and across units by supporting students in making their arguments and explanations stronger, clearer, and more precise. This systematic approach to the development of math language can be broken down into the following four categories of support:

  • Vocabulary: Units and lessons start by surfacing students’ language for new concepts, then building connections between their language and the new vocabulary for that unit. This honors the language assets that students bring into their learning.
  • Language Goals: Language goals attend to the mathematics students are learning, and are written through the lens of one or more of four language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Math Language Routines: Math Language Routines are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition.
  • Multilingual/English Learner Supports: Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson. These specific, targeted suggestions support ML/ELs with modifications that increase access to a task, or through development of contextual or mathematical language (both of which can be supportive of all learners). 

Multilingual and English Learner Supports

Partnership with English Learner Success Forum

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Math Language Development Resource

Our Math Language Development Resources book contains lesson-specific strategies and activities for all levels of English Learners (i.e., Emerging, Expanding, Bridging). With support for every lesson, teachers are empowered to help all students, regardless of their language skills, to participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Multilingual glossary

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Translations will be provided for up to nine languages.

Spanish version

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Support

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a variety of embedded instructional supports to empower teachers to lead effectively and gain actionable insights into student growth and progress. Teachers are equipped with a comprehensive set of resources designed to fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Grade-level concepts

Within the Teacher Edition front matter:

  • Scope and sequence
  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Unit and Sub-Unit Overview:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Math that Matters Most
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Lesson:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

How to implement the program

At the course level (within the Teacher Edition front matter):

  • Navigating the Program (both print and digital)
  • Facilitating Lesson Activities with Launch, Monitor and Connect
  • Overview of the Digital Facilitation Tools

At the lesson level:

  • Suggestions for timing
  • What materials to prep
  • How to organize and group students 
  • Key lesson takeaways with the Synthesis
  • Recommendations for Differentiation
  • Strategies for intervention and extensions (in the Intervention, Extensions, and Investigation Resources book)

At the activity level:

  • Differentiation recommendations
  • Accessibility tips
  • ML / EL tips
  • Teacher look-fors
  • Recommended Teacher Moves
  • Prompts for guiding student thinking 
  • Sample student responses

Development of Math Language

A variety of language development supports are provided within the Student and Teacher Editions and Math Language Development Resources book. 

At the lesson level:

  • Diagrams and visuals
  • Sentence frames and word banks
  • Graphic organizers, including Frayer models
  • Vocabulary routines
  • Embedded language supports aligned to the CA ELDs
  • Lesson-specific strategies for Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging

At the unit level: 

  • Words With Multiple Meanings
  • Contextual vocabulary

At the course level:

  • English/Spanish cognates
  • Multilingual Glossary 

Other Curriculum Guidance

  • Additional Practice Resources book
  • Assessment Resources book 
  • Assess and Respond guidance paired with each assessment opportunity
  • Show-What-You-Know activities
  • Answer keys and rubrics 
  • Performance tasks

Expect more from your assessments with mCLASS Math.

Understanding student thinking is the key to accelerating student performance.

Welcome to mCLASS® Math, the benchmarking and progress monitoring system for grades K–8 that measures proficiency, reveals underlying mathematical thinking, and informs instructional support for every learner. Analyzing student responses to reveal valid underlying mathematical thinking—even in wrong answers—helps better target individualized instructional recommendations that build grade-level proficiency.

Explore samples

Meet mCLASS Math.

mCLASS Math’s research-based benchmark and progress monitoring assessment system tracks performance against grade-level expectations to help predict later growth outcomes.

With screening and diagnostic capabilities and empirically established cut scores to assess risk, mCLASS Math reporting helps educators pinpoint strengths and areas of growth for individualized instructional support for every student. Together, these establish a strong Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

Explore skills coverage

This powerful assessment is digitally assigned to the whole class three times annually: beginning-of-year (BOY), middle-of-year (MOY), and end-of-year (EOY). The open responses of the assessment give more robust data-points gathered from each item, and it only takes 30 to 40 minutes to complete.

Designed to target critical grade-level skills that predict success, the rich data can be used as a diagnostic tool for Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention and flags for the potential risk of dyscalculia.

mCLASS Progress Monitoring assessments help teachers chart students’ progression between benchmark assessment windows. For students receiving targeted support, mCLASS Progress Monitoring determines if intervention is effective or adjustments are needed to enhance student learning.

These short yet effective assessments enable teachers to monitor a student’s math performance between mCLASS Benchmark assessments. mCLASS Progress Monitoring assessments can be assigned to a select group of students needing targeted support in a specific skill or Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention, and are aligned around crucial math domains for each grade level.

Assess in less time.

With the groundbreaking digital analysis of student thinking, mCLASS Math teachers can rely on the predictive validity of assessments in less time.

The powerful Student Response Analysis of open-ended questions provides deep insight into what and how students think—faster and with fewer questions.

Learn more
A laptop displays a classroom results dashboard for supplemental math, featuring a table of student scores, colored rating bars, and side labels showing numbers 250, 310, and 320.

Access deeper insights.

mCLASS Math’s dynamic data reports offer a window into student thinking, reliably guiding intervention across Tiers 1–3.

The more teachers understand how their students think, the better they can support their growth. The assessment system recognizes students’ individual strengths, experiences, understandings, and strategies—or assets, as we collectively refer to them—to inform the robust data that powers mCLASS Math.

Explore a guided tour

Educator and caregiver reports

Empirically established cut scores and domain-specific measures help teachers plan for tiered intervention with classroom, school, and district-level performance reports set to predict end-of-year outcomes.

To reinforce learning at home, Home Connect letters provide caregivers with easy-to-use reports on their child’s math development.

Student Thinking Report

The Student Thinking Report gives teachers actionable recommendations tailored to how individual students or groups of students approach problems. By understanding the different ways of thinking in skimmable, yet robust, reports, teachers have the tools they need to efficiently plan differentiation to achieve instructional targets.

Actionable recommendations enable teachers to quickly differentiate with intervention resources aligned to common misconceptions.

Learn about reporting

Research behind mCLASS Math

Based on decades of research for best practices in math, mCLASS Math efficiently assesses students’ skills and thinking to give teachers instant recommendations for small group and individualized instruction.

Following research from leading math experts and an in-depth validation analysis through WestEd, a technical report will be released summer 2025.

A teacher provides instructional support to students wearing headphones as they work on laptops during a math intervention session. Other students are visible in the background.

A dedicated team at Amplify with over 500 combined years of classroom teaching, school leadership, and assessment experience thoughtfully created mCLASS Math with teachers and students in mind.

Following research from leading math experts and an in-depth validation analysis through WestEd, data will be continuously released starting in spring 2025.

A woman with long dark hair, smiling and wearing a dark top, embodies the essence of individualized instruction against a neutral background.

Sandra Pappas

Associate Director of Research

A person in a suit and tie smiles while standing in front of a wall with ivy, embodying the essence of individualized instruction and progress monitoring.

Patrick Callahan, Ph.D.

Educator and Founder of Math ANEX

A man in a suit and tie stands against a gray background, arms crossed, exuding confidence as if ready to offer instructional support. He gazes at the camera with an air of determination and expertise.

Jason Zimba, Ph.D.

Chief Academic Officer of STEM
at Amplify

The mCLASS Math K–5 assessment system is designed to provide educators with reliable and valid measures to identify students needing additional support in mathematics and to inform instructional decisions. Preliminary data presents evidence supporting the psychometric quality of the assessment using the technical standards outlined by the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) and state requirements for screening measures.

Read the research

Data informs
instruction

mCLASS Math works alongside your core instruction, differentiation, and intervention. The data model behind mCLASS Math provides comprehensive data for each student across grades K–8, easily connecting teachers to the immediate next steps that will support, strengthen, and stretch all learners.

Explore walkthrough
Math activity interface with three ten-frames showing flowers and leaves, a prompt to find the sum 9 + 4 + 3, and movable flowers for counting—ideal for math intervention and progress monitoring.

Personalized Learning accelerates student growth with daily, targeted 15-minute digital activities. Supported by a virtual tutor, students tackle individualized tasks linked to daily lessons, receiving just-in-time support to foster grade-level success.

Explore sample activities

Two educational pages titled "Writing Equations With Unknown Variables" under Teacher Guide ML L06, featuring problem examples, vocabulary, and recommended next steps for teaching. Includes progress monitoring tools to enhance individualized instruction and boost learning outcomes.

Teacher-led, 15-minute Mini-Lessons can build grade-level proficiency by providing research-based, targeted intervention to small groups of students who need additional support.

Explore sample Mini-Lessons

Three educational math worksheets titled "Capture Squares" and "Cover Up," featuring instructions and a multiplication grid, provide instructional support as engaging supplemental math activities for classroom use.

Reinforce students’ understanding of concepts through collaborative, hands-on Centers (grades K–5). These student-led routines provide additional practice with vertical alignment across grade levels.

Explore sample Centers

Fluency Practice uses spaced repetition, an evidence-based approach to promoting memory retention, to teach basic facts. The adaptive nature of the practice allows students to focus less and less on the facts they already know. We’ve partnered with Math for Love to iterate on the popular Multiplication by Heart to create Division by Heart and Addition and Subtraction by Heart I & II. These proven fluency decks—plus Skills Fluency for supporting procedural fluency practice—help students practice crucial skills independently.

Try Fluency Practice

A laptop screen showcases a software interface with an "Item Bank" of selectable cards, ideal for progress monitoring. The interface features sorting options and a left sidebar menu, offering seamless integration for instructional support.

Item Banks provide space for teachers to create custom practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more.

Collage of math exercises featuring cubes, an avocado-themed problem, and geometric shapes. Includes instruction for selection and explanation, offering instructional support to aid in progress monitoring.

All students should have access to fun and challenging problems. Extensions are 10- to 15-minute activities aligned to the most critical topics for the grade, providing flexible, low-lift activities for the whole class or targeted intervention to small groups of students ready for an extra challenge.

See a sample Extension

One cohesive math experience

As part of Amplify Desmos Math, Amplify’s comprehensive math suite, mCLASS Math provides a strong foundation of actionable data to help teachers diagnose and capitalize on student strengths. Amplify Desmos Math ensures that you have all the core, intervention, and personalized instruction you need to support each stage of a student’s math journey.

Learn more

Prepare for Amplify professional development

When you grow, your students grow.  

Whether you are implementing Amplify programs for the first time or strengthening instructional practices, our goal is to support your professional growth and help all students succeed.

Feel prepared and ready to grow with us.

This site provides session preparation guidance, the agenda and objectives for all Prepare, Begin and Practice sessions. The Prepare sessions are denoted as such. The Begin and Practice sessions are listed by product type – core, assessment and supplemental. All state-specific training is found in its own section.

A four-step process diagram labeled Prepare, Begin, Practice, and Advance, each with icons and brief descriptions of stages for implementing an educational program.
Four people are sitting at a table; one is reading, two are discussing notes, and one is writing on paper.

Onsite session preparation

Do you have an upcoming onsite PD session? Do you need to know what your participants should bring to their session or what should be provided in the training space? Click ‘learn more’ below for detailed information on how to prepare for your onsite session.

Learn more

Amplify resource hub webinar library

Remote session preparation

Do you have an upcoming remote PD session? Do you need to know what your participants should have at their session or how to set up a remote session? Click ‘learn more’ below for detailed information on how to prepare for your remote session.

Learn more

Prepare session agendas

Launch

Build your Knowledge of Math Problem-Based Learning (90 min)

Deepen your Knowledge of Math Problem-Based Learning (3 hour) 

Launch

Build your Knowledge of Science of Reading (90 min)

Deepen your Knowledge of Science of Reading (3 hour)

Multiliterate learners

  • Build your knowledge of multiliterate learners (90 min)     K–5
  • Deepen your knowledge of multiliterate learners (3 hour)     K–5

Core: Launch and Strengthen session agendas

Select your program to preview a session agenda and any other session specific preparation steps for participants.

Launch

Initial training (6 hours)

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Program overview for leaders     K–5

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

  • Enhancing planning for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Writing    K–2    3–5
    • Note: teachers should bring a recent class set of student writing samples from the Amplify curriculum to this session. 

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement    K–5
  • Supporting all learners    K–5
  • Pacing    K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    PreK    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    PreK    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand program overview for teachers   K–2
  • Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Program overview for leaders    PreK–5

CKLA Writing Studio (3 hours)

  • Writing Studio companion training for teachers    K–5

CKLA Language Studio (3 hours)

  • Language Studio companion training for teachers    K–2    3–5

CKLA 2nd Edition to 3rd Edition Transition Training (1 hour)

  • Transition Training for Teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Skills Strand Transition Training for Teachers     K–2
  • Knowledge Strand Transition Training for Teachers     K–2

Grade 3 Skills (1 hour)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

  • Enhancing planning for teachers    PreK    K–2    3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG    K–2
    • Note: teachers should bring a recent set of graded class data from an Amplify benchmark or end-of-unit assessment to this session.
  • Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG/DERG    3–5
  • Writing    K–2    3–5
    • Note: teachers should bring a recent class set of student writing samples from the Amplify curriculum to this session. 
  • Enhancing observations for leaders    K–5

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement    K–5
  • Supporting all learners    K–5
  • Pacing    K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers     K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Program overview for leaders     K–5

CKLA 2nd Edition to 3rd Edition Transition Training (1 hour)

  • Transition Training for Teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Skills Strand Transition Training for Teachers     K–2
  • Knowledge Strand Transition Training for Teachers     K–2

Grade 3 Skills (1 hour)

Supplemental training for teachers

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

  • Enhancing planning for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG    K–2
  • Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG/DERG    3–5
  • Enhancing observations for leaders    K–5

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement    K–5
  • Supporting all learners    K–5
  • Pacing    K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills Strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for leaders    PreK–5

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

  • Enhancing planning for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Writing for teachers     K–2     3–5

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement    K–5
  • Supporting all learners     K–5
  • Pacing     K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers     6–8

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    6–8
  • Program overview for leaders    6–8

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

  • Enhancing planning for teachers    6–8
  • Enhancing practice for teachers    6–8
  • Writing: Improving through feedback    6–8
  • Supporting all learners    6–8
  • Data-informed instruction    6–8
  • Enhancing observations for leaders    6–8

Focus (1 hour)

  • Teaching with print and digital    6–8
  • Lesson planning    6–8
  • Pacing    6–8
  • Increasing student engagement    6–8
  • Grading and assessment    6–8

Launch

Initial training (6 hours)

Program Overview (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)

Launch

Initial training (6 hours)

Program overview (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)

  • Snapshots in the Teacher Dashboard     6–A1
  • Teaching a lesson with Digital Student Screens     K–5
  • Unit-level planning    K–5      6–A1      High School

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–5    6–8

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    TK    K–5    6–8
  • Program overview for leaders    K–5    6–8

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)

  • Enhancing the digital experience    K–5
  • Planning with the Coherence Flowchart    K–8
  • Planning an Amplify Science lesson    K–8
  • Supporting all learners: exploring the resources    K–8
  • Supporting all learners: teacher modeling and student discourse    K–8
  • Supporting all learners: multimodal instruction    K–8
  • Analyzing student work    K–8
    • Note: teachers should bring a recent set of student work samples from an Amplify Science assessment to this session. 
  • Unit kit materials and prep    K–8
  • Grading with Amplify Science    K–8

Core: Coaching options

Select your program to view options for building a coaching session and coaching PLC or grade-level meeting topic menus.

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Assessment and intervention: Launch and Strengthen session agendas

Select your program to preview a session agenda and any other session specific preparation steps for participants.

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)  

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)  

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)  

Launch

Program overview (3 hours) 

Program overview (3 hours) 

Launch

Program overview + DIBELS 8th Edition Administration and scoring training (6 hours) 

Initial training + DIBELS 8th Edition Administration and scoring training (9 hours) 

Launch

Asset-based assessment training (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)

Assessment and Intervention: Coaching options

Select your program to view options for building a coaching session agenda.

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Coaching session agenda options

Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.

Coach PLC session topic menu

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Boost: Launch and Strengthen session agendas

Select your program to preview a session agenda and any other session specific preparation steps for participants.

Launch

Getting started (2 hours)  

Strengthen

Focus (1 hour)

Launch

Getting started (2 hours)

Launch

Getting started (2 hours)

Launch

Getting started (2 hours) 

Strengthen

Focus (1 hour)  

Launch

Getting started (2 hours) 

Strengthen

Focus (1 hour)

Online course outlines

mCLASS

mCLASS Lectura

Boost Reading

  • Getting started for teachers: Online course   K–5     6–8

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

mCLASS Lectura

State-specific session agendas

Select your program to preview a session agenda and any other session specific preparation steps for participants.

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers       K–2    3–5    6–8
  • Skills strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours)

  • Program overview for teachers    K–2    3–5    6–8
  • Program overview for leaders    K–5    6–8
  • Skills strand program overview for teachers   K–2
  • Knowledge strand program overview for teachers    K–2

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

  • Enhancing planning for teachers                    K–2     3–5     6–8
  • Enhancing practice for teachers                      K–2     3–5    6–8
  • Writing     K–2     3–5    6–8
  • Enhancing observations for leaders                    K–5    6–8
  • Supporting all learners for 6–8 teachers              6–8
  • Data informed instruction    6–8

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement     K–5    6–8
  • Supporting all learners     K–5
  • Pacing     K–5    6–8
  • Teaching with print and digital    6–8
  • Lesson planning    6–8
  • Grading and assessment    6–8

Coach

K–5

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

6–8

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Skills strand program overview for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge strand program overview for teachers    K–2

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

  • Enhancing planning for teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Writing     K–2     3–5

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement     K–5
  • Supporting all learners     K–5
  • Pacing     K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Skills strand initial training for teachers    K–2
  • Knowledge strand initial training for teachers    K–2

Program overview (3 hours)

  • Program overview for leaders    K–5

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

  • Enhancing planning for teachers        K–2     3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers        K–2     3–5
  • Writing     K–2     3–5

Focus (1 hour)

  • Student engagement     K–5
  • Supporting all learners     K–5
  • Pacing     K–5

Coach

K–5

Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.

Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting. 

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5

Program overview (3 hours) 

  • Program overview for teachers    K–2    3–5
  • Program overview for leaders    K–5

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

  • Enhancing planning for teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Enhancing practice for teachers     K–2     3–5
  • Writing     K–2     3–5
  • Maximizing Impact: data-informed remediation with the ARG for teachers    K–2     3–5
  • Enhancing observations for leaders     K–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    K–2    3–5

Launch

Initial training (6 hours) 

  • Initial training for teachers    6–8

Program overview (3 hours)

  • Program overview for teachers    6–8
  • Program overview for leaders    6–8

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

Focus (1 hour) 

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

Focus (1 hour) 

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and reporting training (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours) 

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours) 

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Launch

Getting started (2 hours) 

  • Getting started for teachers    K–5    6–8
  • Getting started for leaders    K–5

Strengthen

Focus (1 hour)

  • Maximizing data for teachers     K–5     6–8

Launch

Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)

Administration and scoring training (3 hours) 

Strengthen

Strengthen (3 hours)

Focus (1 hour)

Math resources that tap into your students’ curiosity

As a teacher, you create a collaborative math community with students at its center.

We’re here to help.

Amplify Desmos Math

Complete core program (Grades K–12)

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A new, curiosity-driven K–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency.

Amplify Desmos Math provides:

  • The ability to transform every classroom into an engaged math community that invites, values, and develops student thinking.
  • Supports and guidance for teachers to systematically build from students’ prior knowledge to grade-level learning.
  • Actionable, asset-based data that informs instruction and personalizes learning, building on what students already know.
Learn more

Amplify Classroom

Free teaching and learning platform (Grades K–12)

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Amplify Classroom is an interactive teaching and learning platform with hundreds of free K–12 lessons, virtual manipulatives, and teaching tools. With a free teacher account, you can access:

  • Interactive lessons and activities that strengthen classroom learning while building math fact-fluency
  • Polypad virtual manipulatives that allow you to model mathematical concepts in a creative way.
  • A Teacher Dashboard with real-time visuals that provide visibility into student thinking.
  • A lesson-building tool where you can customize or create your own lessons.
Learn more

mCLASS® Math

Screening and progress monitoring (Grades K–8)

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Expect more from your assessments with mCLASS® Math, a complete K–8 benchmark and progress monitoring assessment system. mCLASS Math provides educators not only with reliable measures of student achievement, but also with an asset-based approach that analyzes student responses to uncover underlying mathematical thinking.

Learn more

Boost Math

Targeted intervention and practice (Grades K–8)

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Boost Math is a K–8 intervention and practice math program that brings grade-level, core-aligned math within reach for every learner. By turning assessment data into targeted learning pathways connected to core math topics, Boost Math helps streamline MTSS and support teachers in delivering the right instruction at the right time.

Learn more

Ready to learn more?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch soon.

Explore more programs

Our programs are designed to support and complement one another. Learn more about our related programs.

Una mujer y una niña usando un teléfono inteligente juntas, sentadas en una mesa en un salón de clases. la mujer señala la pantalla y le explica algo a la niña.

mCLASS

mCLASS is an assessment and instruction system that helps measure your child’s l…

Un rover robótico está colocado en un terreno arenoso y lleno de rocas bajo un cielo brumoso, dejando huellas de neumáticos tras él.

Amplify Science

Amplify Science is an engaging curriculum for grades K–8 designed by experts at…

Illustration of a house with a cat on the roof, a large squash, a fire with a skull flag, and floating geometric shapes against a blue background.

Amplify CKLA

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for Grade…

See more

Amplify Desmos Math California

Welcome, Math 1 Reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify Desmos Math California. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California Math Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your Review Samples

As a curriculum that incorporates both print and digital resources, it’s important that you explore both our physical materials (delivered to you in grade-specific tubs) and our digital materials (accessible through our platform). We invite you to explore both types of resources using the instructions and tips below.

Print Samples

Your print samples should have arrived in grade-specific tubs with a copy of your Reviewer Binder contained within the Math 1 shipping box. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside the tub as well as within your Reviewer Binder.

Digital Samples

  • In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Access Flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:
    • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
    • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
    • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Access Flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation Tips

Below you will find helpful tips for navigating Amplify Desmos Math California. We recommend reading these pages alongside the program’s print materials and digital experience to gain a deeper understanding of the program. 

Click the links below to read about navigating program features including:

Built for California

The Amplify Desmos Math California program is designed around the vision articulated in the California Mathematics Framework to enable all California students to become powerful users of mathematics. Our program incorporates the latest research in student learning, meaning that we:

  • Focus on the Big Ideas: Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons.
  • Center on open and engaging tasks: Amplify Desmos Math California is grounded in engaging tasks meant to address students’ often-asked question: “Why am I learning this?”  Students are invited into learning with low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that provide an entry point for all. Open tasks in Amplify Desmos Math California provide the space for students to try on multiple strategies and represent their thinking in different ways, and allow student explanation and discussion to serve as the center of the classroom. All lessons offer both print and digital representations of lessons.
  • Provide enhanced digital experiences: Amplify Desmos Math California includes digitally-enhanced lesson activities, incorporating interactive digital tools alongside print materials. These purposefully-placed resources allow students to visualize mathematical concepts, receive actionable feedback while practicing, encounter personalized learning support from an onscreen tutor, and engage in discussions about their thinking and approaches.
  • Treat core instruction and differentiation as integral partners: The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to lesson content and offer students the individualized support as they dive into the mathematics.

Category 1: Mathematics Content/Alignment with the Standards

Standards Map

Linked here is the Standards Map for Amplify for Math 1.

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked here is the Evaluation Criteria Map for Math 1. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

Standards of Mathematical Practice

Linked here is the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the Standards for Mathematical Practice at Math 1.

Drivers of Investigation and Content Connections

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations — from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded around the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life. 

A chart with three columns: Drivers of Investigation, Standards for Mathematical Practice, and Content Connections. Each column lists related activities and skills.

California English Language Development Standards

Linked here is the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the California English Language Development Standards for Math 1.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts

Select lessons, performance tasks, and investigations across grade levels in Amplify Desmos Math California are aligned to one or more of the California Environmental Principles and Concepts. Click this link to view how the California Environmental Principles and Concepts are represented in Amplify Desmos Math California Math 1.

Category 2: Program Organization

Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Big Ideas

Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons. Please refer to Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center, linked here, for the Amplify Desmos Math California Math 1 lesson design and alignment to the Big Ideas.

Program Structure

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A flowchart diagram showing "Screening and progress monitoring" linked to three phases: Core instruction, Integrated personalized learning, and Embedded Intervention, with daily support noted.

Lessons and units in Amplify Desmos Math California are designed around a Proficiency Progression, a model that steps out problem-based learning by systematically building students’ curiosity into lasting grade-level understanding.

Five steps for learning: 1. Activate prior knowledge, 2. Collaborate, 3. Refine ideas, 4. Guide to understanding, 5. Practice and extend for lasting understanding.

In the Proficiency Progression, lessons begin by activating students’ natural curiosity and offering opportunities to generate new ideas through collaboration. Teachers are then able to refine ideas through intentional facilitation and guide students to grade-level understanding, while students retain the ability to use different strategies and methods to show their comprehension of the content. Students are provided ample opportunities to develop lasting understanding.

Scope and Sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for Amplify Desmos Math California Math 1. 

Mathematics I syllabus: Unit 1 to Unit 7 across two volumes, covering various math topics with instructional, assessment, and optional days detailed for each unit.

Lesson Design and Structure

Infographic showing a learning process: Warm-Up, Activities, Synthesis, and Reinforcement. Activities aim to increase student understanding over time.

Amplify Desmos Math California is designed with a structured approach to problem-based learning that systematically builds on students’ curiosity and allows students to grapple with the Big Ideas of the California Framework. Every lesson activity is organized into a Launch, Monitor, Connect format.

Launch: The launch is a short, whole-class conversation that creates a need or excitement, provides clarity, or helps students connect their prior knowledge or personal experience, which ensures that everyone has access to the upcoming work.  

Monitor: As students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, teachers explore student thinking, ask questions, and provide support to help move the conversations closer to the intended math learning goal. 

Connect: Teachers connect students’ ideas to the key learning goals of the lesson, facilitating class discussions that help synthesize and solidify the Big Ideas.  

Each lesson within Amplify Desmos Math California follows the same structure. 

Warm-Up: Every Amplify Desmos Math California lesson begins with a whole class Warm-Up. Warm-Ups are an invitational Instructional Routine intended to provide a social moment at the start of the lesson in which every student has an opportunity to contribute. Warm-Ups may build fluency or highlight a strategy that may be helpful in the current lesson or act as an invitation into the math of the lesson.

Lesson Activities: Each lesson includes one or two activities. These activities are the heart of each lesson. Students notice, wonder, explore, calculate, predict, measure, explain their thinking, use math to settle disputes, create challenges for their classmates, and more. Guidance is provided to help teachers launch, monitor, and connect student thinking over the course of the activity.

Synthesis and Show What You Know: The Synthesis is an opportunity for the teacher and students to pull all the learning of the lesson together into a lesson takeaway. Students engage in a facilitated discussion to consolidate and refine their ideas about the learning goals, and the teacher synthesizes students’ learning. Show What You Know is a daily assessment opportunity for students to show what they know about the learning goals and what they are still learning.

Practice and Differentiation: Daily practice problems for the day’s lesson are included both online and in the print Student Edition, including fluency, test practice, and spiral review.

Flowchart showing classroom activity timing: Warm-Up (5 min), Lesson Activities (30 min), Synthesis and Show What You Know (10 min), Practice and Differentiation (time varies).

Routines

Amplify Desmos Math California features a variety of lesson routines. Instructional routines and Math Language Routines (MLRs) are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition. Both are called out at point-of-use within the Teacher Edition and Teacher Presentation Screens. Below are the types of routines used throughout the Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum:

Math Language Routines

  • MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
  • MLR2: Collect and Display
  • MLR3: Critique, Correct, Clarify
  • MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
  • MLR6: Three Reads
  • MLR7: Compare and Connect
  • MLR 8: Discussion Supports

Instructional Routines 

  • Decide and Defend
  • Notice and Wonder
  • Number Talk
  • Tell a Story
  • Think-Pair-Share
  • Which One Doesn’t Belong?

Category 3: Assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math California provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessment

Amplify Desmos Math California has embedded unit assessments that offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

Pre-Unit Check: Each unit begins with a formative assessment designed to identify the student skills that will be particularly relevant to the upcoming unit. This check is agnostic to the standards covered in the following unit and serves not as a deficit-based acknowledgment of what students do not know, but rather as an affirmation of the knowledge and skills with which students come in.

End-of-Unit Assessment: Students engage with rigorous grade-level mathematics through a variety of formats and tasks in the summative End-of-Unit Assessment. A combination of auto-scored (when completed digitally) and rubric-scored items provides deep insights into student thinking. All Amplify Desmos Math California End-of-Unit Assessments include two forms.

Sub-Unit Quizzes: Sub-Unit Quizzes are formative assessments embedded regularly in Math 1. In these checks, students are assessed on a subset of conceptual understandings from the unit, with rubrics that help illuminate students’ current understanding and provide guidance for responding to student thinking.

Performance Tasks: At the end of each unit there is a summative assessment performance task provided to evaluate students’ proficiency with the concepts and skills addressed in the unit. 

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math California lessons include daily moments of assessment to provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student. Beyond formative, summative, and benchmark assessments, students also have opportunities for self-reflection with Watch Your Knowledge Grow. Students take ownership of their learning by reflecting and tracking their progress before and after each unit.

Show What You Know: Each lesson has a daily formative assessment focused on one of the key concepts in the lesson. Show What You Know moments are carefully designed to minimize completion time for students while maximizing daily teacher insights to attend to student needs during the following class. 

Responsive Feedback™: Teachers have the ability to see and provide in-the-moment feedback as students progress through a digital lesson. Responsive Feedback motivates students and engages them in the learning process.

Diagnostic Assessment

Every grade level features an asset-based diagnostic assessment designed to be administered at the beginning of the year.  Delivered digitally and to the whole class, our diagnostic assessment is uniquely designed to reveal underlying math thinking and identify what students know about grade-level math. With data beyond just right and wrong, teachers have the type of deeper level of insights need to take the right next step.

CAASPP-Aligned Assessment Preparation

Amplify Desmos Math is designed to support students’ mathematical development through problem-based learning, differentiation, and embedded assessments. The program’s emphasis on conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application aligns with the mathematical practices and content standards assessed by the CAASPP.

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a CAASPP-aligned Item Bank. This standards-aligned bank of questions allows teachers to filter and search by grade and standard to find items. Once assigned on the digital platform, students will experience CAASPP-like practice with the online digital tools.

Data and Reporting

Amplify Desmos Math California provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students. Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, diagnostic data, and progress monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning. Program reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments, then highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reporting provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

Category 4: Access and Equity

The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Our lessons are developed using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to the day’s content and offer students the individualized supports they need to be successful.

Each lesson and unit contains guidance for teachers on how to identify students who may need support, students who need to keep strengthening their understanding, and students who may be ready to stretch their learning. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

Universal Design for Learning

Each lesson in the program incorporates opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Students engage in both print and digital learning, and are regularly participating in discussions and hands-on activities. Students are invited to build their own challenge for other students to solve, which provides opportunities for choice and
    autonomy, as well as joy and play.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning using mathematical representations, both print and digital, and regularly engage with their peers in analyzing multiple possible solutions. Classes engage in open-ended discussions about what individual students notice and wonder about mathematical concepts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Learners differ in how they navigate learning environments and express what they know. Students can communicate their ideas in multiple ways, including in print, sketching, uploading photos, or recording an audio response.

Accessibility

Lesson Facilitation Supports

Every lesson includes at least one specific suggestion the teacher can use to increase access to the lesson without reducing the mathematical demand of the tasks. These suggestions address the following areas:

  • Conceptual Processing
  • Visual-Spatial Processing
  • Executive Functioning
  • Memory and Attention
  • Fine Motor Skills

Accessibility Tools

Students have the ability to control accessibility tools so that each learning experience is customized to their individual needs. In many instances, these tools can be turned on or off at any point of instruction.

  • Text to speech: Reads text instructions to students in multiple languages
  • Enlarged font: Increases the size of all text on screen
  • Braille mode: Includes narration of digital interactions
  • Language selection: Toggles between languages

Differentiation: In-Lesson Teacher Moves

Within every lesson activity, teachers can use the suggestions in the Differentiation Teacher Moves table to provide in-the-moment instructional support while students are engaged in the work of the lesson. This table can help teachers anticipate the ways students may approach the activity, and provides prompts that they can use during the lesson to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch individual students in their thinking. Teachers are provided with clear student actions and understanding to look for, each matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to the student thinking illustrated in each row of the table. In addition to using these suggestions in the moment as teachers monitor student work, teachers can review the Differentiation table in advance to help them anticipate how students are likely to approach the activity.

A differentiation guide for Lesson 3 showing strategies for support, strengthen, and stretch, plus a section on math language development resources, all in a structured layout.

Differentiation: Beyond the Lesson

Teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students needing support, strengthening, and stretching after each lesson. Support, Strengthen, and Stretch resources include:

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute, small-group direct instruction lessons targeted to a specific concept or skill
  • Item Banks: Space for teachers to create practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more
  • Fluency Practice: Adaptive, personalized practice built out for basic operations and more
  • Extensions: Lesson-embedded Teacher Moves including possible stretch questions and activities for students
  • Lesson Practice: Additional practice problems support every lesson
  • Math Adventures: Strategy-based math games where students engage with math concepts and practice skills in a fun digital environment
  • Lesson Summary Support: Support for students and caregivers that provides efficient explanation of the learning goal with clear examples

Math Identity and Community

The Math Identity and Community feature supports teachers in helping students build confidence in their own mathematical thinking, develop skills to work with and learn from others when doing math, and learn how math is an interwoven part of their broader community. The embedded prompts throughout the lessons are designed to highlight what it means to be good at math, the value of sharing ideas, and the power of flexible and creating thinking. Here are some examples of the Math Identity and Community supports embedded in each lesson:

  • I can be all of me in math class. You will work with partners every day in math class. What do you want your partners to know about you? 
  • We are a math community. What does good listening look like and sound like in a math community? 
  • I am a doer of math. What math strengths did you use today?

Math Language Development

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California includes opportunities for all students to develop mathematical language as they experience the content. Amplify Desmos Math California purposefully progresses language development from lesson to lesson and across units by supporting students in making their arguments and explanations stronger, clearer, and more precise. This systematic approach to the development of math language can be broken down into the following four categories of support:

  • Vocabulary: Units and lessons start by surfacing students’ language for new concepts, then building connections between their language and the new vocabulary for that unit. This honors the language assets that students bring into their learning.
  • Language Goals: Language goals attend to the mathematics students are learning, and are written through the lens of one or more of four language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Math Language Routines: Math Language Routines are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition.
  • Multilingual/English Learner Supports: Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson. These specific, targeted suggestions support ML/ELs with modifications that increase access to a task, or through development of contextual or mathematical language (both of which can be supportive of all learners). 

Multilingual and English Learner Supports

Partnership with English Learner Success Forum

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Math Language Development Resource

Our Math Language Development Resources book contains lesson-specific strategies and activities for all levels of English Learners (i.e., Emerging, Expanding, Bridging). With support for every lesson, teachers are empowered to help all students, regardless of their language skills, to participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Multilingual Glossary

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Translations will be provided for up to nine languages.

Spanish Version

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Support

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a variety of embedded instructional supports to empower teachers to lead effectively and gain actionable insights into student growth and progress. Teachers are equipped with a comprehensive set of resources designed to fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Grade-level concepts

Within the Teacher Edition front matter:

  • Scope and sequence
  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Unit and Sub-Unit Overview:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Math that Matters Most
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Lesson:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

How to implement the program

At the course level (within the Teacher Edition front matter):

  • Navigating the Program (both print and digital)
  • Facilitating Lesson Activities with Launch, Monitor and Connect
  • Overview of the Digital Facilitation Tools

At the lesson level:

  • Suggestions for timing
  • What materials to prep
  • How to organize and group students 
  • Key lesson takeaways with the Synthesis
  • Recommendations for Differentiation
  • Strategies for intervention and extensions (in the Intervention, Extensions, and Investigation Resources book)

At the activity level:

  • Differentiation recommendations
  • Accessibility tips
  • ML / EL tips
  • Teacher look-fors
  • Recommended Teacher Moves
  • Prompts for guiding student thinking 
  • Sample student responses

Development of Math Language

A variety of language development supports are provided within the Student and Teacher Editions and Math Language Development Resources book.

At the lesson level:

  • Diagrams and visuals
  • Sentence frames and word banks
  • Graphic organizers, including Frayer models
  • Vocabulary routines
  • Embedded language supports aligned to the CA ELDs
  • Lesson-specific strategies for Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging

At the unit level: 

  • Words With Multiple Meanings
  • Contextual vocabulary

At the course level:

  • English/Spanish cognates
  • Multilingual Glossary

Other Curriculum Guidance

  • Additional Practice Resources book
  • Assessment Resources book 
  • Assess and Respond guidance paired with each assessment opportunity
  • Show-What-You-Know activities
  • Answer keys and rubrics 
  • Performance tasks

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What my wedding taught me about choosing curriculum

The right curriculum choice isn’t only about the product—it’s about who’s by your side from start to finish. Here’s how one district found that with Amplify CKLA.

By Kelly Pruitt, Instructional Facilitator, Peninsula School District | May 28, 2026

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Introduction to mCLASS Math

Thursday, 4pm ET

Don’t miss our finale of Assessment and Intervention Week! After using the week to talk about the strategies and benefits of asset-based assessment, we’ll join Kelly Serpa Howe, Ed.D., to dive into the new mCLASS Math and how this program opens a window into student thinking and supports conceptual understanding, all while maximizing valuable planning and instructional time.

Registesr now

Welcome, K–8 Program 2 reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify California Language Arts. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California ELA/ELD Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your review samples

We’re excited for you to begin your review of Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) California and Amplify ELA California, Language Studio California for grades K–8. Physical and digital review materials will vary by grade level.

Reviewer Binders (K–8)

Your physical samples should have arrived in grade-specific boxes with three Reviewer Binders.

  • The first binder will contain logistical program review information and the printed Evaluation Criteria Map.
  • The second binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades K–4.
  • The third binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades 5–8.

Physical samples (K–5)

You can expect to receive 15 boxes of physical materials for your review. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each box as well as within your Reviewer Binder. Please note you will not receive any physical samples for grades 6–8 ELA or Language Studio for grades K-8. Your review of the program for grades 6–8 ELA and Language Studio for grades K-8 will be entirely digital.

Digital samples

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log in to our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Review Credential flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Review Credential flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation tips

Before you get started, please review these important functionality notes:

Criteria Map and Standards Maps must be opened on Microsoft Word on your desktop to function as intended. If you open the documents without Microsoft Word on your desktop, citations will be cut off at the bottom of most tables within the document.

Many of our citations are deep-links to PDFs, meaning they will take you to the right page or the first page in the sequence for the citation in question. To ensure this functionality works, please disable any PDF-viewing extensions or plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat Pro Browser Extension.

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades K–5

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades 6–8

Click here for additional information on navigating the digital materials for grades 6–8.

Category 1: English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD) Content/Alignment to Standards

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked below is the Evaluation Criteria Map for grades K–8. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

ELA Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify California Language Arts for each grade level. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Standards Maps.

ELD Standards Maps

Category 2: Program Organization

The Amplify California Language Arts Program 2 submission includes Amplify CKLA California for Grades K–5, Amplify ELA California for Grades 6–8, and Amplify Language Studio California for Grades K–8. This comprehensive curriculum provides a full year of evidence-based instruction for each grade level, with both integrated and designated English Language Development instruction designed to give English learners the tools to thrive.

Program structure

Amplify’s California Language Arts programs are built on what the research shows: Strong readers need both word recognition and language comprehension. Our comprehensive curriculum suite follows the Simple View of Reading and The Reading Rope–bringing together foundational skills and knowledge building to deliver instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

Flowchart illustrating skilled reading as the product of language comprehension and word recognition, grounded in the science of reading.
Diagram illustrating the interplay between language comprehension and word recognition in reading, as seen in early literacy stages. It highlights pathways through knowledge, vocabulary, and sentence understanding, reflecting principles from the CKLA reading program.

Each lesson follows a predictable structure with clearly marked components, beginning with warm-up routines, progressing through explicit instruction with guided practice, and concluding with independent application activities. The program provides detailed teacher language, including question stems and discussion prompts, ensuring clear and consistent delivery of instruction.

[Reviewer highlight video] Program organization for Category 2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades K–2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 3–5

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 6–8

Amplify CKLA California empowers teachers to deliver effective instruction and keeps students engaged with with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides
  • Assessment Guides
  • Authentic texts and trade books
  • Knowledge Image Cards
  • Knowledge Flip Books
  • Remediation and intervention resources
  • Decodable readers
  • Student Readers and novels
  • Student Activity Books
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Poet’s Journals
  • eReaders
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs
  • Instructional routine modeling videos
  • Assignable Practice Games
  • On-demand professional development

Amplify ELA California students stay engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides that include:
    • Detailed lesson plans
    • Standards alignment and exit tickets
    • Real-time differentiation strategies
    • Robust reporting
  • Student Editions that include:
    • High-quality narrative and informational texts
    • Videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention
    • Personal Writing Journal to keep all student writing in one place
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Trade Books

Core literacy philosophy

Support every learner. Meet all learning needs with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that brings together universal screening, scaffolded core instruction, support for English learners, and data-driven intervention to ensure every student gets what they need to succeed.

Provide intentional ELD support. Honor students’ linguistic assets while building academic English through both integrated and designated instruction.

Deliver consistent foundational skills instruction. Daily explicit, systematic skills instruction in grades K–2, with targeted yet flexible support for students still building decoding confidence in grades 3–8, ensures mastery of essential reading foundations.

Build lasting knowledge across all grades. Through coherently sequenced, content-rich instruction that revisits key vocabulary and concepts with increasing complexity, students build meaningful connections that deepen their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Strengthen reading through writing at every level. Regular writing instruction grounded in the Science of Writing supports reading comprehension, improves sentence-level writing, and provides the foundation for high-quality composition. As students progress through the upper grades, they engage in increasingly complex analytical tasks—synthesizing ideas, drawing generalizations, and interpreting multiple textual layers through both focused quick-writes and comprehensive essays. 

Foster oral language development. Structured opportunities for academic conversation and evidence-based dialogue build students’ ability to express complex ideas with precision and allow them to participate confidently in classroom discussions.

Measure growth with comprehensive assessments. Assessments range from in-the-moment checks for understanding to summative assessments that measure progress toward skills mastery and standards proficiency, providing the data needed to drive targeted instruction.

Scope and sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for each grade level. 

Routines

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California include several structured instructional routines that provide predictable patterns for both teachers and students:

Discussion and collaboration routines:

  • Turn and Talk: Partners discuss text-specific content using sentence starters and frames
  • Think-Pair-Share: Students engage in individual thinking, partner discussion, and whole-class sharing
  • Partner reading: Students sit shoulder-to-shoulder, taking turns reading and listening

Foundational Skills routines:

  • Sound-spelling review: Warm-up activities that reinforce phonics patterns
  • Oral blending warm-ups: Teacher-guided practice progressing to independent application
  • Finger-tapping: Techniques for blending sounds
  • Chaining activities: Students manipulate letters to transform one word into another
  • Word Work: Daily short activities focused on domain-specific and academic vocabulary

Knowledge-Building Routines:

  • Teacher modeling: Demonstration of proper intonation, expression, and pacing
  • Choral reading: Whole-class reading practice
  • Partner reading: Paired fluency practice

Close reading routines

The program includes carefully structured close reading activities that guide students through multiple encounters with complex texts. These routines help students develop deeper comprehension through systematic analysis and discussion.

Each routine includes comprehensive instructional guides with clear-cut directions for implementation, straightforward explanations of concepts, and suggestions for discussion.

Designated English Language Development materials

Language Studio California is a K–8 content-based companion for English language learners. Built on Amplify CKLA California’s and Amplify ELA California’s carefully sequenced Knowledge Domains and units, it combines engaging content knowledge with targeted supports and research-based strategies to help students move swiftly toward language proficiency. This program includes:

  • Real-world content to provide authentic opportunities to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Scaffolding strategies and differentiated instruction to offer targeted support along with five English proficiency levels.
  • Progress-monitoring tools to help teachers provide consistent and effective support.
  • Teacher Guides that:
    • Provide impactful progress monitoring tools including formative and summative assessments and Language Proficiency Assessment rubrics.
    • Offer varied differentiation strategies including Support, Challenge, and Access Supports in each lesson segment.
    • Are organized into thoughtful lesson segments—Talk Time, Building Background, On Stage and more—that make learning objectives concrete.
  • Activities that:
    • Expand on domain knowledge from core content and read-alouds and prompt collaborative conversation to practice oral fluency.
    • Support hands-on language activities to promote authentic interaction in the classroom.
    • Help students bridge experiences and knowledge with images, vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, anticipation guides, writing space, and more.

Category 3: Assessments

Systematic MTSS alignment

In alignment with the additional 2025 Guidance 3.1.a, the assessment systems align with MTSS tiers, including universal screening, diagnostic assessments for students demonstrating a need for additional support, and progress monitoring tools that complement the California’s required universal screening schedule per SB 114.

Tier 1:
Universal/ differentiated support		Tier 2: 
Supplemental/ targeted support		Tier 3: 
Intensified/ intensive support
Core instruction assessments





Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Universal screening assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY
Formal progress monitoring assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Monthly		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Bi-weekly
Informal progress monitoring assessments




Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California core assessments

Daily		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments




When linked to a lesson in the toolkit		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments




When linked to a lesson in the toolkit
Diagnostic assessment






Frequency of administration		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment

Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

Optional after universal screening assessment is administered		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment

Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

After universal screening assessment is administered

Universal assessment system

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura are universal and dyslexia screening assessments that should be administered three times per year (BOY, MOY and EOY) to all students. The assessments evaluate student literacy risk, determine progress toward grade-level goals, and indicate the level of instructional  support a student may need. Beginning-of-year screenings require adequate instructional time before administration, particularly in grades K–1, while mid-year and end-of-year assessments evaluate instructional effectiveness and guide tier placement adjustments. These screenings also identify students at risk for dyslexia. Universal screening provides essential data for targeting instruction and measuring instructional system effectiveness.

Core instruction assessments

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide a comprehensive suite of assessments for Grades K–8 that range from low-stakes, informal formative assessments to more formal summative assessments. These assessments incorporate a variety of methods and question types, including multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and oral and written responses.

Formative assessments:

  • Checks for Understanding: Incorporated into each lesson segment throughout daily instruction. Quick pulse-checks that provide immediate feedback during lesson delivery (grades K–5). 
  • Daily formative assessments: Highlighted moments within each lesson for teachers to plan to track mastery of Primary Focus objectives and standards of each lesson to get a clear snapshot of individual and whole-class progress (grades K–5). 
  • Activity pages: Completed as part of lessons and can be used to assess lesson content understanding through various formats (grades K–5).
  • Exit Tickets: Located at the end of lessons, these provide a quick gauge of students’ ability to meet the lesson’s focus standards (grades 6–8).  
  • Writing Prompts: Prompts integrated throughout lessons during writing activities that provide skill snapshots within lessons and tracks patterns of skill development over time (grades 6–8).
  • Independent reading activities (Solos): At the end of every lesson, students complete an independent reading activity (“solo”) with reading questions that are scored to measure comprehension (grades 6–8).

Summative assessments:

  • Skills end-of-unit assessments (grades K–2) 
  • Knowledge end-of-domain assessments (grades K–2) 
  • End-of-unit assessments (grades 3–5) 
  • Unit essays: A culminating end-of-unit set of lessons that guide students through crafting an essay with a rubric to score mastery of writing skills (grades 6–8)
  • Unit Reading Assessments: Auto-scored responses and two constructed response items evaluate comprehension, content understanding, and reading skills using the passages students read during the unit (grades 6–8)

Performance Assessments

Student Performance Assessments are multi-day assessments administered in Grades K-5 at the beginning, middle, and end of year to help teachers gauge student mastery of grade-level Core content. These assessments provide critical data to help teachers set targeted instructional goals and monitor individual and class-wide progress towards core objectives.

Progress monitoring

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide formal progress monitoring in the discrete skills that are indicative of reading growth and predictive of overall success to provide the most instructionally meaningful information to teachers.

Informal progress monitoring tools can be found within the Intervention Toolkit, including materials for teachers to record, track, and evaluate student progress.

Diagnostic assessment

Interventions within Amplify’s literacy programs are informed by a skill diagnostic assessment that provides detailed data on foundational literacy skill deficits. The Amplify Skill Diagnostic Assessment and Amplify Spanish Skill Diagnostic assessment serve as critical tools in this process, administered specifically to students identified as at risk for reading difficulty through universal screening assessments—particularly those demonstrating mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition or mCLASS Lectura composite scores in the Well Below or Below Benchmark ranges. These diagnostic assessments provide teachers with the precise skills to begin intervention and remediation.

Category 4: Universal Access

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California were built on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and reviewed by CAST, a nonprofit education research and development organization. The program is developed using the Universal Design for Learning framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Universal Design for Learning

The programs incorporate opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning.

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: The programs incorporate interesting and motivating ways for students to interact with information and content. In Amplify CKLA California, the Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students. Scaffolding for students with various levels of need is incorporated into the design of each lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: The programs provide multiple means of presenting content to maximize student understanding. This includes digital component files that allow for a range of presentations of images and text to support learning. Amplify provides access to universal supports such as point-of-use audio for all core texts, embedded definitions for critical vocabulary, and glossaries in multiple languages. Amplify CKLA California includes clarification on language found throughout the program, with sidebars that include support on transition words and syntax, and illustrations to help students understand the concepts they are learning.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The programs include a range of methods for all students, including English Learners, to navigate and demonstrate learning. This includes physical actions, a range of methods for response, appropriate tools for composition, and varied scaffolding. In Amplify ELA California, lessons provide multiple ways for students to interact with text, allowing their brains to process the language through distinct pathways. Activities harness multiple learning modes, using media tools, digital apps, and a variety of visual and physical experiences to strategically support and enhance student learning.
  • Accessibility: Universal access features include visual aids, enlarged materials, physical objects, and multiple learning modalities through activities like Push & Say and Wiggle Cards. The Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students.

Embedded differentiation

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students.

Throughout the Teacher Guides, point-of-use Differentiation icons provide targeted instructional strategies and supports. These icons indicate specific guidance for advanced learners, students who need additional support, and English learners, allowing teachers to easily identify and implement appropriate scaffolds and extensions during instruction. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

  • Pre-teaching supports include mini-lessons on:
    • Core vocabulary words
    • Core Connections
    • Essential Background Information or Terms
    • What Have We Already Learned/What Do We Already Know?
  • Differentiated Support for Core Instruction tables, located in the overview of each K–2 Skills Teacher Guide, provide a list of specific opportunities for reteaching and additional support in each lesson based on skill.
  • Support and Challenge Sidebars in lesson margins offer educators immediate guidance in implementing point-of-use differentiation techniques.
  • Flexible Grouping within lessons provides opportunities for teachers to facilitate small groups, partners, or individualized support based on students’ needs. In the Skills Strand, teachers receive specific guidance for differentiated small-group instruction, with targeted support and activities outlined for both Group 1 (students needing additional support) and Group 2 (on-level students) based on data. 
  • Amplify ELA California provides point-of-use supports embedded within key core lesson activities with six levels of differentiation. The goal of these supports is to fully enable access to grade-level content for all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and students ready for an additional level of challenge.
  • The Universal Access section of Advance Preparation in each lesson includes varied strategies to ensure all students can access and engage in each lesson.
  • Frequent use of graphic organizers and visual supports in lessons provide opportunities for differentiation based on need. The program also includes a variety of technological supports, such as eReaders with audio.
  • Extension opportunities are suggested throughout lessons, often embedded in writing tasks, which include prompts to use more complex and descriptive vocabulary, figurative language,  multi-clause and complex sentences, and  informational text characteristics.

Assessment-Driven MTSS resources

  • The K–8 Intervention Toolkit is available online and provides easy-to-use resources that assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ reading skills, with activities to support print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and other key skills
  • Fluency Packets (Grades 2–5)
  • Foundational Skills Intervention Program for Grades 3–8 support students who would benefit from direct and explicit intervention instruction in the full continuum of foundational skills in the upper grades
  • Flexible Instructional Time including:
    • Pausing Points built into the curriculum that provide teachers with dedicated time to address specific student needs through targeted reteaching, remediation, practice, and extension activities 
    • Pausing Point activities designed to support English learners’ competence and confidence through differentiated whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction
  • Boost Reading is a K–5 student-led digital intervention program. Boost Reading follows Amplify CKLA California’s scope and sequence to reinforce the same foundational skills taught in core instruction. It integrates easily into daily routines, while the robust data provided by mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition offers a detailed view of how students progress across all instructional tiers.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Teacher Support

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with various print and digital resources. The program provides comprehensive planning and support materials designed to help teachers prepare for and execute lessons effectively and fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Implementation supports across K–8

Planning and preparation resources

  • Unit Overviews that provide important background and context for the texts students will read, including highlighted elements within the text and guidance for how students will work with those elements
  • Sub-unit Overviews (Grades 6–8) that provide an overview of Lesson Objectives and reading and writing assignments, as well as a list of any projections, multimedia, or digital apps that can be projected from the teacher’s included digital license
  • Lesson-by-lesson preparation checklists (Grades 6–8) accompanying each Sub-unit Overview
  • Lesson Briefs for each individual lesson providing important background and context
  • Content knowledge materials regarding topics that students will examine

Point-of-use instructional guidance

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  • Student Supports in all core lessons that provide teachers with targeted supports in daily core instruction, addressing which might serve the student best in the moment—support, strengthen, stretch—with additional call-outs for newcomers

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  • Teacher dashboard and reporting tools (Grade 6–8) provide real-time visibility into student progress and work for immediate instructional response

Caregiver supports

Communication and overview resources

  • Caregiver Hub available in English and Spanish that provides an overview of the curriculum
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Home practice and extension activities

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  • Weekly spelling lists and directions to decoding activities that can be practiced at home

S5-01. Investigating math anxiety in the classroom

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Season 5 is here! This season, we’ll be talking all about math anxiety: what it is, what causes it, and what we can do to prevent or ease this anxiety in the math classroom. To launch this very important theme, we sat down with Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University.
 
As someone who’s been studying math anxiety for more than a decade, he had some interesting research and advice to share on why math anxiety affects so many students (and adults), and tips for how to start reducing it.
 
Listen now and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
 
Enjoy this episode and explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.

Download Transcript

Dan Meyer (00:01):
Hey, folks. Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge. I’m one of your hosts, Dan Meyer.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:05):
And I am your other host. I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson. Season five! Hello!

Dan Meyer (00:11):
Bethany, how are you doing? How have you been spending the long break between our recording sessions?

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:16):
As much as I loved sharing content from previous seasons, I am so thrilled that we’re back for season five. I have been, you know, chasing a toddler. I think he’s already tired of me saying, “Ooh, can we count that?” He’s like [sighs] “One two, one two.” Like, he’s done already.

Dan Meyer (00:36):
Too much counting. Yeah, I worry about that so much, that my love of mathematics might be perceived by my kids as smothering. Yeah, I worry about the same. We shared with you folks some bangers of reruns, in my humble opinion. Some great guests. But, we’ve been excited—me and Bethany—to hop back on the mics, on the ones and twos, and explore some new ideas together.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:01):
Well, I loved our season talking about joy in mathematics. And personally I could…like, we could turn this whole podcast into joy in mathematics. However, we’re kind of going a different route. Because if you ask folks why they don’t feel joy in mathematics, a lot of times at the root of that is some really intense math anxiety. So this whole season, we’re going to be delving into math anxiety. Exploring what it is, who has it, why do we think it happens, what do we think we can do about it, and how can we navigate through it, so that we can experience that joy in math? These are questions that we’re gonna explore over the course of the season. Dan Meyer, how do you feel about that?

Dan Meyer (01:49):
It feels big and it feels personal. I mean, as we shared in our math stories back from season…whatever it was, math anxiety was a huge part.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:59):
It was last season, Dan.

Dan Meyer (02:00):
Last…? I mean, who can remember? Big part of your journey. I’ve had some very punctuated but intense moments of anxiety in math class. And socially, we have built math up to be this incredibly powerful thing. You know, restricting movement on economic ladders, preventing people from getting into careers they want. Whether or not they have much to do with math class, math anxiety is a really large part of educational but also social life. And yeah, I’m really excited to explore it with you. We’re bringing on some really excellent guests. Some researchers, yes. But not just researchers! Also people who practice in the field and know firsthand what it looks like to resolve issues of anxiety with students.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:45):
Yeah, you’re right, Dan. My math story contained quite a bit of math anxiety, so I am particularly invested in this season. I mean, I still navigate math anxiety. And, you know, many of us do, and let’s talk about it. And let’s—I love that you reminded me. We’re gonna have a lot of great researchers all throughout the season, and a lot of times folks feel like the research happening, there’s sometimes a gap between researchers and what’s actually happening in the classroom. Not in all cases, but a lot of times. Right? And I remember a lot of conversation about the latest research when I was in grad school, but unless you’re actively studying something, sometimes we don’t know what’s happening. Right? We’re really focused on what’s happening right in front of us in our classroom. So let’s take some of that research; let’s break it down; let’s talk to some of the folks who are thinking about this for the bulk of their day, right?

Dan Meyer (03:41):
Yep. So we got our first guest coming up in a moment here.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:45):
So to kick off this season, we’re starting episode one by talking to Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Ball State University. And he’s been researching math anxiety for more than a decade. He’s worked with so many amazing folks in the field. He’s worked with students, he’s worked with teachers, with educators…I’m just so excited to talk to him. If you look up math anxiety, you see his name as one of the folks who is really thinking about this at so many different angles, and we get to talk to him. So enjoy our conversation with Dr. Gerardo Ramirez.

Dan Meyer (04:29):
We are so excited to have Dr. Gerardo Ramirez on the show with us. Dr. Ramirez is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Ball State University. Thanks so much for joining us.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (04:40):
Yeah, thank you for inviting me to talk about math anxiety.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:43):
So with your interview, Dr. Ramirez, we are actually launching the season. We’re gonna be talking about all different aspects of math anxiety, and it feels pretty perfect that you are first guest of the season, because of the sheer breadth of research and conversations you’ve had about math anxiety. Could you start us off kind of telling us a story of how did you get interested in studying math anxiety? Or why, you know, why did you dive into this topic that, you know, I think a lot of folks might…like, if you’re on a plane, and you say, “Oh, I study math anxiety,” what kind of reaction are you gonna get?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (05:24):
Oh, sure. Yeah. I think most people are actually very interested because they all have their own story about feeling anxious about math, or just being anxious about evaluation situations that involve math. And, yeah, they wanna share those stories. People feel quite comfortable talking about their anxiety about math, for some reason. But for me, I started off, when I was in undergrad, I was studying to take the GRE quiz. I was hoping to go into a psych program. But I wasn’t exactly sure what direction yet. As I took some of the practice tests, there’s some situations in which I was very nervous about taking the practice test. And I just noticed that I did really poorly on some of these exams. And so I became very interested in issues like choking under pressure, which means when you underperform relative to what you expected to perform. And so, as I was researching these issues, I started to come across this whole field of math anxiety. And I saw that while there are some people who choke under pressure during tests, there are other people who just have a strong general fear of mathematics.

Dan Meyer (06:29):
That’s really helpful. I can imagine you’re doing a lot of free psychology sessions, free therapy for people on airplanes when they bring to you their own stories of math. So let’s thank you for your service in that sense. I’m super-curious. So Bethany and I have both taught math. We both have seen firsthand what it looks like when a student is anxious in math class, though maybe we don’t have kind of the clinical language to describe it. And I’m curious, from a clinical sense, how do we define math anxiety?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (06:57):
Sure. So first off, math anxiety is not something that you would find in the DSM, for instance. But we generally define that as a fear or apprehension to situations that involve math. So it doesn’t have to necessarily be educational situations. It could be someone asks you a math-related question during a party, or you have to calculate the tip at a restaurant, for instance. It doesn’t have to be about schooling situations, although that’s obviously where it seems to matter a lot for many people. So it is basically a fear or apprehension to situations that involve math. And I think distinguishing the term “fear” from “anxiety” is really important here. A lot of times people use those terms interchangeably, and the term “fear” is obviously within our definition of math anxiety. But oftentimes what differentiates anxiety from fear is that, anxiety is—think of it like a recipe. Anxiety is fear plus a little bit of unknown. OK? So if, for instance, if you hated snakes, and they threw a snake at you, you’d be in intense fear. Whereas if you hated snakes and they said, “There is a snake in the room, but I’m not gonna tell you where,” that’s gonna cause anxiety. And so the reason why we call it math anxiety is because a lot of times people experience this fear for a possible unknown future that involves math or possible unknown evaluations that people might have about your competence, because of math. And so for a lot of kids, they feel anxious about how they’re gonna do on a test or whether they’re gonna be able to pass a class or whether they’ll be able to understand what you’re saying in your lessons, for instance. And so the anxiety component really gets at fear of something that’s unknown, but related to mathematics situations.

Dan Meyer (08:47):
Math is somewhere in the ceiling right now. Perhaps I might be surprised with a math situation!

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (08:52):
Yeah. yep.

Dan Meyer (08:52):
So I have this tendency to assume that every other subject that we teach has it better and easier than math does. It’s not true. I know this is not true. But I’m kind of curious here. Is math anxiety, like, part of a general just set of anxiety around schooling itself? Like, is there a reading anxiety, a writing anxiety, and does that all just flow from the same kind of fount of anxiety around schooling or situations about learning? And what makes math special in this regard? If it is its own special anxiety, for instance?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (09:27):
There are different…so some people obviously suffer from generalized anxiety. Right? And so they would, you know, feel anxious both for evaluative and non-evaluative situations. But in the research that we’ve done and that other people have done, there are differences between things like reading anxiety, math anxiety; I’ve also studied spatial and creativity anxiety. A lot of times what we’re trying to do in these studies is we measure all of the above, and we try to show that, look, math anxiety predicts math situations above and beyond these other things. So yeah, we definitely distinguish those things. And so what’s special about math is that, well, I think the symbolic nature is a big part of it. The abstract symbolic nature is just not as tangible to students. They can’t touch it. And so it doesn’t allow ’em to use their full cognitive faculties to play with it, as you might see, for instance, in science. Or it doesn’t allow people to relate math to their own interests the way you might see, for instance, in English. So maybe I hate reading novels, but I’m interested in zombies and you give me a book on zombies, well, ok, great, you’ve connected my personal assets to the topic. Whereas with math, either that’s harder to do or instructors don’t do such a good job of setting that connection up.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:46):
Also, I think, you know, I’ve heard of students being really anxious, let’s say, during a reading session, when teachers used to do—hopefully they’re still not doing it—the popcorn reading, where you just randomly call on a student to read out a sentence. Right? But you don’t really hear students or adults talking about, “Oh, no, no, no, I don’t read; I don’t mess with reading.” You know? Whereas with math, you do hear, “Oh, I’m not a math person. Oh no, no, no, don’t ask me any math questions.” And that is such a distinction.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (11:18):
Yeah. And I think a lot of that’s because it’s just so common. As an adult, to be nervous about reading is kind of an uncommon thing. So people feel a stigma around admitting that. But math is something that everyone feels like they’re inadequate in. And so there’s a lot of comfort in telling you how they’re just one of the many people who don’t like math. And that, you know, can have a lot of different consequences and outcomes. I think on the one hand, I think for a lot of kids it becomes a normalized message that if you fear math, that’s OK, join the club. Right? But we have to be careful about that, ’cause a lot of math anxiety researchers will oftentimes say, part of what leads to math anxiety is adults normalizing that it’s OK to be scared of math. So I think a lot of times adults, teachers, for instance, math teachers, they’ll tell kids, “You know, if you’re scared, that’s OK.” And so a lot of the math anxiety community says, “No, no, no, you’re not supposed to do that.” But my recent view is different. I view that as a form of validation. Because math is hard. And so telling kids, “Hey, look, it’s actually easy if you just try,” I don’t think that’s true. It’s actually just hard. And I think even if it was easy, to the kid, it feels hard! And I think something that’s not really well-studied right now in our field is the value of validating people’s math negative math experiences. We don’t want to validate that, ’cause we think that we’re gonna reinforce that. But actually, I think the opposite. I think when you validate people’s negative math experiences, it helps ’em to feel that they can handle it. They can start to take control over their own emotions.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (12:52):
I love that. And I, I actually, I think that’s so powerful, what you’re talking about, that validation. I taught kindergarten, and I vividly remember being in a parent-teacher conference and that parent saying, “Oh, I wasn’t a math person either,” right? Or, you know, their language and their experience with their own math schooling, their anxiety about math was actually impacting their students’ experience of math. Or the conversation that, when I would go to talk about a math assessment, let’s say, you could see the parent actually tensing up. And there was this moment of validation, that I felt like we needed to make space for that in the conversation with the parents, right?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (13:38):
Yeah.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (13:38):
Like, this is a real thing. And we are working on teaching students that math is something that gets to—your experience with math gets to look all sorts of different ways. And it’s OK if we, you know, make a mistake, or if we kind of only get this part, but we’ve really got that part. Or let’s talk about it; let’s write about it. So I really feel like that that validation is something that’s so missing. And instead of the validation, like you said, you see folks being like, “Oh yeah, me neither. I’m not a math person either.” Right?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (14:10):
Yeah. I think…part of the reason why people are comfortable sharing this because they’re looking for validation also. When they say, “Oh, I’m not a math person,” you know, I think they’re hoping that, you’ll say like, “Yeah, me neither,” or “Of course not, ’cause math is terrible.” Right? They’re looking for validation, not to reinforce their perspective, but to feel that it’s OK not to be a math person. And I think that’s one of the techniques that I’m trying to work on in my research right now, is to provide evidence that actually people will work harder when you validate their math experience. You don’t have to tell them a positive story per se. If your current story is “Math is hard and I’m very, very anxious; I’m scared,” then we can just validate that and help you work through that. And it actually will strengthen our relationships. Because if you’re a student and you’re struggling with math and I tell you, “Yeah, it’s hard; it’s OK to struggle with math,” that makes you feel seen. And that’s gonna lead you to want to ask me more for help, because I’m someone who understands you. And that’s a great, you know, remediation opportunity.

Dan Meyer (15:14):
A common thread that I think I’m seeing here in several answers is that math sometimes asks students to disassociate part of themselves. Where success in math oftentimes means working from an a level of abstraction with symbols, like you said, that can feel alien. Like, who am I here? And in the same way, I love that you’re proposing we validate and reassociate people with a very deeply felt part of themselves that is anxious about mathematics.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (15:44):
Yeah. I mean, I think that’s what validation’s supposed to do, right? So a lot of us, when we feel these strong emotions, we wonder, “Is this even a real thing? Are other people feeling this? Is there something wrong with me?” So we feel the emotions, but we can’t actually deal with them, because we wonder if they’re legitimate. And so when someone says, like, “Yeah, this is hard,” it crystallizes that emotion. And once something is made real, you can actually choose how you want to deal with it. Some kids are gonna deal with it by staying anxious. But some people are gonna choose to deal with it by saying, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now; I have to take this math test, so I’m just gonna think positive.” And that’s great. If the kid can end up saying that to themselves, that’s much more effective than me telling the kid, “Hey, you just gotta think positive. You’re gonna start the test anyway.” And so we want the kid to make meaning of their experience, and the way we do that is by crystallizing their emotions through validation.

Dan Meyer (16:36):
Yeah. I love that. And so what you’re proposing there, I think, sounds like, a solution, like a post-talk solution after students are feeling anxiety.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (16:43):
Yes.

Dan Meyer (16:43):
To validate and empathize.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (16:45):
Yes.

Dan Meyer (16:45):
And over the course of our season, we hope to explore a lot about solutions to math anxiety that are preventative, that reduce the odds of anxiety arising, through instruction and curriculum, before it arises. And I’m just wondering if you’ve seen anything that would hint at either specific or general words of wisdom you wanna share with the educators, about not just addressing it after the fact, but preventing math anxiety before it arises?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (17:14):
To be honest, at this point, I haven’t seen enough evidence for me to recommend anything concretely as an intervention for math anxiety, or an intervention to prevent its development. All I can really do here is rely a lot on the more broad cognitive-behavioral research on anxiety, which says that one of the ways we prevent people from developing anxiety is by helping them to make more positive appraisals of challenge situations. So a lot of times, when kids are challenged, they don’t know how to interpret that. “What does it mean that I’m struggling with this thing?” And so that’s where I think a lot of teachers can help students’ interpretations of that. ‘Cause if you leave kids to their own devices, they’re gonna think, “I’m struggling because I’m stupid. I’m struggling because I’m not good enough. I’m struggling because my dad is right; I’m gonna be a failure.” You know? They’re going to impose an interpretation to a challenge situation regardless. And so, as teachers, one thing we can do is we can help shape that interpretation and say, “What does it mean to struggle with math? People will say it means you’re stupid. That’s one interpretation. What’s another one? It means that your brain is working really hard to think through something. That’s another interpretation. What’s better? What do you think is more helpful?” And then, helping students to see how interpretations matter to how you ultimately feel about something. And that’s a very metacognitive way of thinking about things. So yeah, I would say that one way to prevent it is to help students to take more positive interpretations of their experience. But another way, and I think a more successful way, I think, is to give students early experiences where they feel efficacious dealing with math. One of the ways you do that, for instance, is by obviously making sure that the students understand the material—but that’s obvious; people are trying to do that. One of my favorite recommendations is to keep reassigning assignments, the same exact assignment, for, say, three weeks, back-to-back. So if in week one you do the homework assignment, you do OK, you don’t do so great, when week two you do it, you give the exact same assignment, and now the student can see like, “Wow, OK, this was much easier.” And then, week three, you give the exact same assignment; now the kid’s feeling really confident. And the reason why that’s great is because it helps kids to see that they’re growing in confidence. A lot of times kids don’t get to see that because we’re constantly throwing new assessments at them. And so they’re never seeing that growth. All they’re seeing is a new challenge, a new challenge, a new challenge. So I think we need to set up situations where they can feel that they’re growing, when we keep the assessment static. That can be a formative assessment, for instance—doesn’t have to be a summative assessment.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:55):
That feels so powerful and it feels like it really connects to that validation piece, right? We are actually helping to create a culture in our math classroom where we might struggle with something, but we keep revisiting it. And it’s not so much to reach mastery, but as Dr. Megan Franke — we talked to her about this partial understanding and about pulling on those threads of things that you do understand, so that you can build your confidence…build, not just confidence, but build your…I guess, kind of get your footing, right? You’re saying, “Well, I do understand this. I see how this works.” And if I’m revisiting an assignment, I feel like that would give me permission to like, “Hey, I don’t have to have this figured out on the first pass. You know?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (20:44):
Yes, yes. Yeah. I mean, I’m gonna give you a silly analogy, but I think it works. You know, a lot of times people will have nightmares, right? And they’ll keep having the same nightmare over and over again, right? And so one reason that we suspect this happens is because they haven’t worked through whatever that nightmare’s supposed to be about. So if, say, I’m scared of driving, I may be having the same dream about driving and crashing over and over. And we keep having these nightmares. And I think math anxiety is kind of like a waking nightmare, where you keep rehashing something because you haven’t had the chance to finally address that dragon. You know? And so if someone was having a lot of fear over driving, then one behavioral approach would be, you know, to work with a therapist to actually get behind the wheel and maybe drive around the same track over and over until you feel comfortable at that, and then the nightmares stop. Well, the same thing is true, I think, about math, math and math anxiety, is that you wanna give people these opportunities to feel confident by going back to that original experience that caused them to feel anxious, and saying, “This one assignment that we did in week three that really freaked you out, let’s try it again now in week five. How was that?” “Yeah, it wasn’t so bad. It was still kind of annoying.” “OK, we’ll we’ll come back to it.” “Now it’s week seven. Now let’s go back to that assignment. How is it now?” “That’s actually…it wasn’t that terrible.” And that gives people the opportunity to reflect on how they’ve grown past that nightmare.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (22:05):
I have to say, Dan talked about you being like a therapist. I’m like, wait, “How did you know, Dr. Ramirez? I did have this recurring dream! I did! And I had to face it. No, but I had such intense math anxiety in high school and it was debilitating. And the biggest thing for me, I thought I was the only one. I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought, “Why can’t I figure this out?” There wasn’t a conversation about “Here are some tools,” or “Here are some, some, some…”. Like, “This is OK, for you to feel scared about this or overwhelmed!”

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (22:41):
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (22:42):
You know, I think often when we talk about how widespread math anxiety is, I think a lot of folks automatically jump to high schoolers or college students avoiding math courses. But we see this in really young kids.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (22:56):
Yeah. So people are…people are just constantly making meaning of themselves, regardless of the age range. And that’s true even with young kids; they are trying to figure out who they are. Right? And so one of the things you see oftentimes with young kids is you ask ’em, “What are you good at?” And they say, “Everything!” And that’s their attempt to, you know, make meaning of themselves. But sometimes they’re not good at everything. Sometimes they actually struggle in math. And I think even early on, they have to make meaning of that. They say, “Well, I’m good at everything except math.” And how do you make sense of that? Well, why not math? “Oh, because math is terrible. It’s not for everybody. You know, it’s not something that I like.” And so, yeah, in a lot of the studies that we did early on, we basically went into these first-grade classrooms with the purpose of trying to assess whether we can actually show variability in kids’ math anxiety, even early on. In other other words, do kids even report feeling anxious about math situations? Or do they tell us that they’re great at everything? And what we found was that in fact, a good chunk of kids are, again, perfectly willing to tell you that “No, certain situations involving math make me very anxious.” Counting or addition, or doing a problem on the board. And the way we do that is by—I think there are probably more sophisticated ways that can be done, but this is the best we have at this point—is we go in there and we ask them, we show them a bunch of smiley faces and anxious faces. And we say, “I want you to tell me how you feel about these different situations that involve math.” And so we say, “If you feel kind of nervous, I want you to point to this face. If you feel very nervous, point to this face.” And we basically will read to them situations. We’ll say, “How would you feel if your teacher asked you to open up your new math textbook and you saw all the numbers inside of it?” And they’ll point to the really nervous face. So right now, those are some of the more reliable assessments for math anxiety among young kids. And that work showed us that even young kids are self-reporting math anxiety.

Dan Meyer (24:51):

Obviously this is worth our study, because we would hope people would not feel anxious in general, and especially if we have a mandated…kids are mandated to be in math classes for their entire childhood. So I see the need for this study, these studies. I’m curious: What are the consequences, though? Like what, what correlates with math anxiety? What are other reasons why we should care about math anxiety and work to remediate it?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (25:16):
Oh, sure. So it correlates with their actual math performance. It can correlate when they choose to do homework. Right? So a lot of times, the parents report having to fight with their kids over math homework a lot. And you also oftentimes see a lot of frustration over mathematics specifically. And so it can, you know, not only affect their academic ongoing outcomes, like math tests and math assignments, but it can also affect their relationship with their parents. So if every time you come home, your dad’s screaming at you because you haven’t done your math homework, and when he asks you to solve the problem in front of them, you don’t remember, ’cause you were checked out, ’cause you’re so stressed out, that’s gonna cause a really negative experience. You know, a lot of times people grow up and they still remember their dad screaming at them over the math homework. You know, it’ll affect your relationship with your teacher. So if you’re making me feel incompetent, if you’re stressing me out, you’re not the kind of person I wanna come to for help. So it can predict relational outcomes as well as academic outcomes. And down the line, of course, when it affects students’ opportunities to get into things like AP classes, it affects students standardized test performance and their choice of colleges, as well as scholarship opportunities.

Dan Meyer (26:29):
Once you show that it correlates to performance, then that opens up a whole range of other correlations that are pretty important, it sounds like. Whether that’s career options or, you know, post-secondary education and the like.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (26:40):
Yeah. And a lot of times, when people are choosing a career at college, a lot of times students will make a decision specifically based on what career has less math requirements or less math courses. So I think this finding needs to be verified further. But, there’s some studies showing that, for instance, elementary ed teachers, one factor that feeds into the decision to go into elementary ed is the math requirements are very low in elementary ed. So that can…obviously it’s not what we wanna hear, because these are our first formal math teachers, right? For our kids.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (27:16):
It feels so powerful, the impact that math anxiety can have, not only while you’re in, let’s say, elementary school, high middle school, high school, but then the impacts beyond that in terms of your career. And I shared this last season, when we talked about our personal math story, but I know when I was navigating the deepest part of my math anxiety, I really felt like, maybe this is a reason I can’t be an elementary school teacher. Because I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able…not that I wouldn’t understand the math for fourth grade, fifth grade, but that there was something about my ability to teach it or understand it or develop a love and passion for it that I wouldn’t be able to do. And I really had to reclaim it in my own way. But, you know, something that I think is so powerful about your research is just the applicability — not only to the field of mathematics, but folks’ everyday lives. And the way that you have talked in the past about math being a gatekeeper…I have a family member who, brilliant American Sign Language interpreter. I mean, amazing. Like a dance with her fingers. I could just watch it all day. And she actually didn’t complete the program because she couldn’t complete the math requirements. And I remember talking to her about like, “Well, have you gone to the free tutoring? Have you gone to, you know, this or that?” But it was a paralyzing fear, you know? So Dr. Ramirez, what do you wish educators understood about math anxiety? Or the research about math anxiety? Or maybe even the general public at large, what do you wish folks understood about math anxiety?

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (28:58):
Oh, I think that a lot of students, they struggle with math. And I think we wanna normalize that struggle as much as possible. We want to create a culture where it’s OK to do math slow; it’s ok to take your time. And I know that’s not possible with a lot of these requirements that a lot of math teachers have to do. But I think if we want to prevent math anxiety, we have to create opportunities to tell better stories. So that’s ultimately what I tell people is, why do people develop math anxiety? Because they had experiences that challenged their competency and they told a negative story. And so making space to reflect in math classrooms about what does it mean to go slow in math, or what does it mean to make mistakes, and then helping kids to tell better stories, I think it’s really the best thing we can do as math educators. ‘Cause you know, your job is not to be a therapist ultimately. You know, there’s only so much math teachers can do. But I think one of the most powerful things we can create is setting up students’ experiences where they feel confident, and they can tell better stories, so they can have better dreams about math.

Dan Meyer (30:06):
Really appreciate this introduction to math anxiety. It’s been a fantastic kickoff to our season. Dr. Ramirez, thank you so much for joining us.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez (30:14):
Sure. Thank you.

Dan Meyer (30:16):
Thank you folks so much for listening to that conversation with Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Ball State University.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:25):
Dan, OK, if not for your frantic signaling, I would’ve probably asked another 20 questions. I need to know what you thought .

Dan Meyer (30:34):
I found it interesting at all points. And especially I think I started to understand a little bit better where the anxiety comes from for some students. I got a little bit here, which is that I think math, more than other disciplines, involves alienation. Check that word. You like that? Alienation? I’m into it. I’m feeling it. It’s like…to get good at math, to be successful in math, you gotta, as a kid, lose your attachment to the world you understand. And I mean, “got to” as in like, “you are asked to” — many times, unfortunately, by curriculum and instruction. Which is to say, you’re turning things you can hold onto into numerals. Right? You’re turning the world and its patterns that you can see and touch into Xs and Ys. And I just don’t know that other disciplines deal with that as much. Maybe I’m wrong and just guilty of, you know, “grass is always greener” syndrome here. But I think that’s an experience that kids have in math. And I thought that Dr. Ramirez got at that when he’s talking about the need to validate a student’s experience of anxiety. Like, in treating anxiety, sometimes we alienate people further by just like saying, “Oh, no, no, no, it’s just like, you need to, you know, drill yourself more, practice more,” and kind of invalidate that. So this feeling of alienation, I think permeates a lot of math instruction. I’m looking forward to learning more about that with our future episodes

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (32:00):
Alienation. That’s interesting. I definitely felt, I definitely felt isolated and alone many times in my math journey, when I was having my…you know, in high school, when I was feeling like, “Clearly everyone can look at tan, sign, cosign, and that means something to them.” Right? I think it’s really interesting, because I’m thinking about the other disciplines; I’m running through them, and I’m like, even in science, which can seem abstract, so oftentimes there’s these experiments that accompany these concepts, where you’re like, “Look at this concept made real in front of you.” Right? . And so yeah, that’s really interesting.

Dan Meyer (32:39):
You’re always one step away from blowing something up! Or, you know, dissecting something that’s tangible to you.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (32:46):
Yeah. That’s really interesting. I did really love how he brought up the abstract. And how, I think, even validating it…he talked so much about validation. Which to me was like, YES. If somebody just said, “Hey, it’s not only possible to have math anxiety, but it also doesn’t mean that you don’t belong here.” If somebody had said that, it would’ve literally changed the trajectory, you know? And I wonder what those conversations could look like in our classrooms, where teachers celebrate that. Like, WHOA, this is a new way to think of this. This is a new way. Asking how many, or what do you notice for this image, through a mathematical lens, or looking…we talked to Alison Hintz and Antony Smith, like mathematizing books, like looking through these lenses — it’s an invitation to step into this other world, right? But there’s not only one way to do it. And I think oftentimes it’s like that anxiety of “Am I gonna say the right thing?” or “Am I gonna notice the right thing?” Right? How do we create that space more, where there’s so many possibilities and we want kiddos to notice what they notice, right?

Dan Meyer (33:54):
You gotta become a certain kind of person to be successful in math class. I feel like is part of the implied deal. Where you’ve gotta—like how you said—say a certain thing or think about a certain thing a certain kind of way. You’re trying to become someone who is not necessarily you. Which I think is fundamentally an experience of alienation, separating you from important parts of yourself.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:19):
I will never, ever dive into mathematics on the scale and level that you have with your PhD. You understand math in a way that my brain just…I won’t get there, right? And yet I’m allowed to call myself a mathematician, with all of my deep dives in elementary math and my love of early numeracy and thinking about how we start thinking about counting and numbers. Right? It’s like, if we make more space for what mathematicians can look like, and what is your personal relationship with math…I mean, that to me feels really exciting. ‘Cause I think we both have something to offer each other.

Dan Meyer (35:03):
I think I have never found early math more interesting than when I talk to early math educators. And learn just like all the different ways that students come to understand a concept that I had thought was simple. Like addition of whole numbers. Whoa! There’s a lot of ways kids do that work, and their brains think those thoughts. And, yeah. That’s a good word there you’re offering us and our listeners.

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:27):
Yeah. Yeah. I’m really excited about this season. I think there’s — again, there’s no way we’re gonna cover all facets of math anxiety. But I think having the chance to explore it over the course of a season is going to be really fascinating. And really, I hope, destigmatize it and open up the conversation for our listeners. And, you know, if you listeners…we wanna know what you thought of this episode. Do you have any particular questions? Do you have questions related to math anxiety? Questions related to this episode? We are in development for this season, so we’re gonna do our best to get those questions answered. You can keep in touch with us in our Facebook discussion group, Math Teacher Lounge Community, and on Twitter at MTLshow.

Dan Meyer (36:14):
Next time, we’re gonna go deeper into the causes and consequences of math anxiety.

Dr. Erin Maloney (36:20):
It’s not just the case that people who are bad at math are anxious about it. It’s actually that the anxiety itself can cause you to do worse in math. And that for me is really exciting, ’cause it means that if we can change your mindset, then we can really set you on a path with several more options available to you.

Dan Meyer (36:41):
Til next time folks,

Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:41):
Bye.

Stay connected!

Join our community and get new episodes every other Tuesday!

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What Dr. Gerardo Ramirez says about math

“A lot of students struggle with math, and we want to normalize that struggle as much as possible. We have to find opportunities to tell better stories and reflect on our experiences.”

– Dr. Gerardo Ramirez

Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Ball State University

Meet the guest

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where he studied the  role of teachers and parents in shaping the math attitudes of their students, as well as reappraisal techniques to help students cope with anxiety during testing situations.

Dr. Ramirez is currently an associate professor at Ball State, where he examines the role of frustration, empathy, and cultural capital in shaping students’ success and persistence.

A man with glasses, a beard, and a receding hairline wearing a suit and tie, pictured inside a circular frame with simple graphic accents—perfect for representing math teacher resources or the math teacher lounge.
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About Math Teacher Lounge

Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.

Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!

You might also like:

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Free professional development cours…

Three on-demand professional learning courses for math teachers.  Earn your cert…

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Mathigon: the mathematical playgrou…

Math games and manipulatives for online and remote learning.

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Desmos Classroom Grades 3–12

Join Desmos Classroom to gain access to free classroom lessons, lesson-building…

Welcome, Utah Reviewers to Amplify Desmos Math!

Amplify Desmos Math thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, fluency, and application, motivating students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A digital interface displays a math screener report on the left and a math problem involving division, alongside a visual representation of students lined up on the right, integrating rich math resources from Amplify Desmos Math.

Screening and progress monitoring

mCLASS® Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but also how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction.

A math lesson screen shows a toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. A textbox asks how many centimeters that is, with space for an answer and a "Try again" button. An avatar explains the question, using Desmos math tools to amplify understanding.

Integrated personal learning

Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

Embedded intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Reviewer resources

The links below contain resources to help you with your review:

Digital access

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Access Flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Access Flyer.
Digital Access

Grades K–5 sample materials

Click the links in the sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. Please note the grade level teacher editions and student editions below may take a few minutes to load due to the size of the file. You can access the same materials on the digital platform within the Grade Level Overviews and within each lesson under the Paper Resources section. 

Here you will find the Scope and Sequence for Grades K–5.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Digital educational material showing an activity named "Hamster Homes" involving tube length and platform heights for a hamster cage. Includes a diagram with platforms measuring 9 inches.

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6–8 sample materials

Click the links in sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. Please note the grade level teacher editions and student editions below may take a few minutes to load due to the size of the file. You can access the same materials on the digital platform within the Grade Level Overviews and within each lesson under the Paper Resources section. 

Here you will find the Scope and Sequence for Grades 6–8.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

A laptop displays a math warm-up activity with shapes and a scale, in front of two Amplify Desmos Math teacher edition books for grades 1 and 7.

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math California!

California educators, welcome to math that motivates. Introducing Amplify Desmos Math California, a curiosity-driven TK–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency. Each lesson poses problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. Students encounter math problems they’re eager to solve, while teachers spend more time where it’s most impactful—creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

Keep reading to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

Amplify Desmos Math California is a TK–12 core math program designed to meet the CA Math Framework and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application through a structured approach to problem-based learning. Through engaging activities, Amplify Desmos Math California invites curiosity and math discourse into the classroom to create lifelong math proficiency.

Continue reading to learn more about the K–8, Algebra 1, and Math 1 programs and to explore sample materials. (Spanish, TK and high school materials are in development and will be available in the 2026–27 school year. Geometry and Algebra 2 beta pilots will be available in the 2025–26 school year.)

A powerful math suite

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of assessment, problem-based core lessons, personalized practice, and intervention into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

Laptop displaying a math problem interface with student assessment reports in the background.

Screening and progress monitoring

mCLASSⓇ Math benchmark assessments, along with the embedded program assessments, measure not just what students know, but how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction. In grades 3–8, core assessments and performance tasks are designed to prepare students for success on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math California core lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. With built-in differentiation and multilingual/English learner support, Amplify Desmos Math California enables every student to find success in the math classroom.

A digital math activity asks users to choose a block that makes 10 with a given number; a worksheet shows a similar "make 10" math exercise with blank spaces to fill in.
A digital educational screen showing a math problem about converting meters to centimeters. It involves a diving toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. Text prompts users to input the conversion.

Personalized Learning

Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

Differentiation and intervention

Amplify Desmos Math views differentiation as an ongoing process where teachers are both reactive and proactive to student needs, ensuring that all students have clear pathways to proficiency. Through rich data and teacher support, Amplify Desmos Math uses flexible categories of intervention and enrichment that adjust daily according to student thinking.

In-the-moment differentiation supports are available for every lesson, both digitally and in the print Teacher Edition.

Learn more
Two pages of a math worksheet and teacher’s guide about determining coordinates after a rotation, featuring diagrams, tables, and step-by-step problem-solving instructions.

An approach that supports teachers

Clear, step-by-step instructional moves help teachers plan and teach student-centered lessons that use
student thinking to differentiate instruction and guide to grade-level understanding. They include:

  • Guidance on what to listen for and how
    to respond.
  • Clear learning objectives to keep learning on
    track for each activity and lesson.
  • Daily reinforcement activities to provide direct
    instruction when needed.
A woman writes on a whiteboard using math teaching resources while a man sits at a desk, smiling. There are books and papers on the desk.
Network diagram with interconnected nodes labeled: Measure and Compare Objects, Represent Data, Dollars and Cents, Problem Solving with Measure, Skip Counting to 100, Number Strategies, Squares in an Array, Seeing Fraction in Shapes.

Big Ideas

The CA Mathematics Framework encourages a shift from power standards to thinking about math as a series of connected Big Ideas. Each Amplify Desmos Math California lesson supports one or more Big Ideas and the connections between them. The grade-level diagram changes through the course based on the math concepts addressed within.

Please refer to the following Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center documents to review specific lesson designs and alignments with the Big Ideas for each grade level.

Click here to see how the Big Ideas are represented within the K–8 core lessons.

Focus, coherence, and rigor

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations—from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded in the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life.

An educational slide on addition story problems, detailing goals for solving problems, language goals, and strategies using equal expressions, tens and ones, and number sense.

Please refer to the following Amplify Desmos Math California alignments to the Standards for Mathematical Practice, provided by grade level.

A screen titled "Match the Score" with a 2D target graph showing various scores. Instructions request four ordered pairs to total 400. Four pairs are listed: (4, 2), (7, 4), (7, 6), (10, 6). A "Try again" button is shown.

Built-in authentic tasks

Mathematics is not learning in isolation. Students are connected to each other’s thinking and can use math to understand the world. With accessible invitations to authentic tasks, all students can experience mathematical success. Amplify Desmos Math California provides these authentic invitations in a variety of ways:

Each unit begins with an “Explore” lesson, which allows students to engage with authentic exploration in low-floor, high-ceiling tasks. These tasks are designed to promote an inclusive and differentiated learning environment—allowing all students to access basic mathematical concepts, while offering advanced exploration and problem-solving for those ready for more complex work.

Our innovative course-level investigations are designed to facilitate multi-part exploration. Students grapple with Big Ideas, diving deep into key concepts that encourage comprehensive understanding. Data science is infused into the approach, giving students a solid foundation from which to interpret and apply data-driven solutions. They’re also encouraged to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness of Earth’s environmental systems via our lesson’s focus on the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs).

Explicit support for multilingual/English learners

Three overlapping educational worksheets for first grade math, including a cover page, a list of learning goals, and a lesson plan with bilingual English and Spanish text.

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs). ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Amplify Desmos Math California recognizes the diverse language needs of our students and is designed to be inclusive. Each lesson in the program features a parallel language activity, designed to be available to all students, in the form of teacher guidance and student activities. The activities in the Math Language Development Resources have level ELD differentiation to support all levels of ML/ELs. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their language skills, can participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Our Multilingual Glossary includes, in addition to Spanish, nine languages: Simplified Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, European French, Russian, Brazilian-Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, and Urdu.

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Assessments

By starting with what students already know, Amplify Desmos Math helps build a strong foundation for success to guide and support future learning. Teachers are empowered to transform every classroom into an engaged math community that invites, values, and develops student thinking. With explicit guidance on what to look for and how to respond, teachers can effectively support students as they develop their understanding.

Open math workbook showing an End-of-Unit Assessment with multiple-choice and written response questions on fractions and equivalent values.

Program assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math provides evidence of student learning while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessments

Our embedded unit assessments offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math lessons are centered around sense-making and in-the-moment feedback. Daily moments of assessment provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student.

Learn more

Data and reporting

Amplify Desmos Math provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students.

A table displays students' performance levels across various items, with a detailed score distribution for a specific assessment shown in a separate overlay. Geometric design elements accented the background, providing an engaging visual touch ideal for any math classroom using Amplify Desmos Math.

Assessment reports

Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, personalized learning, Benchmark assessments, and Progress Monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning.

Our reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments. Then our reports highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

At-a-glance views of unit-level assessment results inform your instructional planning, and you can also drill down to item-level analysis.

Standards reports

Our standards report allows you to monitor proficiency at the class and individual student levels. Proficiency and growth are shown by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concepts. Areas of potential student need are highlighted to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reports

Amplify Desmos Math provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

  • Track student, class, and district performance with usage, completion, and assessment data.
  • Accurately group students and classes with the Benchmark and Progress Monitoring data of mCLASS Assessments and allow teachers to reliably implement and track the progress of Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention.
  • Provide one data-driven solution that educators can rely on for high-quality math instruction.

Elementary review resources

To learn about the elementary program, please start by watching the Amplify Desmos Math California Elementary Program Overview video.

For additional program information and helpful navigation tips, download the Amplify Desmos Math California Elementary Program Guide.

View the Elementary Program Components Guide here. 

View the Hands-on manipulatives brochure here.

Middle School review resources

To learn about the middle school program, please start by watching the Amplify Desmos Math California Middle School Program Overview video.

For additional program information and helpful navigation tips, download the Amplify Desmos Math California Middle School Program Guide.

View the Middle School Program Components Guide here.

View the middle school manipulative kit components here.

The digital experience

In Amplify Desmos Math, embedded interactions and animations allow students to test predictions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect representations.

The digital interactions included in lesson activities are designed to elicit student thinking in a way that feels fun and inviting. As students play and explore math concepts, teachers can highlight the ideas that students share, connect those ideas to other students’ ideas, and build on their thinking through productive class discussion.

Watch the video to preview the digital experience and for helpful platform navigation tips.

A laptop displays a math activity about platform heights and tube length, while a worksheet titled "Hamster Homes" is visible in the background.

Explore grade level samples

All lessons in Amplify Desmos Math California include print materials and rich digital experiences. Every lesson is supported with Student Edition pages, teacher presentation screens, and interactive digital resources for practice and differentiation. Some lessons also enable students to use devices to interact with lesson content.

You’ll find sample materials by grade level in the following drop-downs. Please refer to your physical samples and the digital platform (accessed through the demo account provided by your account executive) for a comprehensive program review.

Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Scope and sequence
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition
Three children use large counters and a vertical frame to solve a math problem outdoors, with a fourth child sitting nearby. The cover is labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Kindergarten, Volume 1.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade K" featuring a 3D letter "L" and section about Math Language Development Resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Grade 1 with seven units listed, each showing a title, instructional days, assessment days, and total days. Suggested days for completion is 154.
Scope and sequence
Three children play a math game with orange counters and cards. Fish and turtles are pictured above them. The book cover is labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 1 Teacher Edition.
Teacher Edition
Three children use counters and cards to solve a math activity underwater, with fish and seaweed in the background. The cover is for Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 1, Volume 1.
Student Edition
Cover of a Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math California resource featuring a yellow block letter "L" and a label for math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Scope and sequence chart for Grade 2 shows eight instructional units with titles, illustrated icons, days per unit, and assessment days listed in a grid format on a white background.
Scope and sequence
Cover of a Grade 2 math textbook showing a teacher and two students measuring a number line and holding a sign that reads "120 in." with math visuals in the background.
Teacher Edition
Three children measure and mark a path on the ground with a ruler and tape, next to a large green base ten block and a 120-inch sign, on a math textbook cover.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 2 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a green geometric "L" and a list of included supports for language learners.
Math Language Development Resources
A table displays a Grade 3 math curriculum outline with six units, each showing unit topics, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days per unit.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of four children in a two-story house doing math activities; one holds "3 x 2," another “3 x 3,” another “3 x 5,” and one paints a wall. Grade 3 math teacher edition cover.
Teacher Edition
Illustration of four children in a house-like structure, one painting, one holding a book, one holding a math sign, and one reading, on the cover of a math textbook labeled "Grade 3.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 3" featuring a 3D geometric shape, blue accents, and a section describing included resources for math language development.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Grade 4 showing seven math units with titles, illustrations, instructional days, and pacing details, organized in a grid layout.
Scope and sequence
Four children, one in a wheelchair, interact with math symbols and measurements outdoors, overseen by a teacher. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 4, Teacher Edition.
Teacher Edition
Four children stand and work around a large plant and number tiles outdoors, with one child in a wheelchair and another holding a clipboard. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California 4.
Student Edition
Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 4 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a blue geometric "L" shape and a description box in the bottom left corner.
Math Language Development Resources
A Grade 5 math curriculum overview showing six units, each with instructional days and assessment information, arranged in a grid on a white background.
Scope and sequence
Cover of a 5th grade math teacher edition book showing children interacting with math concepts outdoors, including measuring, drawing, and stacking cubes.
Teacher Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition 5, Volume 1" featuring students engaging in math activities outdoors and one standing on colorful cubes holding a "Grade 5" sign.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 5 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a 3D letter "L" and a brief description of included supports.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 6 math curriculum chart showing eight units with titles, instructional days, assessment days, optional days, and icons for each unit. Suggested days: 143 out of 147 instructional days.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of children outdoors interacting with oversized math symbols and objects. Text reads "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition, Grade 6, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustrated cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition, Grade 6, Volume 1" showing students interacting with math symbols in an outdoor setting.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 6 book featuring a 3D geometric “L” shape and a description of included math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 7 math curriculum map with eight units, each showing topic, days per unit, and breakdown of instructional and assessment days. Suggested total days: 124.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of people interacting with geometric shapes, city buildings, and a crane on a cover titled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 7, Teacher Edition, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustrated cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition 7, Volume 1," showing people constructing geometric shapes and mathematical tools in a cityscape.
Student Edition
Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 7" resource, featuring a purple 3D geometric "L" shape and informational text about language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 8 math curriculum overview with nine units displayed in a grid; each unit lists instructional days, assessment days, and total days.
Scope and Sequence
Illustration of children at a playground with adults, working on math activities near water tanks and a slide. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 8, Teacher Edition, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustration of children playing on and around a slide with geometric shapes and graphs, on the cover of a math textbook labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Student Edition, Grade 8.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 8" featuring a 3D geometric letter "L" and a list of included math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Algebra 1 with eight units, each showing a title, number of instructional and assessment days, and simple illustrative icons. Total suggested days: 153.
Scope and Sequence
Illustration of people interacting with algebraic graphs, grids, and mathematical tools, with others exploring underwater and a map of California in the corner. Text reads "Amplify Desmos Math California.
Teacher Edition
Cover of a California Amplify Desmos Math A1 Student Edition book showing people interacting with mathematical graphs and underwater divers observing marine life.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 1 A1 Math Language Development Resources" featuring a 3D geometric "L" shape and text describing included resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum chart displays seven math units, each listing instructional and assessment days; the suggested total is 138 days, with titles like Patterns and Sequences and Linear Equations.
Scope and sequence
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition, Math 1 Volume 1" with illustrated people interacting with geometric shapes and graphs.
Teacher Edition
Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition Volume 1" featuring people interacting with math symbols and geometric shapes in a stylized, modern landscape.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Math 1," featuring a geometric L-shaped figure and a blue header labeled "Math Language Development Resources.
Math Language Development Resources

Scope and Sequence

Math 2–3 is currently being developed and will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition GEO Volume 1" featuring abstract geometric illustrations and people engaged in mathematical activities.
Scope and Sequence (National Edition)

The Amplify Desmos Math Geometry Beta National Edition is available for piloting in the 2025–26 school year. Amplify Desmos Math California Geometry will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Geo Volume 1 Student Edition" featuring geometric shapes and small illustrated people interacting with mathematical elements.
Geometry sampler

This sampler includes Teacher Edition front matter for program overview information, plus Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for Units 1–2.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California A2 Teacher Edition," featuring a Ferris wheel, math graphs, and students interacting with mathematical concepts.
Scope and sequence (National Edition)

The Amplify Desmos Math Algebra 2 Beta National Edition is available for piloting in the 2025–26 school year. Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 2 will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition A2 Volume 1" featuring mathematical graphs, a Ferris wheel, and students interacting with math concepts.
Algebra 2 sampler

This sampler includes Teacher Edition front matter for program overview information, plus Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for Units 1–2.

Contact us

For questions, samples, or more information, please contact your local Amplify account executive:

Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 736-3162
eking@amplify.com

Northern CA
Wendy Garcia
Senior Account Executive
(510) 368-7666
wgarcia@amplify.com

Bay Area
Lance Burbank
Account Executive
(415) 830-5348
lburbank@amplify.com

Central Valley and Central Coast
Demitri Gonos
Senior Account Executive
(559) 355-3244
dgonos@amplify.com

Ventura and L.A. County
Jeff Sorenson
Associate Account Executive
(310) 902-1407
jsorenson@amplify.com

Orange and L.A. County
Lauren Sherman
Senior Account Executive
(949) 397-5766
lsherman@amplify.com

San Bernardino and L.A. County
Michael Gruber
Senior Account Executive
(951) 520-6542
migruber@amplify.com

Riverside and L.A. County
Brian Roy
Senior Account Executive
(818) 967-1674
broy@amplify.com

San Diego County
Kirk Van Wagoner
Senior Account Executive
(760) 696-0709
kvanwagoner@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, and Northern Counties
Kevin Mauser
Lead Account Executive
(815) 534-0148
kmauser@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Southern CA, Central Coast, and Southern Central Valley Counties
Charissa Snyder
Account Executive
(720) 936-6802
chsnyder@amplify.com

Personalized instruction and intervention for every K–5 student

Boost Math™ is a powerful intervention system that advances student growth and ensures access to grade-level math for all students.

Boost Math offers differentiation and personalized learning that build on students’ existing understanding, while scaffolding instruction allows every student to succeed with grade-level content. Teachers spend less time planning and more time ensuring that every student’s specific needs are
met—with customizable intervention resources that help differentiate when and how it matters most.

About the Boost Math system

Boost Math helps teachers as they implement effective daily differentiation and intervention—minimal planning time required. The system provides access to ready-to-go,
core-aligned resources including:

  • Personalized practice to support student growth.
  • Intervention resources for small-group personalized instruction.
  • Assessment insights to inform teaching.
Una pantalla de computadora portátil que muestra un problema de matemáticas que compara fracciones con un personaje ilustrado que explica que ambas fracciones tienen el mismo denominador, pero diferentes numeradores.

Personalized instruction for all students

Personalized Learning activities complement your core instruction by supporting understanding of your daily learning goal. The asset-based technology responds to each student’s unique needs based on prior assessment data and student responses.

Two pages of a math worksheet titled "Determining Coordinates After a Rotation." The left page includes exercises and a guided practice section, while the right page provides detailed instructions and explanations.

Ready-to-go math intervention you can trust

Build grade-level proficiency through targeted math intervention with teacher-led, 15-minute Mini-Lessons. Support or re-engage small groups of students through explicit, guided practice designed around the extensive research of faded, worked examples.

Una pantalla de computadora portátil muestra una interfaz de evaluación con información de los estudiantes, conclusiones clave, una descripción general del dominio y métricas de desempeño en materias como Operaciones y pensamiento algebraico y Fracciones.

Actionable data with diagnostic screening

Gain valuable insight into what students know with mCLASS® Assessments. Through the
whole-class, digital mCLASS Beginning-of-Year Screener, teachers can leverage reliable,
actionable data to inform tiered intervention.

Aligned to your core instruction

The structure and recommendations of Boost Math help teachers quickly personalize learning that works alongside your core instruction.

The flexible instructional model is designed around teacher and student needs, with everyday intervention resources connected to the math you’re teaching.

The built-in math intervention gives students what they need with guided Mini-Lessons; digital, independent Fluency Practice; collaborative Centers (K–5) and Extensions; strategy-based games called Math Adventures; and more—minimal planning time required.

Our approach

Boost Math empowers all learners to experience success—and actually enjoy—grade-level math, with activities that complement core instruction and support understanding of the daily learning goal.

The Support, Strengthen, and Stretch model provides differentiation for every core skill, with alignment to your core math program.

A single, integrated math solution

Amplify’s comprehensive math suite, Amplify Desmos Math Texas, provides seamless alignment to help teachers diagnose and capitalize on student strengths, foster deep investment, and build student agency.

Everything is in one place—with screening and progress monitoring, core instruction, integrated personalized learning, and embedded intervention teachers can trust.

Ready to learn more?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Welcome Reviewers, to Amplify Desmos Math!

Amplify Desmos Math thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, fluency, and application, motivating students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A digital interface displays a math screener report on the left and a math problem involving division, alongside a visual representation of students lined up on the right, integrating rich math resources from Amplify Desmos Math.

Screening and progress monitoring

mCLASS® Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but also how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math lessons provide a structured approach to problem-based learning, helping teachers create a collaborative math community with students at its center. Each lesson systematically builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students.

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

Differentiation and intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to daily instruction. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.
Boost™ Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback™ adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

An approach that supports teachers

Clear, step-by-step instructional moves help teachers plan and teach student-centered lessons that use student thinking to differentiate instruction and guide to grade-level understanding. They include:

  • Guidance on what to listen for and how to respond.
  • Clear learning objectives to keep learning on track for each activity and lesson.
  • Daily reinforcement activities to provide direct instruction when needed.

A structured approach to problem-based learning

Problem-based learning asks students to make sense of and think strategically about mathematically interesting problems. This approach allows students’ ideas to take
center stage, so they are active and engaged in their learning process. Teachers are able to hear and respond to student thinking in real time, guiding and differentiating instruction right in the moment.

Moving from “I do, We do, You do” to “You do, We do, I do”
Lessons begin by activating student’s prior knowledge and curiosity, inviting them to explore the math, collaborate, and refine their thinking. By focusing on developing student thinking first, teachers can better connect ideas, guide learning, and synthesize learning objectives.

Lessons that are rigorous and delightful

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math is designed to put students at the center of their learning. Utilizing research-based best practices, students engage in meaningful work based on rich problems and real-world experiences.

Two young girls build with colorful blocks at a table while an adult woman observes and assists them in a classroom setting.

Warm-Up

Lessons begin by inviting every student to contribute to the mathematical discussion. Instructional routines are often used to build fluency, set the context, activate prior knowledge, or highlight a strategy that may be helpful in the lesson. 

Rich learning activities

Math knowledge is built through experiences and meaningful interactions. Students notice, wonder, explore, calculate, predict, measure, explain their thinking, use math to settle disputes, create challenges for their classmates, and more. Teachers serve as a guide, using a Launch, Monitor, Connect framework:

  • Launch: Teachers offer a short introduction to the problem or challenge
  • Monitor: As students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, teachers ask questions and provide support to move student thinking closer to the intended math goal.
  • Connect: Teachers connect student ideas to the Key Takeaway of the activity to help students synthesize and solidify the big ideas.

Synthesis

Teachers ensure that students end the lesson with accurate and enduring understandings of the math goal through synthesis of student ideas, explicit instruction, and reflection.

A short Show What You Know assessment allows students to show what they know about the learning goals of the lesson and reveal what they are still learning.

Differentiation and practice

Lasting understanding requires reinforcement. Every lesson offers Lesson Practice instructional recommendations to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch learning.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Print for every lesson with engaging digital experiences

Whether in print or digital form, engaging interactions enable students and teachers to openly exchange ideas. Each lesson includes student print materials, interactive teacher Presentation Screens, and digital resources for practice and differentiation. Some lessons also use manipulatives or provide options for students to use devices individually or in pairs. Device recommendations for student use are age-appropriate, with more frequent usage in middle and high school.

Demo access

Please login to the digital platform to experience our full program as part of your review. In order to access the digital platform, you’ll need to log into using your unique login credentials below.

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password:
    • Username:
    • Password:
  • View the video for helpful platform navigation tips.
Digital Access

Assessments

By starting with what students already know, Amplify Desmos Math helps build a strong foundation for success to guide and support future learning. Teachers are empowered to transform every classroom into an engaged math community that invites, values, and develops student thinking. With explicit guidance on what to look for and how to respond, teachers can effectively support students as they develop their understanding.

Open math workbook showing an End-of-Unit Assessment with multiple-choice and written response questions on fractions and equivalent values.

Program assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math provides evidence of student learning while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessments

Our embedded unit assessments offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math lessons are centered around sense-making and in-the-moment feedback. Daily moments of assessment provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student.

Learn more

Data and reporting

Amplify Desmos Math provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students.

A table displays students' performance levels across various items, with a detailed score distribution for a specific assessment shown in a separate overlay. Geometric design elements accented the background, providing an engaging visual touch ideal for any math classroom using Amplify Desmos Math.

Assessment reports

Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, personalized learning, Benchmark assessments, and Progress Monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning.

Our reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments. Then our reports highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

At-a-glance views of unit-level assessment results inform your instructional planning, and you can also drill down to item-level analysis.

Standards reports

Our standards report allows you to monitor proficiency at the class and individual student levels. Proficiency and growth are shown by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concepts. Areas of potential student need are highlighted to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reports

Amplify Desmos Math provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

  • Track student, class, and district performance with usage, completion, and assessment data.
  • Accurately group students and classes with the Benchmark and Progress Monitoring data of mCLASS Assessments and allow teachers to reliably implement and track the progress of Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention.
  • Provide one data-driven solution that educators can rely on for high-quality math instruction.

Differentiation and intervention

Amplify Desmos Math views differentiation as an ongoing process where teachers are both reactive and proactive to student needs, ensuring that all students have clear pathways to proficiency. Through rich data and teacher support, Amplify Desmos Math uses flexible categories of intervention and enrichment that adjust daily according to student thinking.

In-the-moment differentiation supports are available for every lesson, both digitally and in the print Teacher Edition.

Learn more
A teacher sits at a table with two students, using small objects and a workbook to provide individualized instruction during a Boost Math lesson in a classroom with large windows.
A table showing differentiation teacher moves with examples of representing groups in different ways, support prompts, and a stretch question about patterns with more teams.

In-lesson differentiation

Within every lesson activity, teachers can use the suggestions in the Differentiation Teacher Moves table to provide in-the-moment instructional support while students are engaged in the work of the lesson. This table can help teachers anticipate the ways students may approach the activity, and provides prompts that they can use during the lesson to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch individual students in their thinking. Teachers are provided with clear student actions and understanding to look for, each matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to the student thinking illustrated in each row of the table. In addition to using these suggestions in the moment as teachers monitor student work, teachers can review the Differentiation table in advance to help them anticipate how students are likely to approach the activity.

Differentiation: Beyond the Lesson

Teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students needing support, strengthening, and stretching after each lesson. Support, Strengthen, and Stretch resources include:

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute, small-group direct instruction lessons targeted to a specific concept or skill
  • Item Banks: Space for teachers to create practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more
  • Fluency Practice: Adaptive, personalized practice built out for basic operations and more
  • Centers (K–5): Lesson-embedded routines and practice for students that are vertically aligned across grade levels
  • Extensions: Lesson-embedded Teacher Moves including possible stretch questions and activities for students
  • Lesson Practice: Additional practice problems support every lesson
  • Math Adventures: Strategy-based math games where students engage with math concepts and practice skills in a fun digital environment
Two pages from a math workbook on determining coordinates after a rotation, with diagrams, problem sets, and instructional text, displayed on a yellow and gray background.
A classroom teaching guide displays strategies for discussing pre-image and image in math, goals for a parallelogram lesson, and tips for supporting multilingual learners.

Multilingual/English Learner supports

Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentiSupports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson. These suggested supports are specific, targeted actions that are beneficial for ML/ELs. They often describe a modification to increase access to the task or provide support with contextual or mathematical language development that can often be helpful to all learners. ML/EL supports may also be attached to Math Language Routines.onal points within each lesson. These suggested supports are specific, targeted actions that are beneficial for ML/ELs. They often describe a modification to increase access to the task or provide support with contextual or mathematical language development that can often be helpful to all learners. ML/EL supports may also be attached to Math Language Routines.

Math Language Development

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math includes opportunities for all students to develop mathematical language as they experience the content. Amplify Desmos Math purposefully progresses language development from lesson to lesson and across units by supporting students in making their arguments and explanations stronger, clearer, and more precise. This systematic approach to the development of math language can be broken down into the following four categories of support:

  • Vocabulary: Units and lessons start by surfacing students’ language for new concepts, then building connections between their language and the new vocabulary for that unit.
  • Language goals: Language goals attend to the mathematics students are learning, and are written through the lens of one or more of four language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Math Language Routines: Math Language Routines are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition.
  • Multilingual/English learner supports: Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson.
Two girls sit at a table with open books, one making hand gestures while smiling, the other looking at her and giving a thumbs up. Behind them are shelves filled with books, capturing the lively atmosphere of a math classroom.
Digital educational material showing an activity named "Hamster Homes" involving tube length and platform heights for a hamster cage. Includes a diagram with platforms measuring 9 inches.

K-5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. For a full program review, please login to the digital platform or request physical samples.

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 2: Counting and Comparing Images.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 2: Counting and Comparing Images.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A digital activity screen, crafted in the style of Amplify Desmos Math, shows two paths with different quantities of mushrooms. The user is prompted to choose the path with more mushrooms. A bear is on the left side of the screen.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.

Skills Unit 2 Teacher Guide

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting Within 10.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting Within 10.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Centers Resources" for Grade 1, featuring a yellow and white 3D letter "C" on a light background.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

An educational game screen, inspired by New York math standards, shows a subtraction problem, "4 - 1," with a frog moving along numbered lily pads to reveal the answer "3.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

An educational activity where users must select the block with the correct number to make a total of 10 using the given block numbers. The UI, inspired by New York math standards, features a caterpillar and two tree stumps to amplify engagement with Desmos Math tools.

Students continue to develop fluency by finding the number that makes 10 by helping a millipede reach its favorite food – a clump of leaves!

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 3: Data on Scaled Graphs.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 3: Data on Scaled Graphs.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A page titled "Activity 2" features a table showing counts of rabbits, raccoons, and foxes, an image of animal stickers, and a bar graph representing the number of each animal, designed to amplify your New York math lesson with engaging visual data.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 2: Using Factors and Multiples.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 2: Using Factors and Multiples.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

Interactive educational activity asking users to determine platform heights using a 3-inch tube. The interface, inspired by Desmos math tools, features a dragging function and feedback system with a checkbox and "Try another" option, amplifying the learning experience.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 3: Volume of Solid Figures.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 3: Volume of Solid Figures.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Centers Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

An interactive screen showing an activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a touch of Desmos Math integration. The user is asked to drag points to demonstrate the decomposition. Two prism illustrations are displayed, offering a glimpse of New York Math's approach.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

6-A1 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. For a full program review, please login to the digital platform or request physical samples. 

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

A laptop displays a math warm-up activity with shapes and a scale, in front of two Amplify Desmos Math teacher edition books for grades 1 and 7.
Cover of the Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition, showcasing students engaging in various mathematical activities around a balance scale with variables, inspired by New York math educational standards.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Solving Equations.

Cover of “Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 6” featuring an illustration of children engaging in various New York math-related activities outdoors.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Solving Equations.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math" for Grade 6, featuring a 3D pink letter "I" and the text "Intervention and Extension Resources." This New York math edition supports students with comprehensive resources.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A digital math activity shows foxes on a seesaw balanced with 18-pound weights. A multiple-choice question and text box ask for the weight of a fox in pounds.

Students use equations and tape diagrams to represent seesaw situations and to determine unknown animal weights, helping them make connections between diagrams that represent equations of the form `x+p=q` or `px=q`.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition Grade 7" featuring an illustration of students engaging in math-related activities with geometric shapes and construction elements against a New York cityscape background.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 3: Inequalities.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 7" showing students engaged in math activities against a cityscape reminiscent of New York, with purple geometric structures and a crane in the background.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 3: Inequalities.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade 7 – Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized 3D "I" on a light purple background, ideal for both New York math and national curricula.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A digital math activity screen shows a character above a number line and a box with the inequality "x > -10" entered. A cursor points to the "Edit my response" button.

Students solve inequalities with positive and negative coefficients to solve a variety of challenges featuring a fictional sheep who eats grass according to an inequality.

Illustration of children engaging in learning activities outdoors near a large slide. The title "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8 Teacher Edition" is shown at the top, highlighting its relevance to New York math curriculum standards.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 2: Analyzing Numerical Data.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition for Grade 8, featuring students engaging in various mathematical activities in a stylized outdoor New York setting.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 6, Sub-Unit 2: Analyzing Numerical Data.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized "I" on a gray background, tailored for New York math standards.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A graph plots four robot colors by height and eye distance; on the right, matching colored robots stand side by side, labeled Red, Purple, Blue, and Green.

Students connect points on a scatter plot with individuals in a population and rows of data in a table. The analysis of scatter plots continues with data about the eye distances and heights of robots.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Algebra 1, Teacher Edition" featuring diverse characters engaged in mathematical activities, with a graph and a bridge in the background, illustrating the vibrant energy of New York math.

Teacher Edition

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from two complete sub-units on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Units 1–2: One-Variable Equations and Multi-Variable Equations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition A1, featuring an illustration of diverse characters engaging in New York math activities against a backdrop of graphs and mathematical concepts.

Student Edition

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful. To help you preview the program, we have included samples from two complete sub-units on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Units 1–2: One-Variable Equations and Multi-Variable Equations.

Cover of an Amplify Desmos Math Algebra 1 ancillary sampler, featuring students interacting with graphs and mathematical models, including a rocket and a parabola.

Ancillary sampler

Included in the ancillary sampler are examples from the program Assessment Resources, Intervention and Extension Resources, Additional Practice, and Math Language Development Resources.

A math activity screen shows a cartoon snail, purple blocks, and a table comparing blocks and a math equation; a cursor hovers over the "Edit my response" button.

Students represent the solutions of a situation using a table, a graph, and multiple forms of an equation to identify multiple combinations of blocks that can help Shelley the Snail cross a gap.

Welcome, Central Kitsap, to Amplify Desmos Math!

Amplify Desmos Math K-5 thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program motivates students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.  Feel free to explore our grade-level ancillary samplers to learn more about assessment and reporting, intervention, and differentiation:

Grade K Ancillary Sampler

Grade 1 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 2 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 3 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 4 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 5 Ancillary Sampler

A digital interface displays a math screener report on the left and a math problem involving division, alongside a visual representation of students lined up on the right, integrating rich math resources from Amplify Desmos Math.

Assessment

mCLASS® Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core and intervention resources. Visit our mClass Math site to learn more.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. With low-floor, high-ceiling tasks every student can actively participate and be a part of the math community. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction.

A math lesson screen shows a toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. A textbox asks how many centimeters that is, with space for an answer and a "Try again" button. An avatar explains the question, using Desmos math tools to amplify understanding.

Differentiation

Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning and offer personalized differentiation. Visit our Boost Math site to learn more. 

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

Embedded intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Multilingual Learners

To support multilingual/English learners, Amplify Desmos Math incorporates research-based Math Language Routines (MLRs) by providing language modality strategies like sentence frames where appropriate, both in the teacher language provided for each task and in the differentiation support section found throughout the program. For further information on math language development, please see pg. 82 of the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

A male teacher in a red shirt explaining a lesson to a focused young female student in a classroom. other students are in the background.

Review Resources

To support your review of Amplify Desmos Math here are links to important K-5 review resources:

Two women in an office setting are smiling while looking at a tablet. Various educational icons surround the image.

K-5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade.  To see sample student responses, please click on the Teacher Edition pages and scroll to “Sample Student Work” (first one is about 30 pages in) or click on Intervention and Extension resources.   

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Digital educational material showing an activity named "Hamster Homes" involving tube length and platform heights for a hamster cage. Includes a diagram with platforms measuring 9 inches.
Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

Educational activity screen displaying a blue backpack with icons, dot groups on the left, and a grid background. Prompt reads, "Look inside the backpack. Then choose the group with the same number of dots." A great tool to amplify Desmos math learning in line with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A digital activity screen, crafted in the style of Amplify Desmos Math, shows two paths with different quantities of mushrooms. The user is prompted to choose the path with more mushrooms. A bear is on the left side of the screen.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

A digital math exercise, amplified by Desmos Math, showcases a story problem about adding kalo plants with three illustrations and a filled-out number sentence 3 + 4 = 7. A "Check" button is present. This tool aligns perfectly with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Centers Resources" for Grade 1, featuring a yellow and white 3D letter "C" on a light background.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 1: Intervention and Extension Resources" depicting a large, blocky number one and a yellow-themed design. Ideal for enhancing New York math curriculum.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational game screen, inspired by New York math standards, shows a subtraction problem, "4 - 1," with a frog moving along numbered lily pads to reveal the answer "3.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Activity screen displaying a task to estimate the number of animals in an aquarium, featuring a bar chart for goldfish, frogs, and shrimp. Utilizing Desmos math tools, an illustration of an aquarium with various animals is also included to amplify learning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational activity where users must select the block with the correct number to make a total of 10 using the given block numbers. The UI, inspired by New York math standards, features a caterpillar and two tree stumps to amplify engagement with Desmos Math tools.

Students continue to develop fluency by finding the number that makes 10 by helping a millipede reach its favorite food – a clump of leaves!

An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

Educational software displays a challenge to determine the area of an unpainted wall. The wall features a door and window with given dimensions, and a mouse pointer hovers near the question, amplifying the student's engagement.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A page titled "Activity 2" features a table showing counts of rabbits, raccoons, and foxes, an image of animal stickers, and a bar graph representing the number of each animal, designed to amplify your New York math lesson with engaging visual data.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

Educational screen showing an interactive activity from Amplify Desmos Math where a user drags a point to cut a log into quarters. The progress is 2 out of 10.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Interactive educational activity asking users to determine platform heights using a 3-inch tube. The interface, inspired by Desmos math tools, features a dragging function and feedback system with a checkbox and "Try another" option, amplifying the learning experience.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

A digital activity prompt showing a scenic landscape with bamboo shoots and a panda. Using Desmos math tools, the task is to estimate the length where the third bamboo shoot should be placed for the panda to reach a leaf. This exercise is designed to amplify your understanding of spatial reasoning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An interactive screen showing an activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a touch of Desmos Math integration. The user is asked to drag points to demonstrate the decomposition. Two prism illustrations are displayed, offering a glimpse of New York Math's approach.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

Contact Us

If you have any questions throughout your review process or need additional samples, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Alicia O’Neil

Account Executive

425-890-6103

aoneil@amplify.com

Request additional samples

Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math expert to request additional program samples.

Evaluate Online

To review Amplify Science online, click the orange button below.

Evaluate Program

Once you’re logged in, watch our navigational guide videos to review the digital Teacher’s Guides:

Grades K–5:

Grades 6–8:

Phenomenon-Based Learning

Phenomenon-based teaching and learning deeply engages students. By positioning students as scientists and giving them questions, not answers, Amplify Science delivers results in and beyond science class.

This represents a shift from asking students to learn about science to supporting students in figuring out the science.

Flowchart of a learning unit divided into four chapters, showing stages of student engagement from introduction to application, with assessments indicated at various points.

Instructional Model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

Three columns of text describing educational programs: "students write", "students talk", and "students read" with icons symbolizing activities like experiments, discussions, and analysis.

New Program Enhancements

Amplify Science is unique because we continually add new content, tools, and resources, which will help us meet Milwaukee Public Schools’ needs as they evolve. In a world where things are changing by the minute, Amplify commits to providing MPS with the most up-to-date content throughout the life of the adoption.

We want to save you time, extend your reach, and support your efforts to deliver the types of rigorous and riveting learning experiences you know your students deserve.

Some of our latest enhancements include:

  • Amplify Science@Home, a new solution to improve synchronous and asynchronous remote learning
  • Classroom Slides offered in both PowerPoint and Google Slides formats, to save teachers time
  • Spanish Digital Simulations and Spanish Classroom Slides, to complete our full Spanish digital suite
  • Administrator Reports, which can be easily exported for integration with learning management systems

To learn more about our newest features, click here.

Science and Literacy

At Amplify, we believe science and literacy should truly integrated, and not just connected.

Even the youngest readers are supported in their journeys to obtain, evaluate, and communication information about the natural world through Read-Alouds, Shared Reading, and Partner Reading.

To learn more about Amplify Science and its commitment to literacy-rich science instruction, click here.

Spanish Resources

Amplify Science is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, and includes multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Our Amplify Science materials were created with the same rigor of scientific accuracy, rich content and language, and literacy development, and materials were developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers.

Some of our Spanish resources include:

  • Classroom Lesson Slides
  • Spanish Digital Simulations
  • Teacher Digital Licenses
  • Student Digital Licenses
  • All Student-Facing Print Materials

To see a complete list of Spanish print and digital resources, click here.

Access and Equity

Amplify Science provides all students with access to intellectually stimulating, rigorous, and culturally relevant science and engineering education. We value and build on the rich assets that each student brings to class. You can read more about our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion here.

To learn how we commit to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, choose a link below.

Scope and Sequence

GRADE UNITS
Kindergarten
  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water
Grade 1
  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth
Grade 2
  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms
Grade 3
  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate
Grade 4
  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information
Grade 5
  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration
GRADE UNITS

Grade 6: Earth Science
  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Plate Motion
  • Plate Motion: Engineering Internship
  • Rock Transformations
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate
  • Weather Patterns
  • Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Earth’s Changing Climate: Engineering Internship
Grade 7: Life Science
  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Metabolism
  • Metabolism: Engineering Internship
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Populations and Resources
  • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
  • Natural Selection
  • Natural Selection: Engineering Internship
  • Evolutionary History

Grade 8: Physical Science 
  • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion: Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Thermal Energy
  • Phase Change
  • Phase Change: Engineering Internship
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Light Waves

Professional development for assessment and intervention programs

Amplify professional development (PD) provides learning experiences that intentionally develop the knowledge and skills you need for effective and self-sustaining implementation.

Learn how to administer and score your assessment and develop a deeper understanding of reporting and instruction by investing in professional development.

Professional Learning Partner Guide Certified Provider

Amplify professional development has been vetted by Rivet Education’s team through a rigorous three-step process and is listed in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.

Contact us
A teacher talks to a student at a desk; two other students, a boy and a girl, are shown smiling and sitting at desks in separate portraits.

About Amplify PD

Change is more likely to stick and get results if you take a systemic approach. Partner with us to do just that by developing a learning plan that will drive your program implementation, enrich your instructional practices, and increase student impact.

Amplify’s professional development is designed to ensure successful, sustained implementation of our programs. Sessions are strategically bundled to provide continuous support, adapting to your K–8 educators’ evolving needs throughout the year.

Four circular icons in a row showing a lightbulb, pencil, whiteboard, and podium, connected by arrows in a cycle, representing stages of a process.

Prepare
Begin
Practice
Advance

Program-agnostic sessions will set up educators for success in areas such as the Science of Reading and/or problem-based approaches to math.

Program-aligned packages will support those who are new to Amplify’s programs.

Program-aligned packages will support those who have experience using Amplify’s programs.

Offerings will support advanced implementation, build capacity for instructional leaders, certify in-house trainers to deliver Launch sessions, and more.

Our packages include:

  • Launch sessions: Propel your teachers into the new school year by introducing them to their Amplify program, laying a strong foundation for effective implementation.
  • Strengthen sessions: Enhance implementation with mid-year sessions that target specific instructional practices, providing the support needed to enhance program efficacy.
  • Coach sessions: Provide tailored guidance and support for educators and leaders to address specific needs, refining and advancing their instructional practices.

About Amplify assessment and intervention programs

Amplify’s high-quality programs make it easier for K–8 educators to teach inspiring, impactful lessons that celebrate and develop the brilliance of their students. Equipped with tools that provide robust scaffolding and differentiated instruction, assessment, and intervention, educators gain real-time insights and can provide personalized, actionable plans that support every learner.

Learn how to get the most out of your assessment and intervention program(s) through Amplify’s PD.

Assessment

  • mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition (grades K–8)
  • mCLASS Lectura (grades K–6)
  • mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura biliteracy
  • mCLASS Math (grades K–8)

Intervention

  • mCLASS Intervention

We provide PD sessions for all Amplify programs. Contact your account executive to discuss the extended catalog of PD session options or request a quote.

mCLASS Assessments

We’ve created professional development offerings that will help you meet your unique needs this school year. Explore the Begin and Practice packages available for mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS Math (K–8) by selecting the session titles to learn more.

Please note that mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura biliteracy sessions are currently unavailable for the Hybrid 4 and Virtual 4 packages.

Begin packages for mCLASS Literacy

Assessment programs

  On-site package
(9 hours)		 Hybrid 9 package
(9 hours)		 Hybrid 4 package
(4 hours)		 Virtual 9 package
(9 hours)		 Virtual 4 package
(4 hours)
  One Launch and Strengthen session per package
Launch sessions
  On-site
6 hr.		 On-site or virtual 3 hr. On-site
3 hr.		 Virtual
6 hr.
(2 half-days)		 Virtual
3 hr.
Administration and instruction essentials for K–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Administration and scoring training for K–8 teachers
     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Administration and reporting training for K–8 leaders     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
      Virtual
1 hr.		   Virtual
1 hr.
NEW: mCLASS additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–3 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS/mCLASS Español additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Strengthen sessions
  On-site
3 hr.		 Virtual 
3 hr.		 Virtual
1 hr.		 Virtual 
3 hr.		 Virtual 
1 hr.
Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers
     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Reporting basics for K–8 leaders
     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.

Add-on
  On-site or virtual,
3 hr.		 On-site,
6 hr.		 Self-paced,
online course
Coach session for individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials training for teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training for teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training for DDS teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Begin: Launch: Administration and instruction essentials for K–8 teachers


On-site or virtual, 6 hours

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program. Learn how to administer and score the assessment(s) and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Launch: Administration and scoring training for K–8 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Learn how to administer and score your mCLASS assessment(s) and leave ready to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Launch: Administration and reporting training for K–8 leaders

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Prepare to implement your assessment program(s) at your school site(s). Determine systems-level actions that will ensure assessment fidelity and leave ready to leverage key admin reports to support data-informed decisions.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.

Available July 2026

Begin: Launch: mCLASS additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling, RAN, Vocabulary, and/or Oral Language and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–3)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Available July 2026

Begin: Launch: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–3 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling Español, Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS Lectura (K–3)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.

Available July 2026

Begin: Launch: mCLASS/mCLASS Español additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling/Spelling Español, RAN, Vocabulary/Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language/Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–3) and mCLASS Lectura (K–3)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen: Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen: Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Fortify your assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Learn how to use mCLASS classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Learn how to use mCLASS Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting basics for K–8 leaders

Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.

Coach session

On-site, 6 hours or virtual, 3 hours

Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials for teachers

Online course, self-paced

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program through this on-demand course. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, mCLASS Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Available July 2026

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training course for teachers

Online course, self-paced

Ensure accuracy and reliability of mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition test administration through this on-demand course. Review how to administer and score each teacher-administered measure, then calibrate your scoring through scoring mastery checks.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 1–3 hours to complete, depending on learner needs. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training course for DDS teachers

Online course, self-paced

Prepare to administer and score the DIBELS 8th Edition assessment in the mCLASS platform through this on-demand course. Learn the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Begin packages for mCLASS Math 2nd Edition

Assessment programs

  On-site package
(6 hours)		 Hybrid 6 package
(6 hours)		 Hybrid 4 package
(4 hours)		 Virtual 6 package
(6 hours)		 Virtual 4 package
(4 hours)
  One Launch and Strengthen session per package
Launch sessions
  On-site
3 hr.		 On-site
6 hr.		 On-site
3 hr.		 Virtual
3 hr.
 Virtual
3 hr.
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview for K–8 leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Strengthen sessions
  On-site
3 hr.		 Virtual 
3 hr.		 Virtual
1 hr.		 Virtual 
3 hr.		 Virtual 
1 hr.
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Student thinking and instructional next steps for K–5 or 6–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical explanations for K–5 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS Math and Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for K–5 or 6–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Add-on
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps course for K–5 teachers

Self-paced online course
mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps course for 6–8 teachers

Self-paced online course

New

Begin: mCLASS Math: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers July 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Math assessment program. Learn how these assessments both highlight students’ strengths and help identify what’s next through an asset-based approach. Leave ready to administer assessments and understand reporting.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New

Begin: mCLASS Math: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 leaders

Available for grades K–5 and grades 6–8 leaders July 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Prepare to implement your mCLASS Math assessment program at your school site(s). Determine systems-level actions that will ensure successful assessment administration and leave ready to leverage key admin reports to support data-informed decisions.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New

Begin: mCLASS Math: Student thinking and instructional next steps for grades K–5 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Explore how mCLASS Math helps determine what students know in relation to grade-level content, and how to use data to inform instructional next steps that support, strengthen, and stretch student thinking. Dig into your own student data and leave with actionable next steps that connect directly to the ways your students are thinking about mathematics.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New

Begin: mCLASS Math + Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades K–5 teachers July 2026 and grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New

Begin: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical explanations for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades K–5 teachers July 2026 and grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026

Virtual, 1 hour

Dig into mCLASS Math to reveal what students understand about mathematical concepts and give them the tools to become more clear and confident communicators in math class.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Available July 2026

Begin: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps for grades K–5 teachers

Online course, self-paced

Through this self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Math K–5 and leave ready to administer the assessment, understand reporting, and take instructional next steps based on the data.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately six hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Available July 2026

Begin: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps for grades 6–8 teachers

Online course, self-paced

Through this self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Math 6–8 and leave ready to administer the assessment, understand reporting, and take instructional next steps based on the data.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately six hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Practice packages for mCLASS Literacy

  On-site package
(6 hours)		 Virtual 6 package
(6 hours)		 Virtual 4 package
(4 hours)		 Virtual 2 package
(2 hours)
Two Strengthen sessions per package
Strengthen session titles*
  On-site
3 hr.		 Virtual
3 hr.		 Virtual
3 hr. and 1 hr.		 Virtual
1 hr.
Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Reporting basics for K–8 leaders      A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS DIBELS 8 additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers       A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–8 teachers       A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
NEW: mCLASS DIBELS 8 and mCLASS Lectura additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers       A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.

Add-on
  On-site or virtual, 3 hr. On-site, 6 hr. Self-paced, online course
Coach session for individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition: Data-driven instruction for K–5 teachers A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.    
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials training for teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training for teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training for DDS teachers     A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Practice: Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Practice: Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.

Practice: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Fortify your mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Practice: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Learn how to use mCLASS classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Practice: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Practice: Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Learn how to use mCLASS Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Practice: Reporting basics for K–8 leaders

Virtual, 1 hour

Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.

Available July 2026

Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling, RAN, Vocabulary, and/or Oral Language and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8)

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Available July 2026

Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling Español, Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS Lectura (K–6)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.

Available July 2026

Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling/Spelling Español, RAN, Vocabulary/Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language/Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.

Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8) and mCLASS Lectura (K–6)

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.

Add on: Coach session

On-site, 6 hours or virtual, 3 hours

Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Available October 2026

Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition: Data-driven instruction for K–5 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive instructional decisions in Amplify CKLA and stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports program with Amplify CKLA as your core instruction.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition

Audience: K–2 or 3–5 teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials for teachers

Online course, self-paced

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program through this on-demand course. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately eight hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, mCLASS Lectura

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Available July 2026

Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training course for teachers

Online course, self-paced

Ensure accuracy and reliability of mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition test administration through this on-demand course. Review how to administer and score each teacher-administered measure, then calibrate your scoring through scoring mastery checks.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 1–3 hours to complete, depending on learner needs. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Available July 2026

Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training course for DDS teachers

Online course, self-paced

Prepare to administer and score the DIBELS 8th Edition assessment in the mCLASS platform through this on-demand course. Learn the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately eight hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Amplify intervention PD sessions

Each intervention program offers Launch and Coach sessions for up to 30 participants per program for year one and beyond. Our interactive sessions are available on-site or virtually, empowering teachers and leaders anywhere with the tools and skills they need to inspire all students to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves.

mCLASS Intervention

mCLASS Intervention is a staff-led Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading intervention program that does the heavy lifting of data analysis and lesson sequencing, freeing up teachers to teach the reading skills each student needs. View the table and select the session title to learn more about each mCLASS Intervention PD session.

  On-site or virtual sessions
6 hr.
 Self-paced course
Launch sessions
Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.  
Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators   A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background. 

Coach sessions

  On-site sessions
6 hr.
 On-site or virtual sessions
3 hr.
Coach session
  
Coach session
  

Launch

Propel your teachers into the new school year with sessions that introduce them to their Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.

Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators

On-site or virtual, 6 hours

In part 1 of this training, interventionists and intervention coordinators will prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures. In part 2, intervention coordinators will learn the essentials of coordinating mCLASS Intervention and leave ready to implement the program at their school site.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff, intervention coordinators (maximum 30 participants)

Initial training course for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators

Online course, self-paced

Prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures through this on-demand course. Intervention coordinators will additionally learn the essentials of coordinating mCLASS Intervention to support implementation at their school site.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately three hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Coach

Support teachers and leaders with learning experiences tailored to meet their specific needs.

Coach session

On-site, 6 hours

Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Coach session

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.

Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Additional assessment and intervention programs

Additional sessions and online courses are also available for other mCLASS programs (Paper DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Intervention Universal).

To learn more about enhancing your Amplify experience by purchasing other mCLASS programs and/or accompanying PD sessions, please contact your account executive.

Contact us

Professional development for supplemental programs

Amplify professional development provides learning experiences that intentionally develop the knowledge and skills you need for effective and self-sustaining implementation.

Learn and apply effective instructional techniques and develop a deeper understanding of your Amplify supplemental program(s) by investing in professional development (PD).

Amplify professional development has been vetted by Rivet Education’s team through a rigorous three-step process and is listed in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.

Contact us
A group of adults using computers in a classroom, next to illustrations of a robot holding a tablet and a cartoon mouse making a peace sign.

About Amplify PD

Take a systematic approach to drive lasting change. Partner with us to create a learning plan that enhances implementation, instruction, and student impact.

Amplify’s professional development ensures successful, sustained implementation through strategically bundled packages that provide continuous support adapting to your educators’ evolving needs.

Session types

Our supplemental sessions include:

LAUNCH STRENGTHEN  
Beginning of the year Mid-year, end of the year  
Three people work together at a computer in a classroom; one woman points at the monitor while the others watch attentively.
Two people sit at a table reviewing documents together against a yellow background. An icon of a barbell is displayed in the top left corner.
 
Introduce programs and support implementation. Target specific instructional practices.  
Before teaching
 After 6+ weeks of teaching
  

Amplify supplemental programs

Providing students with personalized targeted instruction and practice, Amplify’s digital intervention and supplemental programs empower teachers with tools to enhance the teacher-student relationship, making it more informed and responsive.

Learn how to get the most out of your supplemental program(s) through Amplify’s PD.

  • Boost Reading is a K–5 digital intervention program that helps students close literacy gaps through adaptive instruction based on the Science of Reading. Built for Multi-Tiered System of Supports frameworks, it delivers differentiated skill development across every tier, providing targeted, student-led practice alongside growth reporting that empowers teachers to intervene where support is needed most.
  • Boost Lectura is a K–2 digital intervention program that delivers differentiated instruction in foundational Spanish literacy skills. Built on the Science of Reading, Boost Lectura uses riveting storylines and an adaptive curriculum to engage students in powerful, targeted digital reading instruction.
  • Boost Close Reading is a differentiated reading program for grades 6–8 that helps students acquire the close reading skills needed to read and understand complex texts. Students build their skills as they journey through the dystopian world of “The Last Readers,” making progress by practicing critical reading through guided instruction and text-dependent questions that prepare them for the challenges they will face on assessments.
  • Boost Math™ drives tiered intervention and practice for grades K–8 by using assessment data to place students into targeted learning pathways. Through a research-backed mix of personalized learning, teacher-led small groups, and student-led practice aligned to core instruction, Boost Math turns assessment into action.

Whatever your unique needs this school year, you’ll find professional development offerings that will help you meet them. Find out more below!

Boost Reading and Boost Lectura

Launch sessions

Propel your teachers into the new school year with sessions that introduce them to their Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.

Boost Reading, Boost Lectura, Boost Close Reading On-site or virtual
2 hr.
 Online course
Self-paced
Getting started for teachers  
Getting started for leaders  
Getting started for teachers  
Getting started for leaders  
Boost Math
Boost Math is powered by mCLASS Math data. For Boost Math users, the recommended Launch session is an on-site or virtual three-hour mCLASS Math Program overview.

Getting started for teachers

On-site or virtual, 2 hours

Learn the essentials of your Boost program(s), including program structure and navigation, and leave ready for a strong implementation.

Session options: Boost Reading, Boost Lectura, Boost Close Reading, Boost Math

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Language: The Boost Reading and Boost Close Reading sessions are facilitated in English. The Boost Lectura session can be facilitated in English or Spanish.

Getting started for leaders

On-site or virtual, 2 hours

Prepare to support effective program implementation and leave ready to leverage Admin Reports to accelerate student outcomes.

Session options: Boost Reading

Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)

Getting started for teachers

Online course, self-paced

Learn the essentials of your Boost program(s), including program structure and navigation, and prepare to implement the program through this on-demand course.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat in the course, which takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Session options: Boost Reading, Boost Lectura, Boost Close Reading

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)

Language: All online courses are presented in English.

Getting started for leaders

Online course, self-paced

Prepare to support effective program implementation and learn how to leverage Admin Reports to accelerate student outcomes through this on-demand course.

Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat in the course, which takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.

Session options: Boost Reading

Audience: Leaders (individual seat)

Available July 2026

Begin: mCLASS Math: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers

Available for grades 6–8 teachers July 2026

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Math assessment program to learn how these assessments both highlight students’ strengths and help identify what’s next through an asset-based approach. Leave ready to administer assessments and understand reporting.

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Strengthen sessions

Strengthen your Amplify implementation with a program-specific session that supports personalized learning and practice in your classrooms.

Boost Reading, Boost Close Reading Virtual, 1 hr.
Maximizing data for teachers
Boost Math On-site or virtual, 3 hr.
mCLASS Math and Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for K–5 teachers

*Supplemental Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after participants have at least six weeks of student data to enable participants to work with their own data.

Focus Strengthen: Maximizing data for teachers

Virtual, 1 hour

Learn how to leverage the Boost teacher dashboard to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.

Session options: Boost Reading, Boost Close Reading

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

New session

mCLASS Math + Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for K–5 teachers

On-site or virtual, 3 hours

Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.

Session options: For users of both mCLASS Math and Boost Math programs

Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)

Additional supplemental programs and PD

Additional sessions are also available for Boost Reading+.

To learn more about enhancing your Amplify experience by purchasing additional supplemental programs and/or accompanying PD sessions, contact your account executive.

Get in touch with a PD expert.

Amplify Classroom and Polypad free and commercial use guidelines

If you’d like to use Amplify’s tools or content in your work, please review these guidelines to determine if your specific use is allowed and whether you need to submit a request for approval.

Overview

Amplify Classroom offers free prebuilt interactive and print-based lessons, interactive lesson-building tools, and Polypad virtual manipulatives. See amplify.com/classroom and polypad.amplify.com for more information.

Amplify Classroom features:

  • Activity Builder (labeled “Custom Activities” in the platform): This content-creating and publishing tool enables educators to create their own interactive lessons and edit existing lessons.
  • Polypad virtual manipulatives: These virtual manipulatives allow teachers and students to explore concepts, express their creativity, and visualize their thinking. Polypad virtual manipulatives can be embedded directly into lessons via Activity Builder or used as a stand-alone, dynamic workspace.
  • Computation Layer: This feature enables educators to further customize lessons created with Activity Builder. Computation Layer is the code that allows components within the lessons to “talk” to one another, enabling users to connect representations; customize content; and provide dynamic, interpretive feedback. Computation Layer is accessible through Activity Builder.

Amplify Classroom includes activities and lessons across many subjects, created by the thousands of educators on our platform. Content created by Amplify is tagged “By Amplify,” “By Amplify Classroom,” or “By Desmos Classroom.”

Amplify also publishes paid core curriculum programs, including Amplify Desmos Math, Amplify Science, Amplify CKLA, Amplify Caminos, and Amplify ELA. These products can be reviewed and purchased by schools or districts interested in comprehensive resources aligned to standards and designed to motivate students. Some of the lessons that are free to use on Amplify Classroom (labeled Try It! lessons) are also part of these paid products. Learn more about our products and request a sample.

Amplify Classroom tools and content (other than paid products) are free for personal, educational, and non-commercial use, subject to our Acceptable Use Policy and Usage Guidelines. These guidelines also permit certain commercial uses. You generally don’t need to submit a request to use our free tools and resources for the permitted purposes covered in these guidelines. As long as you are following our Acceptable Use Policy and Usage Guidelines, as well as making appropriate Attributions and Disclaimers, you are permitted to move forward with your project. To make sure your use is permitted, please read these guidelines thoroughly and in their entirety. If you would like to explore a license for a use not permitted here, please submit this form.

Amplify does not own but partners with Desmos Studio, the maker of a suite of free math tools, including a graphing calculator used by over 75 million people around the world. (See desmos.com for more information.) Please contact Desmos Studio for information on using their content or tools.

Usage guidelines

Please adhere to the following guidelines for using Amplify Classroom tools and content in each of the scenarios set out below. You are required to follow our General Guidelines and Attribution requirements below when making permitted uses. You are responsible for clearing any third party marks and content you use in your applications or publications.

Uses labeled “PERMITTED USES” do not require permission, and you do not need to tell us about them—but we do appreciate hearing from you! Feel free to fill out this form to tell us about how you are using our tools and materials, and the ways in which you are finding them useful.

Uses labeled “CONTACT US” do require permission. If you are interested in such use, please submit this form, and someone from our team will endeavor to follow up with you as soon as possible.

Teaching and education services

This section provides guidelines on using Amplify Classroom for teaching and education services.

PERMITTED USES A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Educators creating, modifying (where permitted), and using Amplify Classroom content for classroom teaching in a school
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Public school districts, charter schools, and networks creating, modifying (where permitted) and using Amplify Classroom content for classroom teaching
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Private tutors creating or using Amplify Classroom content in 1:1 or small-group tutoring sessions
CONTACT US A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. For-profit school or network of schools implementing Amplify Classroom for the school or network
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Education publishers and EdTech organizations (whether for profit or non-profit) using or linking to Amplify Classroom content and tools
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Any organizations or individuals embedding the teaching and learning experience from the Amplify Classroom lessons in their websites or applications (except API/iFrames Polypad integrations permitted below)
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Educators or other individuals authoring lessons for commercial purposes (e.g., to sell on Teachers Pay Teachers and similar websites)
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. School districts, states, education publishers or technology providers, educators or any other individual or organization (whether for profit or non-profit) using Amplify Classroom content or platform to create paid curricula, educational courses, assessments, or any materials or curricula for submission for a state adoption list; or for offering, marketing, or sale to any schools or educational agencies or organizations, in or outside of the U.S.
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Instructional/tutoring organizations (whether for profit or non-profit), seeking to use Amplify Classroom for its tutors or instructors

Print and presentations

This section provides guidelines on including content from Amplify Classroom, such as portions of free lessons or images generated using our tools, in printed materials or presentations.

PERMITTED USES A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Books, including textbooks, up to two thousand copies
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.)
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Business documents such as company reports, proposals, presentations, etc.
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Academic publications, research papers, Ph.D. theses, and portfolios
  A green checkmark symbol on a light background. Conferences, presentations and accompanying slides
CONTACT US A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Books, more than two thousand copies, or as cover art for a book
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. As content within platforms, mobile and tablet applications, PDFs, ebooks, multimedia materials, or other digital resources or products
  A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background. Consumer and retail goods or packaging (e.g., shirts, beach towels, shower curtains, mugs, posters, stationery)

Web and apps

This section provides guidelines for embedding Amplify Classroom tools into your platform.

PERMITTED USESA green checkmark symbol on a light background.Individuals and schools embedding Polypad in their materials for instructional use are permitted to do so; for integration options, see below.
 A green checkmark symbol on a light background.Organizations (whether for profit or non-profit) offering paid services embedding Polypad with <10k requests per year
CONTACT USA large red "X" symbol on a light gray background.Organizations (whether for profit or non-profit) offering paid services embedding Polypad with >10k requests per year
 A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background.Individuals or organizations looking to embed Activity Builder/Computation Layer in their applications
 A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background.Individuals or organizations looking to embed Amplify Classroom tools in larger applications, more complex integrations, white-labeling, or hosting Amplify’s JS files on their own infrastructure
 A large red "X" symbol on a light gray background.Polypad links, screenshots, iFrames, or API uses behind a paywall

Polypad integration options

There are two integration options for using Polypad within your own applications, including:

  • Using iFrames hosted by Amplify.
  • As a white-labeled JavaScript API that can be self-hosted and embedded in other websites or apps.

Developers can customize the features and behavior through numerous options and event listeners, and interact with the canvas programmatically to build custom functionality.

Visit the Polypad API page to learn more about Polypad API license terms and to generate API Key.

General guidelines

Copyright fair use

Your use of our content may be acceptable under principles of fair use (or other similar concepts in other countries). Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, and scholarly reports.

Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use depends on a number of factors. For more information see resources from the U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 21, Reproductions of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians, and Fair Use Index. Amplify can’t tell you if your use of this content would be fair use, so you may wish to obtain your own legal advice.

Use of trademarks

Our trademarks are valuable assets of Amplify and its licensors, and we want to ensure our users and partners use them correctly. These trademarks include the Amplify word mark and logo, Polypad word mark, Core Knowledge Foundation word mark and logo, the Lawrence Hall of Science word mark and logo, and the Desmos and Amplify Classroom word marks and logos.

Logos

Our logos can only be used if you have an existing partnership, and you’ve reached out to your Amplify contact to secure formal approval from Amplify’s brand team.

Logos must never be used in a way that implies an endorsement or affiliation with Amplify where such a relationship does not exist.

Please contact media@amplify.com if you need to use an Amplify or Amplify Classroom logo.

Please contact Desmos Studio for Desmos Studio branding guidelines and licensing.

Use of product names and features

If making a use permitted under these guidelines or approved by Amplify, you may use the Amplify name or one of our product names or features in plain text to indicate that your product or service integrates with, or relates to, an Amplify product or service.

However, all references must be honest and accurate, and you can’t incorporate these names into your own name or imply an endorsement by Amplify or any of its licensors.

REQUIREDA green checkmark symbol on a light background.Use the complete name “Amplify Classroom” when referencing the platform.
 A green checkmark symbol on a light background.Use “Amplify Classroom lessons” when talking about specific lessons authored in the Amplify Classroom platform.
 A green checkmark symbol on a light background.Use “Teacher-created Amplify Classroom lessons” or “[Company name]-authored Amplify Classroom lessons” when talking about a lesson that has been authored by anyone other than Amplify personnel.
 A green checkmark symbol on a light background.Include required attribution and disclaimers.
PROHIBITEDA large red "X" symbol on a light gray background.Do not imply an endorsement or affiliation with Amplify where such a relationship does not exist.

Attribution and disclaimers

You are required to include a link to the homepage of Amplify Classroom (amplify.com/classroom) and a prominent disclaimer of affiliation when making permissible uses described above in at least one place in your materials, preferably the cover page or landing page.

Visit Amplify Classroom for free lessons, lesson-building tools, and Polypad virtual manipulatives at amplify.com/classroom. This content is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Amplify or any of its licensors. Amplify®, Amplify Classroom™, and related trademarks are the property of Amplify Education, Inc.

If your current attribution language refers to Desmos Classroom, please update the attribution to “Amplify Classroom” instead of “Desmos Classroom.”

Contact us

Amplify Classroom and Polypad usage inquiry form for uses labeled “Contact Us”

Thank you for your interest in using Amplify Classroom and/or Polypad. If your intended use falls into one of the categories labeled “Contact us,” please fill out this form, so we can determine the appropriate permissions or licenses:

Country(Required)
Agreement and Next Steps(Required)

Amplify Classroom and Polypad usage inquiry form for uses labeled “Permitted”

Thank you for your interest in using Amplify Classroom and/or Polypad. If your intended use falls under the “Permitted” categories outlined in our use guidelines, please let us know by filling out the form below. This helps us understand how our tools are being used.

Note: If your intended use falls under one of the “CONTACT US” categories outlined in our use guidelines, please fill out this form.

Amplify Classroom and Polypad Permitted Use Form

Amplify CKLA usage & branding guidelines

Welcome to Amplify’s guidelines on using CKLA materials both under its Open Education Resource (OER) license (CC BY-NC-SA) and Amplify’s license to school districts. These guidelines apply to all variants of the CKLA program, including those not authored by Amplify. These guidelines address the following programs:

  • Amplify CKLA
  • Amplify Texas ELAR/SLAR
  • TEA’s K-5 RLA Literacy / SLAR program
  • TEA’s Bluebonnet Learning K-5 Reading Language Arts
  • CKF Core Knowledge Language Arts

Amplify is committed to supporting educators in using CKLA resources to enhance classroom learning while protecting the integrity of the CKLA program and Amplify’s exclusive rights.

Our goal is to encourage impactful, efficacious use of the program while providing clear guidelines on permissible and prohibited uses.

1. Amplify’s license and what it means

Amplify partnered with the Core Knowledge Foundation (CKF) to develop the Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum. You can learn more about this program and Amplify’s partnership with CKF here.

Amplify holds the exclusive commercial license to all CKLA content. In more than a decade of partnership, we have worked with CKF to enhance and supplement the program, now in its third edition nationally. Amplify licenses Amplify CKLA and Amplify ELAR/SLAR Texas to school districts, along with a full suite of assessment, intervention, and supplemental products, as well as professional development and coaching services. Learn more here.

As the exclusive commercial partner for CKLA, Amplify is the only organization permitted to use the materials commercially.

If your organization purchases CKLA materials from Amplify, you get the customary usage rights for those purchased materials specified in Amplify’s Customer Terms & Conditions.

2. Open Non-Commercial license

Some versions of the CKLA program are available under a Creative Commons NonCommercial license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This includes Amplify Texas ELAR/SLAR, TEA’s K–5 RLA Literacy / SLAR program, TEA’s Bluebonnet Learning K–5 Reading Language Arts and CKF Core Knowledge Language Arts.

CC BY-NC-SA is the OER license for these materials. The license allows users to share and adapt the materials, as long you follow these terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
  • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
  • ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under this same CC BY-NC-SA license.

Below we explain how Amplify and CKF apply these terms to common situations — which uses are permitted under the licenses, and which uses are prohibited or require a special permission or commercial arrangement.

Materials licensed under Creative Commons licenses are known as Open Education Resources (OER), and Amplify is proud to have been one of the earliest champions of OER materials in K-12. We believe that OER materials enable a widespread adoption of high quality materials and innovative adaptations by educators for their classrooms, alongside commercial versions that include a full suite of supports.

3. Permitted uses of CKLA content

In these guidelines, when we say “CKLA Content”, we are referring to all versions of the program that was based on the original content from CKF, both those under OER licenses and commercially licensed. Many uses by educators are permissible under either the commercial or OER license. The only difference is that your rights under the commercial license only last as long as that license is maintained by your school or district.

Amplify encourages educators to leverage CKLA Content to foster innovative and effective learning experiences. Below are uses that are permitted without any additional license, as long as you follow attribution guidelines and share-alike requirements.

Classroom Activities and Custom Materials. Educators may create supplementary activities, worksheets, lesson plans, and projects based on the CKLA Content for use within their classroom or school. For these purposes, educators may incorporate portions of the CKLA Content.

Sharing and Selling Materials based on CKLA Content. Educators may also share classroom activities and custom materials with other educators, including by selling the materials on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers. However, if these materials are sold, they may not include CKLA Content.

For any materials you create, you are required to follow our attribution and disclaimer guidelines below.

If you are unsure whether your planned use qualifies as “non-commercial” or is otherwise permitted by Amplify please reach out to us directly.

4. Restricted uses of CKLA program content

To protect the CKLA program’s value and respect Amplify’s exclusive commercial rights, certain uses of the CKLA content are prohibited without first obtaining a commercial license. Amplify reserves the right to enforce these restrictions to protect our rights.

No third party may embed, republish, or incorporate any portion of the CKLA content in products or services intended for sale, licensing, or other commercial purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include embedding CKLA content as a part of digital platforms, apps, or resources marketed to educators or the public, as well as using the content as an input or training data for such products.

This prohibition applies to all types of individuals and organizations (both for-profit and non-profit), and applies to both paid and free uses.

See “Commercial License and Partnerships” below for information on commercial arrangements.

4. Commercial licenses and partnerships

For those interested in using CKLA content in a way that may be commercial, Amplify offers various licensing options. These negotiated licenses allow approved partners to use the CKLA content within their commercial products under specific terms and conditions.

To inquire about a commercial license or discuss a partnership opportunity, please contact our partnerships team at partnerships@amplify.com.

5. Attribution and branding guidelines

Our trademarks are valuable assets of Amplify and its licensors, and we want to ensure our users and partners use them correctly. These trademarks include the Amplify, Core Knowledge Language Arts, and CKLA word marks and logos.
These marks and logos may only be used if you have an existing partnership with us, and you’ve reached out to Amplify to secure our approval to use them.

If you are creating materials based on CKLA Content in accordance with the guidelines above, you are required to include the following attribution in a reasonably perceptible location on each copy of those materials:

“These materials are based on Amplify CKLA but are not affiliated with, sponsored by, reviewed, approved, or endorsed by Amplify Education, Inc. or the Core Knowledge Foundation. ‘Amplify’, ‘CKLA’ and other marks are the property of Amplify Education, Inc. and its licensors.”

Why these guidelines matter

Amplify’s goal is to support educational access to high-quality curriculum resources while protecting the intellectual property and integrity of the CKLA program. By adhering to these guidelines, you help ensure that CKLA remains an accessible and respected resource for educators while supporting its continued improvement.

For additional questions on using the program, or if you need further clarification on any of these points, please contact us.

Boost Reading

  • Boost Reading (K–5) is available for purchase!
  • Boost Lectura (K–2) is available for purchase! Learn more here.

We are excited to share a fun Boost Reading resource that teachers can use to creatively connect with their students, while motivating them to increase their weekly Boost Reading usage. These Digital Classroom Assets have been loaded onto a Powerpoint, so that the images and slides can be used in many and varied ways to support remote instruction.

Share this Boost Reading Log to your students and they can keep track of their weekly BR time. Tip: If families have access to a printer, they can print out the file for daily use at home. Put scotch tape over the area for the date and minutes and make it a wipe-off surface! Sample photo.

Looking for ways to motivate your students? We’ve created resources to support remote engagement with Boost Reading Fun. Digital downloads below.

Click here to go back to the LAUSD homepage.

A person in a red hooded outfit sits near skyscrapers at night, looking at a digital billboard displaying a

Boost Reading

What is Boost Reading?

  • An integrated solution that leverages your DIBELS data to place students in the right learning progression for their skills.
  • A supplemental digital curriculum that teaches literacy skills through a captivating game world.
  • An adaptive, research-based program that immerses students in language, decoding, and comprehension and differentiates instruction based on student progress.

Boost Reading Reporting Guide

A comprehensive new resource is now available for you and your teachers. This Boost Reading Reporting Guide will help you navigate through all of the progress data that is available on the Teacher Dashboard and in Administrator Reports.

Implementation Resources

Boost Reading (K-2) is available for all schools! When your students are not learning from you, they can continue to learn on their own. And the more your kids are on it, the better they do in reading.

This year, we have made it easier than ever for teachers and students. Students do not have to wait to be assessed on DIBELS to be placed into the program.

When a student uses Boost Reading for the first time, the program determines the initial level of content they will see, based on their unique learning needs.

Students are placed into the adaptive learning map by using their most recent supported assessment data or by taking an alternate placement activity provided by the Boost program.

Once they are assessed in DIBELS, the program will automatically adjust based on that data and will give them the skills they need practice in. Teachers and students are able to directly connect to Boost Reading from the Amplify app within Schoology using their SSO. (Teachers no longer need a class login or QR code for their students.) Teachers and administrators have additional reporting features on the Boost Reading dashboard to support the progress of students.

1. Log into Schoology at lms.lausd.net.

2. Locate Amplify app and find Amplify’s Educator Home page.

3. Click into and directly connect to Boost Reading. (No additional login required.)

Administrators

Teachers

Parents/Caregivers

Additional Resources

Boost Reading Fun Pack

Amplify Science

Amplify Science is Chicago Public Schools’ recommended K–8 core science instructional material. Looking for support ordering? Contact ScienceCPS@amplify.com or (855) 559-5757.

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

Learn more about the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Looking for pricing or ordering support? Email scienceCPS@amplify.com or call (855) 559-5757.

What sets Amplify Science apart?

  • Authored by the industry-leading science curriculum team at U.C. Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, who have 50 years of experience in K–12 science education and who will continue to enhance and update the program for years to come
  • New curriculum built to meet 100% of the Next Generation Science Standards
  • State-of-the-art, highly engaging curriculum that invites students to take on the role of a scientist or engineer in every unit to solve relevant real-world problems
  • Flexible, truly blended program that combines comprehensive print components and compelling online content with hands-on learning in every unit
  • Robust teacher support for ease of use by a wide range of teachers in diverse classroom contexts, with carefully crafted lessons, standards alignment, differentiation strategies, and ELL supports throughout the program
  • Embedded assessments throughout the program, including both formative and summative assessments for every grade level

Grades K–5 overview

Each unit focuses on a specific learning goal in the form of an overarching unit question. Rather than following linear steps in an experiment, the program leaves room for students to make connections across concepts and make their own discoveries. In this way, Amplify Science replicates the realities and ambiguities of scientific research and thinking.

Learn more about the program structure
Download the K–5 unit sequence
NGSS correlations
Hear from K–5 teachers

Amplify Science blends physical materials with a suite of digital tools, presenting students with the resources they need to investigate real-world problems, and empowering and supporting teachers as they lead instruction and gain insight into student growth and progress.

  • Student Investigation Notebooks for every unit allow students to interact with content while taking notes, answering questions, and conducting investigations. Review a sample from the Grade 2 Plant and Animal Relationships unit.
  • Student Books enhance science topics and allow students to practice reading within the science content area.
  • Instructional materials for teachers. The Amplify Science curriculum website hosts all lesson content, media, digital simulations, and more, and is the primary tool “open” for teachers during class time. You can view complete unit samples by accessing the curriculum at the bottom of this page.
  • Robust digital simulations (grades 4–5) and digital applications, developed exclusively for the Amplify Science program. Supported devices include: iPad 3+, Chromebook, Windows PC, and MacBook.
  • Unit kits for each unit in the program including consumable and nonconsumable hands-on materials, printed classroom display materials, and the students books.
  • Embedded formative and summative assessments are meant to support and guide student instruction.

View an on-demand webinar.

Grades 6–8 overview

Each unit focuses on a specific learning goal in the form of an overarching unit question. Rather than following linear steps in an experiment, the program leaves room for students to make connections across concepts and make their own discoveries. In this way, Amplify Science replicates the realities and ambiguities of scientific research and thinking.

Beginning in school year 2018-19, Chicago Public Schools recommends that schools follow the integrated scope and sequence for middle school science. The decision to shift from discipline-specific to integrated science was informed by a group of 30 CPS middle school science teachers who served on an Advisory Team during school year 2017-18 as well as guidance from other state and national committees with expertise in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards. Amplify’s 6–8 curriculum and CPS’ 2018-19 REACH Performance Tasks align to the integrated scope and sequence.

Learn about the program structure
Download the 6–8 unit sequence
NGSS correlations
Learn about the flexible, blended program

Amplify Science blends physical materials with a suite of digital tools, presenting students with the resources they need to investigate real-world problems, and empowering and supporting teachers as they lead instruction and gain insight into student growth and progress.

  • Student Investigation Notebooks for every unit allow students to interact with content while taking notes, answering questions, and conducting investigations. Review a sample from Metabolism.
  • Instructional materials for teachers. The Amplify Science curriculum website hosts all lesson content, media, digital simulations, and more, and is the primary tool “open” for teachers during class time. You can view complete unit samples by accessing the curriculum at the bottom of this page.
  • Robust digital simulations and digital applications, developed exclusively for the Amplify Science program. Supported devices include: iPad 3+, Chromebook, Windows PC, and MacBook.
  • Unit kits for each unit in the program including consumable and nonconsumable hands-on materials, and printed classroom display materials.
  • Embedded formative and summative assessments are meant to support and guide student instruction.

View an on-demand webinar.

Science and literacy

The Amplify Science program capitalizes on the wealth of opportunities provided by science to learn about the world via reading and writing, and on the strong link between science and literacy practices. It is a core science program designed for three-dimensional learning and can also be considered a supplementary literacy program because it addresses the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) related to disciplinary literacy.

Through its integration of literacy practices authentic to science, Amplify Science addresses the ELA Anchor Standards as well as the standards for Reading Informational Text, Writing, Listening/Speaking, and Language that are related to acquiring and using academic vocabulary. (Less discipline-specific reading standards, such as the “Reading: Foundational Skills” and “Reading: Literature,” fall outside the purview of the Amplify Science program. Please see each unit’s Overview of Standards and Goals for a list of which Common Core ELA standards are addressed in the program.)

The focus of literacy instruction in Amplify Science is on increasing students’ facility with reading informational text, engaging in scientific discussions, and writing scientific explanations and arguments. The program takes into account the specific needs of young students as they are learning to read, write, and discuss science concepts, but does not take full responsibility for teaching basic skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, or writing mechanics.

Learn more

Access and equity

Diversity in the science and engineering classroom is an asset. It offers countless opportunities for creativity and innovation and opens the door to multiple perspectives and cross-cultural understanding. Historically, however, certain groups of students — including ethnically diverse students, English learners, standard English learners, students with disabilities, girls and young women, foster children and youth, and students experiencing poverty — have not had equitable opportunities for intellectually stimulating, language-rich, and culturally relevant science and engineering education. The vision of the new standards is “all standards, all students.” Amplify Science is designed to fulfill this vision by providing quality and supportive materials for teachers so that every student — regardless of their background, where they live, the language they speak at home, or their learning characteristics — has access to and benefits from deep and engaging science and engineering learning opportunities. Two overarching conceptual frameworks informed Amplify Science’s approach to ensuring access and equity for all students: Universal Design for Learning and Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching.

Learn more

Start your review

Amplify Science is not a textbook. Each lesson in the program consists of a sequence of activities that engage students with a variety of materials, including scientific texts, hands-on materials, digital simulations, engaging media, formative and summative assessments, and so much more. Learn more about the grades K–8 program by reviewing the following pages:

Looking for support ordering?
ScienceCPS@amplify.com
(855) 559-5757

Winter Professional Learning Schedule for Chicago Public Schools

Ready to look inside Amplify Science?

Found in translation–the power of cross-linguistic transfer

¿Verdadero o falso? You must be bilingual to support emergent bilingual students in their literacy development.

¡Falso!

An essential component of supporting emergent bilinguals in developing literacy is understanding cross-linguistic transfer (CLT): when emergent bilinguals use knowledge of one language to support learning another.

Educators do not need to be fluent in both languages to identify—and teach—which elements of one transfer to the other.

“Teachers should not feel discouraged in supporting their students who are Spanish-speaking, because there are ways that they can still support cross-linguistic transfer without actually speaking the language,” says Amplify senior PD strategist in biliteracy Lauren Birner.

But CLT doesn’t just happen—it requires explicit instruction. So we do need to ensure that this takes place if we want to support equity in education, especially in early childhood education.

How can educators bring the power of CLT into instruction? And support equity and excellence in education?

Making connections: The impact of CLT

Our recent webinar Making Connections: The Importance of Cross-Linguistic Transfer in Biliteracy Instruction—led by Lauren Birner and Amplify’s Kajal Patel Below—explored answers to these questions.

In the webinar, Birner and Patel Below describe similarities and differences between English and Spanish, discuss how those similarities and differences can impact instruction, and explain why CLT helps English learners leverage skills from both languages to build their biliteracy.

They also underscore why it matters—namely, that it’s about supporting equity in early childhood education and beyond.

More than 15% of our K–3 students in this country are emergent bilinguals, and we have a responsibility to help them cultivate and expand that superpower.

—Kajal Patel

The Simple View of Reading and biliteracy

The idea behind the Simple View of Reading is that the combination of language comprehension and word recognition is what leads students to gain meaning from text. If either language comprehension skills or word recognition skills are lacking, students cannot become skilled readers, and this is true in both English and Spanish.

“Research shows that when teachers explicitly teach students what transfers from one language to the other,” says Patel Below, “students are able to devote more cognitive processing time toward the more complex orthography and morphology systems of English that require more time than the more transparent systems of Spanish.”

Birner had this to add: “While components of these domains might overlap, it can be helpful to think of them individually, and how they’ll impact language and literacy development.”

So let’s take a look at the areas of language where we can leverage cross-linguistic transfer.

  1. Phonetics and phonology: 92% of all of the sounds in English and Spanish have a direct correlation. That means that teachers can focus explicit instruction only on the remaining 8% of sounds—such as the rolled r in Spanish. Meanwhile, we can also encourage them to be language detectives and recognize where the languages do connect and how they can use their skills in one to understand the other. That approach, says Birner, “will not only save valuable time and energy, but it’ll also help [educators] recognize bilingualism as an asset for all of our students.”
  2. Morphology: Students can explore cognates like hospital/hospital and celebration/celebración, while also exploring similarities and differences in pronunciation. “Whether or not they are Spanish-speaking, teachers can look to cross-linguistic transfer guidance and start to recognize things, the prefixes and suffixes that are similar across the two languages,” says Birner.
  3. Syntax and grammar: Spanish and English do have rules and structures that differ from each other, in the areas of word order, gender, conjugation, and possession. As students progress in learning these distinctions, teachers can seize opportunities for explicit instruction. For example, let’s say a student constructs the sentence: “The flower of Ana is pretty.” This is not an error, but an approximation “to be celebrated.” Birner says. “It’s a comprehensible sentence in English that just needs a minor adjustment. We can use this type of sentence as an opportunity to provide explicit instruction on possessives.”
  4. Semantics: Semantics is the study of word meaning and is critical for language learners. Exploring idioms, homonyms and homophones, and other nuances of usage across language can give students the chance to build from similarities and identify differences. “You might do something like hang a chart of idiomatic phrases in each language,” says Birner. “Looking at both languages side by side is a really great way to support your students in learning a second language.”
  5. Pragmatics: Pragmatics encompass the ways people communicate that are nuanced or unsaid. They’re often rooted in cultural norms, which include both physical norms (looking someone in the eye when speaking) and social norms (using euphemisms). “Providing students with explicit instruction on how communicating may differ from culture to culture and situation to situation can help avoid misunderstandings,” says Birner. “It’s also a great way to allow students to see the world in perspective.”

More to explore

Amplify’s biliteracy programs, rooted in the Science of Reading, can help all educators engage with multilingual learners and make the most of cross-linguistic transfer and dual language education. Here are some additional resources for you:

Biliteracy principles, as shared by biliteracy experts (students!)

Our biliteracy video playlist

”The Importance of Dual Language Assessment in Early Literacy” (white paper)

The Importance of Dual Language Assessment in Early Literacy (infographic)

Principles of Biliteracy + the Science of Reading

The Science of Reading

Amplify Desmos Math for the Archdiocese of Miami

Welcome Catholic school educators, 

Amplify Desmos Math thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each math lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

What is Amplify Desmos Math?

Amplify Desmos Math supports teachers in building students’ lifelong math proficiency. The program:

  • Supports social classrooms, invites mathematical creativity, and evokes wonder, creating a welcoming learning space where students are empowered to see themselves and their classmates as having brilliant mathematical ideas.
  • Provides teachers with clear, step-by-step moves to build systematically from students’ prior knowledge to grade-level learning.
  • Connects students to each other’s thinking and to an understanding that they can use math to make sense of the world.
  • Enables access to grade-level understanding for every student, every day.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds throughout core instruction and targeted intervention when needed.

Ready to Explore?

Ready to explore as a teacher? Follow these instructions:

Ready to explore as a student? Follow these instructions:

Educational software interface featuring a New York math problem about measuring platform heights using a 9-inch tube, illustrated with a playful, colorful design.

Experience Amplify Desmos Math

Click the links below to explore our interactive digital lessons, where you’ll also find print Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for each lesson.

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download our Grades K–5 and Grades 6–Algebra 1 program guides.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components with a lesson walkthrough video.

A teacher using her finger to count, showing the number two to a young student with illustrated fruits like apples, pears, and blueberries above them in a New York math classroom.

Grade K lessons

A cartoon of a worried young woman sitting cross-legged on a sofa, holding a laptop with thought bubbles showing "New York Math" books and a color palette.

Grade 1 lessons

A person with long blond hair and a red dress points at a screen with addition and subtraction symbols, tally marks labeled "A" and "B," reminiscent of the engaging methods used in Amplify Desmos Math New York.

Grade 2 lessons

Illustration of five children, including one in a wheelchair, seated on chairs, engaging in a classroom activity. A girl raises her hand while a speech bubble shows drawings of hands and numbers, amplifying New York math lessons.

Grade 3 lessons

A woman with glasses teaches New York math using a colorful chart, surrounded by geometric shapes in a classroom setting.

Grade 4 lessons

Illustration of two people whispering, with abstract backgrounds depicting a box with a question mark and pallets on shelves, emphasizing "amplify desmos math" concepts.

Grade 5 lessons

Three animated raccoons on a seesaw in a park at night, with a purple tent and a weight scale showing 21 lbs under a yellow moon and the New York skyline.

Grade 6 lessons

Illustration of a number line from -25 to 5, featuring a sheep and a unicorn on opposite ends, set against a backdrop of grass, water, and sky, crafted for Amplify Des

Grade 7 lessons

Four colorful cartoon robots of various shapes and sizes standing in front of a large blank whiteboard with a New York math graph.

Grade 8 lessons

Illustration of a snail on top of a brick wall, measuring 28mm with a ruler, beside a rising moon and a New York math leaf.

Algebra 1 lessons

Personalized learning and support

Amplify Desmos Math includes digital, adaptive practice that provides the personalized support a student needs to access grade-level math every day. Personalized Learning activities target a skill or concept aligned to the day’s core lesson, with each student receiving personalized scaffolds based on what they already know. This technology complements daily learning and provides another layer of support to the in-lesson differentiation and instructional guidance provided to teachers. Click here to try a Boost Personalized Learning activity. More activities coming soon!

The Fluency Practice of Amplify Desmos Math uses an evidence-based approach to memory retention—spaced repetition—for the basic operations. Students around the world have answered more than 120 million multiplication questions within our application. Try it now! 

Educational software on a laptop screen showing a student activity to complete a bar graph by categorizing dragonflies, designed for the New York math curriculum.

Contact us

Support is always available. Our team is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Contact your dedicated Florida representative here for program access, samples, and additional information.

A smiling man with short hair wears a green polo shirt against a plain background, exuding the kind of confidence that comes from teaching an inspiring math lesson.

Jeff Rutter

Field Manager
Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
jrutter@amplify.com
(727) 407-5801

A smiling person with long blonde hair wears a textured blue top against a plain background, embodying the essence of personalized learning.

Amanda Shelley

Account Executive
Broward County Schools
ashelley@amplify.com
(321)-693-3518

A man with short, dark hair and a full beard smiles confidently. He is wearing a pink patterned shirt and a green jacket, reminiscent of an engaging math lesson. The light gray background subtly complements his dynamic style.

Tom Gantt

District Manager
Miami Resident
tgantt@amplify.com
(305)-546-2979

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math California!

California educators, welcome to math that motivates. Introducing Amplify Desmos Math California, a new, curiosity-driven TK–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency. Each lesson poses problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. Students encounter math problems they are eager to solve; teachers spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

Amplify Desmos Math California is a TK–12 core math program designed to meet the CA Math Framework and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Offered in English and Spanish, Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application through a structured approach to problem-based learning. Through engaging activities, Amplify Desmos Math California invites curiosity and math discourse into the classroom to create lifelong math proficiency.

Please scroll to learn more about the K–8 program and explore sample materials. (TK and high school materials are in development and will be available soon.)

A powerful math suite

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of assessment, problem-based core lessons, personalized practice, and intervention into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

Laptop displaying a math problem interface with student assessment reports in the background.

Assessment

mCLASS benchmark assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but also how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction. In grades 3–8, core assessments and performance tasks are designed to prepare students for success on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math California core lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. With built-in differentiation and Multilingual / English Learner support, Amplify Desmos Math California will allow every student to find success in the math classroom.

An educational game screen with a worm on a log and numbered blocks. Adjacent is a worksheet titled "Finding the Missing Pair" with instructions and incomplete equations.
A digital educational screen showing a math problem about converting meters to centimeters. It involves a diving toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. Text prompts users to input the conversion.

Personalized learning

Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

Intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Two pages of a math workbook displaying exercises on determining coordinates after rotation. The pages include diagrams, tables, and practice problems.
Network diagram with interconnected nodes labeled: Measure and Compare Objects, Represent Data, Dollars and Cents, Problem Solving with Measure, Skip Counting to 100, Number Strategies, Squares in an Array, Seeing Fraction in Shapes.

Big Ideas

The CA Mathematics Framework encourages a shift from power standards to thinking about math as a series of connected Big Ideas. Each Amplify Desmos Math California lesson supports one or more Big Ideas and the connections between Big Ideas. The grade-level diagram changes through the course based on the math concepts being addressed.

Focus, coherence, and rigor

Each lesson highlights why the content being covered is important, how students will engage with the mathematics, and what students will do with the learning. Our lesson opener helps teachers understand the most important concepts of the lesson, and includes the Drivers of Investigation (DI), Content Connections (CC), and Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) that drive learning in each lesson.

An educational slide on addition story problems, detailing goals for solving problems, language goals, and strategies using equal expressions, tens and ones, and number sense.
A screen titled "Match the Score" with a 2D target graph showing various scores. Instructions request four ordered pairs to total 400. Four pairs are listed: (4, 2), (7, 4), (7, 6), (10, 6). A "Try again" button is shown.

Built-in authentic tasks

Mathematics is not learning in isolation. Students are connected to each other’s thinking and can use math to understand the world. With accessible invitations to authentic tasks, all students can experience mathematical success. Amplify Desmos Math California provides these authentic invitations in a variety of ways:

Each unit begins with an “Explore” lesson, which allows students to engage with authentic exploration in low-floor, high-ceiling tasks. These tasks are designed in such a way that all students can access the basic mathematical concepts, but they also offer possibilities for advanced exploration and problem-solving for those ready for more complex work, promoting an inclusive and differentiated learning environment.

Our innovative course-level investigations are designed to facilitate multipart exploration. Students grapple with Big Ideas, diving deep into key concepts that encourage comprehensive understanding. Data science is infused into the approach, equipping students with a strong foundation in interpreting and applying data-driven solutions. The Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) are also a focus of our investigations, enabling students to understand and appreciate the coherence and interrelationship of Earth’s environmental systems.

A focus on multilingual and English learners

Children sitting at desks in a classroom with a large illustrated caterpillar on the wall. Beside them are printed educational materials labeled “Amplify Desmos Math” and “Ying’s Aquarium Story.”.

In building Amplify Desmos Math California, we partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF) to provide guidance on our multilingual/English learner support for teachers. ELSF is a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF’s guiding documents reflect research-based instructional strategies that are critical to curriculum design and were created by researchers, linguists, and practitioners from across the country. ELSF reviewed our materials and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program fully supports multilingual/English learners.

A component of our K–5 curriculum is the engaging unit stories that interweave mathematics with real-life situations and relatable narratives. These unit stories are specifically crafted to inspire curiosity and foster a deep connection between the learner and the math concepts being explored. This unique approach not only makes learning fun and interesting, but also allows our young learners to see themselves in the math.

To help students grow their domain-specific and academic vocabulary, Amplify Desmos Math California provides embedded vocabulary routines, such as prompting teachers to use a Frayer Model. These routines allow students to make connections to new language and offer repeated opportunities to develop and refine language.

Amplify Desmos Math California recognizes the diverse language needs of our students and is designed to be inclusive. Each lesson in the program features a parallel language activity, designed to be available to all students, in the form of teacher guidance and student activities. The activities in the Math Language Development Resource has leveled ELD (Emerging, Expanding, Bridging) differentiation to support all levels of Multilingual and English Learners. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their language skills, can participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Uploaded digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Up to nine languages of translations will be provided for.

Amplify Desmos Math California will include support resources for Spanish-speaking students across TK–Algebra 1/Integrated I beginning in the 20262027 school year.

A computer displays an educational activity about measuring platform heights. A notebook page is layered behind it, with a colorful hamster-themed illustration.

K–5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

Digital educational activity showing a blue backpack illustration with dots, a task to match dots on cards, and printed sheet featuring a similar dot-matching exercise.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Illustration of a bear choosing a path with more mushrooms. Activity book page titled "A Furry Feast" with groups of objects to compare quantities.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

A digital educational activity showing a math problem about leaves on a kalo plant with a related worksheet on plant growth.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Interactive math activity for kids featuring a frog and number line for subtraction problems, asking to find differences to locate bugs.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Two digital worksheets about Theo's aquarium with tasks to estimate animal quantities using draggable graphs and illustrations of fish, frogs, and shrimps.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Educational activity on a screen showing a worm and blocks with numbers. Another page shows an activity titled "Finding the Missing Pair," with numbered options and a video prompt.

Students continue to develop fluency by finding the number that makes 10 by helping a millipede reach its favorite food – a clump of leaves!

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

Math activity screenshot showing a problem to calculate the area of an unpainted wall space with given side lengths in a room diagram.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Activity sheets showing a bar graph and a table for counting animal stickers: 7 rabbits, 5 raccoons, and 2 foxes. Includes instructions for arranging data points on a graph.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

Screenshot of a digital math activity showing a fraction number line task with a log-cutting visual and an instruction page titled "Locating Fractions.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational activity displays a drag-and-drop task to determine platform heights using tube lengths, showing a room scene and instructions on a digital interface.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

Activity worksheet and digital screen showing a panda on a cliff, with instructions about placing a missing bamboo shoot to help it reach the leaf.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Screen showing a student activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a drag-and-drop exercise and an adjacent worksheet labeled "Seeing Prisms.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

6–A1 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Laptop showing a math activity with geometric shapes. Two textbooks titled "Amplify Desmos Math" are displayed above.
An educational document titled "Scope and Sequence" for Grade 6 math, designed in collaboration with Amplify Desmos Math, outlining six units with instructional and optional days for topics such as fractions, integers, and expressions.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of the Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition, showcasing students engaging in various mathematical activities around a balance scale with variables, inspired by New York math educational standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Area; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 1: Units and Measurement; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Solving Equations.

A digital activity showing two model trains on a track with a question about speed. A printed page on the right is titled "Model Trains" with warm-up instructions.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of “Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 6” featuring an illustration of children engaging in various New York math-related activities outdoors.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math" for Grade 6, featuring a 3D pink letter "I" and the text "Intervention and Extension Resources." This New York math edition supports students with comprehensive resources.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A digital illustration of math balancing scales featuring boxes and a fox, alongside a worksheet displaying similar content and activities for learning math concepts.

Students use equations and tape diagrams to represent seesaw situations and to determine unknown animal weights, helping them make connections between diagrams that represent equations of the form `x+p=q` or `px=q`.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A Grade 7 math curriculum outline, featuring units on scale drawings, proportional relationships, measuring circles, rational numbers, operations, equations, angles, area, and probability with sequencing and days allocated. Perfectly aligned with Amplify Desmos Math for New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition Grade 7" featuring an illustration of students engaging in math-related activities with geometric shapes and construction elements against a New York cityscape background.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Scaled Copies; Unit 4, Sub-Unit 1: Percentages as Proportional Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Equations and Tape Diagrams.

Activity page showing a grid for shape creation with an area of 8 square centimeters. Includes shape options and instructions on rotation. A booklet page displays area challenges and warm-up tasks.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 7" showing students engaged in math activities against a cityscape reminiscent of New York, with purple geometric structures and a crane in the background.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade 7 – Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized 3D "I" on a light purple background, ideal for both New York math and national curricula.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Screenshot of an educational website showing a math activity featuring a sheep named Shira. There is a graph and a worksheet on inequalities displayed.

Students solve inequalities with positive and negative coefficients to solve a variety of challenges featuring a fictional sheep who eats grass according to an inequality.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

Grade 8 math curriculum chart featuring 9 units, such as Rigid Transformations and Congruence, with Suggested Instructional days. Each unit outlines instructional days, assessment days, and optional days—complemented by insights from Amplify Desmos Math to enhance your New York math learning experience.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Illustration of children engaging in learning activities outdoors near a large slide. The title "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8 Teacher Edition" is shown at the top, highlighting its relevance to New York math curriculum standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Rigid Transformations; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 2: Linear Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 2: Analyzing Numerical Data.

Image of a digital math activity titled "Line Capture #2" featuring a grid, equations, and instructions. A paper worksheet with graphs and a "Line Zapper" title is displayed alongside.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition for Grade 8, featuring students engaging in various mathematical activities in a stylized outdoor New York setting.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized "I" on a gray background, tailored for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational worksheet on robots, featuring a graph with red, purple, and blue robot icons, and instructions for a warm-up activity.

Students connect points on a scatter plot with individuals in a population and rows of data in a table. The analysis of scatter plots continues with data about the eye distances and heights of robots.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Algebra 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Algebra 1, Teacher Edition" featuring diverse characters engaged in mathematical activities, with a graph and a bridge in the background, illustrating the vibrant energy of New York math.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from two complete sub-units on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Units 1–2: One-Variable Equations and Multi-Variable Equations.

A digital educational interface shows a graph with data points and textual instructions comparing year and breeding pairs. Adjacent is a page discussing penguin populations with charts and illustrations.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition A1, featuring an illustration of diverse characters engaging in New York math activities against a backdrop of graphs and mathematical concepts.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

A digital math activity screen showing block arrangements and a worksheet page titled "Shelley the Snail" with related graphics.

Students represent the solutions of a situation using a table, a graph, and multiple forms of an equation to identify multiple combinations of blocks that can help Shelley the Snail cross a gap.

Contact us

For questions, samples, or more information, please contact your local Amplify Account Executive:

Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 736-3162
eking@amplify.com

Northern CA
Wendy Garcia
Senior Account Executive
(510) 368-7666
wgarcia@amplify.com

Bay Area
Lance Burbank
Account Executive
(415) 830-5348
lburbank@amplify.com

Central Valley and Central Coast
Demitri Gonos
Senior Account Executive
(559) 355-3244
dgonos@amplify.com

Ventura and L.A. County
Jeff Sorenson
Associate Account Executive
(310) 902-1407
jsorenson@amplify.com

Orange and L.A. County
Lauren Sherman
Senior Account Executive
(949) 397-5766
lsherman@amplify.com

San Bernardino and L.A. County
Michael Gruber
Senior Account Executive
(951) 520-6542
migruber@amplify.com

Riverside and L.A. County
Brian Roy
Account Executive
(818) 967-1674
broy@amplify.com

San Diego County
Kirk Van Wagoner
Senior Account Executive
(760) 696-0709
kvanwagoner@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, and Northern Counties
Kevin Mauser
Lead Account Executive
(815) 534-0148
kmauser@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Southern CA, Central Coast, and Southern Central Valley Counties
Charissa Snyder
Account Executive
(720) 936-6802
chsnyder@amplify.com

Request additional samples.

Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math California expert to request additional program samples.

mCLASS® for NYC Schools

Dear NYC principals,

We’re thrilled you’re considering an mCLASS Pilot. We’re confident you’ll find this proven, valid, and reliable assessment system to be a powerful and efficient tool for supporting your teachers as they support students working on developing both their language and literacy in both English and Spanish.

With great respect for what you do,

Michael Kasloff
Regional Vice President

I’m a pilot participant
Young girl in a school uniform smiles while sitting at a desk with a book, speech bubbles saying "hello" in english and spanish above her.

mCLASS

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment system with a suite of proven, research-based assessment measures and tools in English and Spanish that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique biliteracy needs of K–6 students working on developing both languages in parallel, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Dual language reporting
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction with ready-to-use mini-lessons

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition for English assessment

mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition is a gold-standard English literacy assessment system fully based on the Science of Reading.

As a comprehensive assessment system, it consists of screening, diagnostic, and progress monitoring measures that efficiently gauge student progress toward reading proficiency and help identify students who may be at risk of future reading difficulties, including dyslexia. In fact, Amplify’s partner, the University of Oregon’s Center for Teaching and Learning, fully revamped Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS 8th Edition) to deepen validation for both universal and dyslexia screening, and for improved and increased instructional utility.

Not only is mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition a universal and dyslexia screener, diagnostic assessment, and progress-monitoring reading assessment tool for grades K–6, it’s a powerful platform with granular insights and instant reporting that make it possible to turn student literacy data into immediate instructional action.

Ready to learn more?

Watch the video to the right to get a sneak peek at our mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition. Then click the button below to visit our review site.

Visit mCLASS DIEBELS 8

mCLASS® Lectura for Spanish assessment

mCLASS Lectura was co-developed in partnership with the University of Oregon’s Center for Teaching and Learning, and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán.

The mCLASS Lectura assessment was purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address the unique needs  that educators of Spanish-speaking students have demanded, but had not yet seen, in high-quality assessments.

Built specifically to address literacy development in Spanish, our mCLASS Lectura measures make it possible to deliver authentic and equitable universal and dyslexia screening, diagnostics, progress-monitoring assessments, and targeted instruction in the K–6 classroom. When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, mCLASS is a powerful dual language solution that provides teachers a unique, asset-based approach to supporting both English Language Learners and Dual Language Learners.

Ready to learn more?

Watch the video to the right to a sneak peek at our mCLASS Lectura. Then click the button below to visit our review site.

Visit mCLASS Lectura

mCLASS® for Colorado

Dear Colorado educators,

We’re pleased to share that mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura are approved for the CDE’s READ Act assessment list in English and Spanish. We’re confident you’ll find this proven, valid, and reliable assessment system to be a powerful tool that makes your reading data work harder for your teachers and students.

With great respect for what you do,

Monty Lammers
Senior Account Executive

Vanessa Scott
Account Executive

Young girl in a school uniform smiles while sitting at a desk with a book, speech bubbles saying "hello" in english and spanish above her.

mCLASS

mCLASS is a best-in-class assessment system with a suite of proven, research-based assessment measures and tools that can be flexibly combined to meet the unique literacy needs of both teachers and students in Colorado across grades K–3, including:

  • Universal screening
  • Progress monitoring
  • Diagnostic assessment
  • Dual language reporting
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Targeted teacher-led instruction
Screenshot of a reading assessment dashboard showing student Gabriel Archuleta’s Spanish and English literacy scores and an overall skill rating of “Developing.”.

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition for English assessment

mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition is a gold-standard English literacy assessment system fully based on the Science of Reading.
 
As an interim and diagnostic assessment system, it consists of screening and progress monitoring measures that efficiently gauge student progress toward reading proficiency and help identify students who may be at risk of future reading difficulties, including dyslexia. In fact, Amplify’s partner, the University of Oregon’s Center for Teaching and Learning, fully revamped Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS 8th Edition) to deepen validation for both universal and dyslexia screening, and for improved and increased instructional utility.
 
Not only is mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition a universal and dyslexia screener, diagnostic assessment, and progress-monitoring reading assessment tool for grades K–3, it’s a powerful platform with granular insights and instant reporting that make it possible to turn student literacy data into immediate instructional action.

Ready to learn more?

Watch the video to the right to get a sneak peek at our mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition. Then click the button below to visit our review site.

Visit mCLASS DIBELS 8

mCLASS® Lectura for Spanish assessment

mCLASS Lectura was co-developed in partnership with the University of Oregon’s Center for Teaching and Learning, and validated in partnership with Dr. Lillian Durán.
 
The mCLASS Lectura assessment was purposefully designed, developed, field tested, and evaluated to address the unique needs  that educators of Spanish-speaking students have demanded, but had not yet seen, in high-quality assessments.
 
Built specifically to address literacy development in Spanish, our mCLASS Lectura measures make it possible to deliver authentic and equitable universal and dyslexia screening, diagnostics, progress-monitoring assessments, and targeted instruction in the K–3 classroom. When mCLASS Lectura and DIBELS 8th Edition are used together, mCLASS is a powerful dual language solution that provides teachers a unique, asset-based approach to supporting both English Language Learners and Dual Language Learners.

Ready to learn more?

Watch the video to the right to a sneak peek at our mCLASS Lectura. Then click the button below to visit our review site.

Visit mCLASS Lectura

Contact us

Looking to speak directly with your Colorado representative? Get in touch with a team member by emailing HelloColorado@amplify.com or by calling us directly.

Man wearing a blue plaid shirt and blue blazer, smiling at the camera against a plain light background.

Monty Lammers

Senior Account Executive

Districts over 2,500 students

(719) 964-4501

mlammers@amplify.com

A woman with curly hair wearing glasses.

Vanessa Scott

Account Executive

Districts under 2,500 students

(602) 690-9216

vscott@amplify.com

mCLASS® for Colorado

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S3-05: Thinking is power

A graphic with the text "Science Connections" and "Amplify" features colorful circles and curved lines on a dark gray background.

Join us as we sit down with Melanie Trecek-King, college professor and creator of Thinking is Power, to explore how much of an asset science can truly be in developing the skills students need to navigate the real world. You’ll learn about “fooling” students and the importance of developing critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy in the classroom. We’ll also share real strategies and lesson examples that help build these essential skills and engage students in learning.

And don’t forget to grab your Science Connections study guide to track your learning and find additional resources!

We hope you enjoy this episode and explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page!

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Melanie Trecek-King (00:00):

We say knowledge is power, but it’s not enough to know things. And there’s too much to know. So being able to think and not fall for someone’s bunk is my goal for my students.

Eric Cross (00:12):

Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross. On this third season, we’ve been talking about science’s underdog status. And just this past March at the NSTA conference in Atlanta, I had the chance to speak with science educators from around the country about this very topic.

Hermia Simanu (00:28):

Right now, there’s only two teachers in our high school teaching science.

Shane Dongilli (00:32):

I have 45 minutes once a week with each class. The focus is reading and math.

Alexis Tharpe (00:38):

Oftentimes science gets put by the wayside. And you know, I love math and I love my language arts, but I also think science needs to place be placed on that high pedestal as well.

Askia Little (00:46):

In fifth grade, oh, they teach science, because that’s the only grade that it’s tested.

Eric Cross (00:50):

That was Hermia Simanu from American Samoa. Her team flew for three days to make it to the conference. You also heard from Shane Dongilli from North Carolina, Alexis Tharpe from Virginia, and Askia Little from Texas. All of these teachers were excited to be at the conference and had a lot to say about the state of science education in their local schools. Throughout this season, we’ve been trying to make the case for science, showing how science can be utilized more effectively in the classroom. We’ve explored the evidence showing that science supports literacy instruction. We’ve talked about science and the responsible use of technology like AI. My hope is that all of you listeners out there can use some of this evidence to feel empowered to make the case for science in your own communities. And on this episode, we’re going to examine how science can help develop what might be the most important skill that we try to develop in our students: Good thinking. On this episode, I’m joined by a biologist who actually advocated for eliminating the Intro to Bio course at her college. Instead, Professor Trecek-King created a new course focused on critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. In this conversation, we discuss why the science classroom is such a good environment for helping students become better thinkers. Now, I don’t think that you can make a much stronger argument for science than using it to develop the skills that Melanie describes in this conversation. So, without further ado, I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation with Melanie Trecek-King, Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, and creator of Thinking Is Power. Here’s Melanie.

Eric Cross (02:29):

Well, Melanie, thank you for joining us on the show. It’s so good to have you.

Melanie Trecek-King (02:34):

I am so happy to be here.

Eric Cross (02:35):

Now, I went to your session at NSTA in Chicago … I think it was two years ago. A couple years ago. And I was listening to your session, and as I was listening to you, I started Reverse Engineering in my mind what you were doing with your college students. I started reverse engineering the K–8. I was like, “This is amazing.” Where has what you’ve been doing been hiding? We need this not just in the college, higher ed. We need this all the way up and down. Because I hadn’t seen it before. So I think a good place for us to start is gonna be like the story of how and why you as a biologist wound up making the case to actually eliminate the Intro to Biology course at your college. So can you start off and tell us a little bit about that story?

Melanie Trecek-King (03:20):

Sure. So I started teaching at a community college in Massachusetts. And I absolutely love teaching at a community college. And I was teaching the courses that people who don’t wanna be scientists when they grow up have to take to fulfill their science requirement. And that course was Intro Bio. And I tried every way I could figure out to make that class be useful,] relevant to students. I mean, the thing is, our world is based on science and you have to understand science to be a good consumer of information, to make good decisions. And I’m a biologist, so it pains me to say this, but you know, somewhere in the middle of teaching students about the stages of mitosis and protein synthesis, I thought, “Is this really — like, if I have one semester that’s gonna be the last chance that someone’s gonna get a science education, is this really what they need?” And I just decided, “No.” So, to my college’s credit, they were very supportive. I went to them and said, “You know, I think we should assess the non-majors courses. Like, why do we teach non-majors science?” And we all agreed, well, it was for science literacy. OK, great. Do our existing non-majors courses do that? And so we evaluated each of the courses. I made a case that Intro Bio was not doing it. And so we actually replaced it with a course that I call Science for Life. And the whole course is designed to teach science literacy, critical thinking, and information literacy skills.

Eric Cross (04:48):

And so you did this while you were looking at mitosis. And you’re looking at students who may or may not be science majors. And then kind of asking that question. I know every educator asks this, and whether or not it’s welcomed or supported is a different question: “Is what I’m teaching actually gonna be relevant and useful later on down the road for this group of students?” And you actually got to run with it and then create this course, this new course. So, what were the skills that you were hoping to achieve with the new course you developed, and and why were those skills so important?

Melanie Trecek-King (05:21):

Well, if I just go back for a second to what you said, ’cause it, really hit me: I remember the actual moment — it had been building up to that point, but the actual moment that it hit me — I was teaching students the stages of mitosis. And I was applying it to cancer, because the thought is that if we use issues that are relevant to students to teach concepts, that it will be more meaningful to them. They’ll learn it better; they’ll be able to apply it. And they just looked absolutely deflated. They didn’t wanna be there. And I had this moment where I thought, “You know, if, if these students ever have cancer somewhere in their lives, is what I taught them going to be something that they remember? Is it going to be useful to them?” And quite frankly, like, no. <Laugh> They’re not gonna remember proto-oncogenes. And quite frankly, is that really what they need to know at that moment? What they need to know is, “What does this mean? Who is a reliable source of information here? If these treatments are recommended, what is the evidence for them? What are the cost-benefit analyses? Where do I go to find reliable information?” And in that space, cancer in particular, we have this whole field of — I wanna say charlatans, ’cause they may not actually be lying, but they’re pedaling false cures, false hopes. And people need that kind of hope, and so in their time of need, they’re more likely to fall for that kind of thing. Which leads me to the skills that I teach students. I call them this tree of skills. And the order is important. I start — and there’s a lot of overlap to be fair — but critical thinking, and then information literacy, and science literacy. The idea is that students carry in their pockets access to basically all of human’s knowledge at this moment in time. And if they needed to access it, they could. The question is, do they know what they’re looking for? Are they aware of their own biases that are leading them to certain sources, or certain false hopes? Are there certain things that are making them more vulnerable to the people that might prey on them? Are they able to use that information to make good decisions? There’s a great Carl Sagan quote, and it’s something like, “If we teach people only the findings of science, no matter how useful or even inspiring they may be, without communicating the method, then how is anyone to be able to tell the difference between science and pseudoscience?” So yes, the process of science is a process of critical thinking. However, we do tend to present science most of the time. Like, here’s what science has learned. And to be fair, those things that we’ve learned from science are really useful and inspiring. But if we don’t teach the process, so you’ve got somebody now who let’s say has been diagnosed with cancer and is on their phone and they’re scrolling through social media and everything looks the same. And of course the algorithms learn who you are. Next thing you know, there’s all of these like pseudo-treatments popping up. It all looks the same. Somebody who says that acupuncture can be used to cure cancer can feel the same, from someone who doesn’t understand the process of science, as a medical fact. And so the process is the process of critical thinking. My class everything is open note. The quizzes are open note. The exams — and I say open note, they’re also open online, because I know for the rest of their life they’re gonna have resources available to them; I want them to be good consumers with that information, which to me requires metacognition and critical thinking and information literacy and all those skills that I’m trying to teach them.

Eric Cross (08:58):

You’re basically taking what … we’ve taught science for so long. And more recently, it’s changed to more focusing on skills. At least in K through 12. But a lot of it was just memorization of a ton of different things that now we can pull up our phone, go on the internet. You can pull up a lot of those facts. But those facts don’t necessarily translate to actual real-world skills. When I listen to… I kind of make this analogy sometimes: students say … it’s funny, I have 12-year-olds that say this. They go, “How come they don’t teach us how to do our taxes?” And you know they’re regurgitating what they hear from adults, right? “Teach us real-world skills!” And I was like, really, if we taught you right now how to do your taxes, how many of you would really be like, “Oh, this is an awesome lesson! We’re really engaged!” But their point is that “I wanna learn something that I could actually use later on, that’s that I’m gonna carry on.” And in your course, you’re talking about these skills that actually can apply. Like you said, if I had cancer and I’m looking at different types of medical procedures, do I have the skills to really be able to evaluate and make informed decisions on that? And that’s, that’s not something that I’ve seen explicitly taught really anywhere. And I hadn’t heard anybody talk about it, really, until I heard your session, where you’ve kind of unpacked this, and over the last couple of years, have created some programs or resources for educators, where they can take this into their classroom. So what were some of those skills, again? What were were some of the skills that you thought, “I wanna make sure that my students can walk out and they know how to do this and apply it to maybe several different fields”?

Melanie Trecek-King (10:35):

Oh, that’s a really good question. Because the whole thing was a process for me. Like, when I finally let go of Intro Bio, I was so glad to see that class go, by the way. ‘Cause I just felt like I was beating a dead horse. So when I let go of it, I thought, “What do they need instead?” And for me, what I realized was I was trying to make the class I would’ve wanted to take. I realized the things that I personally didn’t know, that my own education maybe let me down a bit. But things that I thought were important. So then I took all of those, synthesized them, tried to figure out the best order. The class is currently in its third iteration. And I hope every iteration is an improvement. But I’m thinking about the students that I taught before the pandemic. It was Intro Bio. Up to just maybe the couple years before the pandemic, and during the pandemic, we had a new virus and we had a new vaccine and we had new treatments. There was hydroxychloroquine and there was ivermectin and then there’s masks. Are masks effective? Well, you know, in what circumstances? What kind of mask? There are all of these questions. And that whole thing was we saw science playing out in real time.

Eric Cross (11:50):

Absolutely.

Melanie Trecek-King (11:51):

And so were my students able to follow that? And then what happened in that process is that science became politicized. And in a time where things are uncertain and we need answers, ’cause it’s scary, people want certainty and science doesn’t tend to provide that. Especially when it’s just starting out. And then when it becomes politicized, people decide that they’re going to — it’s not necessarily a conscious decision — but they retreat into what people in their camps are saying or their groups are saying. Which actually leads me to one of the more important parts of information literacy skills in there, which is most of our knowledge is shared. We tend to have overinflated senses of what we individually know. And studies actually show that with Google, if you have access to Google, you think you’re smarter than if you don’t have access to Google. But we all have access to knowledge in our communities, and that’s one of the reasons humans are so successful, is that we can each specialize in different things and share our expertise and become greater than the sum of our parts. The problem with that, of course, is that we forget what we don’t know, and we assume that we know what the community knows. And so recognizing the limits of your own knowledge and how different communities produce knowledge, like the different epistemic processes that communities use to come to knowledge. When it comes down to it, an important part of knowing is knowing who to trust, right? Knowing where the source of knowledge lives. And in order to do that, you have to understand the processes that they’re using to come to that knowledge and the limits of your own knowledge. And then how to find who has that knowledge so that you can use that to make better decisions.

Eric Cross (13:38):

So, when I hear what you’re doing with your college students, and I think about what I’m doing in the classroom, in the middle school, we are really focusing on literacy as skills. Reading, writing, speaking, listening. And then when I think of the next step of the journey, your information literacy and the literacy you’re teaching is really the application of those things in the real world. And the examples that you gave are very critical examples. Evaluating claims about Covid. Making informed decisions about a medical procedure that you might need. And we all get that applied to us. We’re scrolling through social media and somehow social media is listening. It’s figuring out exactly what I’m doing, because all of a sudden the ads are telling me … how did you know I was alking about KitchenAid mixers now? I just said KitchenAid mixers and it’s gonna show up in my feed! But <laugh> I take that in the same way from the same place that I take in maybe an oncologist. So it’s it’s coming through the same channels. So now I kind of wanna pivot. So we’ve talked about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, the connection between “am I really teaching the skills that my students need in the science class? Is it really critical thinking explicitly or is it just kind of implied?” Now I wanna ask you how you do it. What’s the annotated, abbreviated kind of syllabus of your course?

Melanie Trecek-King (15:03):

So the course is called Science for Life. And the premise behind it is the kinds of skills and understanding of the process of science that they would need to make good decisions to be empowered in a world based on science. And so the very first lecture, I say, “OK, I’m gonna tell you a story and I just want you to listen to the story. And at the end I’m gonna ask you why I told the story.” And the story that I tell them is some of the history of the witchcraft trials in Europe. And I start with the Malleus Maleficarum, or the Hammer of Witches, from the Pope, and about how people would accuse witches of causing birth defects or storms or crops dying. And, the best evidence that they had to absolutely know somebody was a witch was if somebody accused them, and then if they were accused, if they confessed. OK? But the problem is, to get them to confess, they would torture them. Roasting over coals, or splitting until somebody broke. And so I tell my students, “OK, this was absolute proof that someone was guilty of witchcraft. I don’t know about you; I would confess to anything, right? Make it stop!” So this is where I get to ask students, “Why would I ask you this? Why would I tell you this story? And traumatize you on the very first day of lecture?” And they see the reasoning, right? They thought they had evidence. The question was, is that good evidence? And so, you know, I’m getting students to have a basic understanding of epistemology, right? Without calling it that, or without going into all of the philosophical background of epistemology. Apply this to your own reasoning. What are you wrong about? Well, you probably wouldn’t know. OK, how would you know if you were wrong? Like what kinds of things do you feel that you’re so right about? How good is your evidence for that? So what I want them to do is internalize the thinking about thinking, and analyzing how they come to conclusions, and proportioning how strongly they believe. Their confidence in how right they are. So I think starting with that kind of misinformation, and getting students to internalize that process is important. But I think the example is really useful, because most of my students don’t believe in witchcraft. Right? So it’s not an issue that would immediately threaten them in some way. So when, when a belief is tied to identity or how we see ourselves or is really important to us, then it’s very difficult to be objective about that belief. And so by starting with witchcraft, it’s not triggering. I get them to think about thinking and practice that muscle so that when we get to those more important issues, they have the skills they need to evaluate them.

Eric Cross (17:55):

So would it be fair to say that your Science for Life class is really applied scientific thinking for the real world?

Melanie Trecek-King (18:01):

Absolutely. That’s the idea. I mean, science is too good to keep to ourselves, right? And it’s everywhere. So how can you understand the world through a scientific lens?

Eric Cross (18:10):

What are the nuts and bolts of how you teach your students these strategies? What do you do? What are some strategies and techniques that we can maybe share with listeners? And then where I want to go after that is I wanna ask you, how early do you think this can be started? So lemme start off first with, what do you do?

Melanie Trecek-King (18:28):

So I use three different strategies. One is, I provide students with a toolkit. And the toolkit is one that I created and it is like my one toolkit to rule them all. It is trying to apply critical thinking and science reasoning all together in one place. So that if students are met with a claim, they’ve got the toolkit with an acronym. They can now start and have somewhere to go. In that if I gave you a claim and said, “Just critically think through this claim,” I mean, that’s a mighty task. But if you have a structured toolkit, then it’s hopefully a systemic way that’s helpful. The toolkit is summarized by FLOATER. I have published it on Skeptical Inquirer. It’s free. So it’s Falsifiability, Logical, Objectivity, Alternative Explanations, Tentative Conclusions, Evidence, and Reproducibility. So I provide students with a toolkit. The next thing I do is I use a lot of misinformation in class. Back to what Carl Sagan says: What I heard was we should use pseudoscience to teach students the difference between a pseudo-scientific process and a scientific process. So, I use science denial, conspiracy theories, and give my students a lot of opportunities to practice evaluating claims with the toolkit. And the other thing I do is, I use inoculation activities. So inoculation theory is based on William McGuire’s original research in the ’60s, which is basically like a vaccine analogy. Where you can inject a small amount of a virus or bacterium into the body, so that it creates an immune response, so that it can learn the real thing. And so in the real world, it can fight it off. Inoculation theory does the same thing, but with misinformation. So, what we can do is, in controlled environments, expose students to little bits of misinformation so that they can recognize it in the real world. There’s different kinds of inoculation, but I’m a big fan of what’s called active and technique-based inoculation. So technique-based means that students are learning not the facts of misinformation, not factually why this thing is wrong, but about the technique used to deceive. So maybe the use of fake experts. Or maybe the use of anecdotes. Or the use of logical fallacies. The other part of that is active, which is where students create the misinformation. So for example, my students, just now, we finished covering pseudoscience. And I teach students the characteristics of pseudoscience. And basically we have fun with it. Where they pretend to be grifters and they sell a pseudoscience product. And so they have to make an ad like they’d see on social media, using the different techniques. And the point there is that it’s supposed to be funny, right? And lighthearted. But in a real way, by using the techniques used to sell something like pseudoscience, it’s opening their eyes. You can’t unsee how every alternative product has, “it’s an all-natural and used for centuries and millions use it and look at this person who says, ‘Wow, it worked for me!’ And it’s certified by some society that doesn’t exist, but this doctor behind it says that it’s really great!” I mean, it’s all the same stuff. So they create the misinformation using their own techniques.

Eric Cross (22:02):

That’s one of my favorite things that you’ve talked about, and I want to dive in that a little bit more. But when you’re teaching the toolkit, FLOATER, what does that look like in the classroom, when you’re actually breaking all of those things down? What does it look like as you’re walking your students through this, and you’re kind of coaching them on all of those different things? ‘Cause I feel like some things might be like, “Oh yeah, I got that.” And then some of them might be, “Oh, what is that?”

Melanie Trecek-King (22:24):

Yeah, it takes me probably a good solid lecture to get through the basis of the toolkit. But then over the rest of the semester, I’ll spend more time going into different parts, different rules, a bit more in-depth. So, for example, logical fallacies and objectivity. So the rule of objectivity basically states that you need to be honest with yourself. I’m gonna quote Feynman here, so: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.” We don’t tend to think that we can be fooled. But of course we can. So actually, if you wanna talk about it, I start class by fooling my students.

Eric Cross (23:03):

Wait, what do you do? What do you do for that?

Melanie Trecek-King (23:05):

Oh, so this is really fun. Day 1 of class, after the syllabus, I tell my … so you’re in my class now, Eric. “So I have a friend, and she’s a psychic. She’s an astrologer and she’s pretty good at what she does. I mean, she’s got books and she’s been on TV and stuff. She knows I teach this course about skepticism. And so she’s agreed to test how effective she is by providing personality assessments to students in class. So if you wanna participate, what I need from you is your birthday, your full name, answer a few questions. Like, if your house was on fire and you could take one thing, what would it be? Or if you could get paid for anything to do anything for a living, what would it be? Um, there’s a third one. Oh! If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” So the next class, it’s usually over a weekend. The next class I say, “OK, I’ve got your personality assessments back, but remember, we wanna test how effective she is. So in order to do that, I need you to read your profile as quietly as possible. And then I’m gonna have you rate her accuracy on a scale of 1 to 5. OK? So close your eyes; rate her.” Over the years doing this, it’s about a 4.3 to 4.5 out of 5. They think she’s pretty accurate. OK? “So now, if you feel comfortable, get with a person next to you. And I want you to talk about what parts of the personality assessment really spoke to you and, and why, and why you thought she was accurate or not.” And it takes them 5, 10 minutes before they realize they all got the same one. So, this is not my original experiment. It was first done by Bertram Forer in … I think it was the ’50s. And it’s done in psychology classrooms. James Randi made it famous. But the personality assessment itself is full of what are called Barnum statements. So, named after P.T. Barnum. These are statements that are very generic. So, “You have a need to be liked and admired by people. You are often quiet and reserved, but there are times where you can be the life of the party.”

Eric Cross (25:13):

How do you know this about me, by the way? This is a — I feel like you know me right now.

Melanie Trecek-King (25:17):

“There are times where you’ve wondered whether you’ve done the right thing.”

Eric Cross (25:19):

This is getting weird.

Melanie Trecek-King (25:21):

I’m just on fire, right? So these are Barnum statements. They’re the basis of personality assessment.

Eric Cross (25:29):

Mel, can I pause you right there? You said Barnum. Is that the same Barnum, like Barnum & Bailey Circus?

Melanie Trecek-King (25:34):

Yeah. P.T. Barnum, who didn’t actually say “There’s a sucker born every minute,” but we attribute him with that kind of ethos. These statements though, if you read a horoscope or even like personality indicators, like the MBTI, it is basically pseudo-scientific. And it ends up with lots of these Barnum statements. They produce what’s called the Barnum Effect, which is, “Wow, that’s so me! How did you know me?” I could even do more. Like, you have a box of photos in your house that need to be sorted. Or unused prescriptions. And these can apply to nearly everyone, but they produce this effect where we go, “Wow, that is so me!” Right? So by fooling them this way, I get to … well, so the next thing is, “Yes, I lied to you. And I’d like to tell you I won’t do that again. But I’m not going to, ’cause I might. So be on your guard.” But I did it for free. And why did I do it? “I did it because I could tell you ‘I could fool you,’ but you wouldn’t necessarily believe me. So I fooled you, so that you would learn what it feels like to be fooled.” It’s not fun. But we’re gonna make a joke outta this. And students are almost never upset about this ’cause it’s a fun process and they’re all fooled. And again, the point is, I didn’t disprove psychic powers. I didn’t just disprove psychics with this exercise. But I did show you how easy it was to fake. So if somebody is gonna tell you that they can know these things about you through some way, hopefully the evidence they provide should be stronger than something that’s easily faked. Right? Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If you claim to be able to read my personality based on my birthdate, then I need more than something that you can be taught to do in 15 minutes. So, I fool them to convince them that they could be fooled.

Eric Cross (27:27):

You’re giving them a practice scenario for thinking. And I was thinking about basketball. I grew up playing basketball. And my coach would have our own team be the defenders of the next team we were gonna play, so that we can be prepared for the defense. We were gonna see. Now, when I’m thinking about education, and what you just said reminded me of this, it’s like we’re often just teaching offense. We’re always teaching the plays. We’re always teaching what to do. But we rarely teach defense. What happens when someone comes towards you and, and they challenge you or they come at you with claims? How do we evaluate this? And I think in pockets we do it. We do claim-evidence-reasoning. We present claims and evidence and reasoning. But we don’t always have practice defending them. And I think there’s great resources. There’s Argumentation Toolkit and there’s all these awesome resources that do this. But does that fit? You’re kind of having them practice defense?

Melanie Trecek-King (28:26):

Yeah. You know, that’s brilliant. I never considered that analogy. But, yeah, in the real world, you don’t just get to always try to score all the time. Someone’s gonna challenge you and give you a claim that maybe you haven’t heard before. So how do you think through it?

Eric Cross (28:41):

Yeah. And you become better. So now I’m thinking about how early could we start doing this? For one, I love the idea of lying to your students, because I do that. And it’s just such a fun scenario. How early could we start implementing these strategies or these ideas or these toolkits? In your mind, what do you imagine? How early could we start this with young people?

Melanie Trecek-King (29:07):

Yeah. I’m so glad you asked that question, ’cause honestly, by the time they get to me, it’s almost too late. And I don’t wanna say it’s too late, ’cause it’s never too late. But, oh, we need to start so much earlier! That example that I gave about the selling pseudoscience argument? I have a wonderful colleague, Bertha Vasquez, who’s a middle school teacher in Miami and the director of TIES at CFI. She did this with her middle school students. And quite frankly, their examples were just as good, or in some cases better, than my college students. And they had so much fun with it, too. And she just said that, you know, <laugh>, they actually are more savvy with the kinds of things that they see online than we — I don’t wanna say give them credit for. But almost that we want to believe. My students give me examples of things that are from corners of the internet that I didn’t know existed. And quite frankly, that’s probably a good thing for my own mental health. But students are on there too, like middle school students, and we need to prepare them for the kinds of things that they see in the wild.

Eric Cross (30:13):

So in middle school, definitely. Now, you’ve also done some work in high school as well, right? In Oklahoma? Did you do some. …?

Melanie Trecek-King (30:17):

Yeah.

Eric Cross (30:18):

…some work with high schoolers? What was that like? Did you see any impact there?

Melanie Trecek-King (30:21):

So I didn’t actually do it in Oklahoma. I have taught the course … actually, you were talking about younger kids. I’ve taught the course to high schoolers in my area that are parts of dual enrollment. And they absolutely ate up the curriculum. And they were wonderful, wonderful students. And it was completely appropriate for … they were juniors, actually. But the course has also been taught in Oklahoma, through a dual enrollment program as well. And it was a small sample size. But we have pre-post testing that showed that it improved their critical thinking, their acceptance of science. But anecdotally the head of the program there said that in his years doing this, he’d never seen a course that helped them improve in their other courses so well. So, I felt very rewarded by hearing this. But apparently their critical thinking skills and information literacy skills helped them succeed in their other courses that they were taking. And I love that the students were transferring those skills to other classes. That’s the whole point.

Eric Cross (31:23):

And that’s a big … I think that what you just said is really the core, especially of what we’ve been talking about this season: What you’re talking about and what you’re teaching can transfer and supports literacy. And this is an example of science doing that across all other content areas. So I think that that’s huge, that that was said. What do people say about this course? I know I went on your website, and I looked at some of the comments that some folks were saying, and I know it’s just a snippet, but what do you hear from the education world about this? Because I don’t see it in many places. I see it kind of embedded, sprinkled into different content areas. But you’re actually teaching it explicitly. Do you tend to find positive feedback, overwhelmingly? Or do you get pushback on on some of this? What’s it been like for you?

Melanie Trecek-King (32:16):

I think the biggest pushback — and it’s good pushback, and I would agree entirely — is with inoculation activities, you do need to be careful to, when you debrief students, you wanna tell them why you did what you did and to use their powers for good and not for fooling other people. And I think importantly, for not putting misinformation out into the wild without having context around it. So if you do these kinds of inoculation activities, like if you have your students create pseudoscience ads, don’t just let them put them on social media. Obviously, you can’t control everything that they’re doing. But explain to them why you wouldn’t wanna do that. As far as everything else, I’ve heard really great feedback. You’re referencing my website. So, when I put together the course, I was trying to find resources for students to read. Textbooks are ridiculously expensive and I couldn’t find anything that I really wanted students to buy. So I just started writing, and I put it on my site. I have a site that’s basically the core of the curriculum. More in progress. And then I’ve got some of the topics that we explore and those are all assigned readings. My students are captive, in that I know they want a grade, and for four months they have to sit with me for the entire semester, in that I’ve specifically ordered the content in a way that would be most conducive to them learning these things. On the internet, though, and on social media, ’cause I post on there as well, people come in from all kinds of entry points, and so the goal would be to have them start at the beginning and go to the end. But people … I’m pleasantly surprised that there is an audience for critical thinking and science literacy content out there. And so that really warms my heart. But I am doing more and more for educators. And so I have a section for educators. I put content on there. I put assignments, the assignments that we’ve talked about and more, are on there. And the educators that I’ve had use it have just been really wonderful. Like, I hear great things. If I might, the biggest issue that I’m having is actually reaching educators. I’ve gone to — I met you at NSCA, actually, that was only last summer.

Eric Cross (34:30):

Oh, wow. Wow.

Melanie Trecek-King (34:32):

Right?

Eric Cross (34:32):

Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t even a year.

Melanie Trecek-King (34:35):

Yeah, I think it was like July last year. So, um, you’ve been to the conferences. And I just went to the last one as well. But I have yet to figure out a way to really get in front of enough educators to share the content. So if anybody’s listening and is interested in learning more, please let me know! <Laugh>

Eric Cross (34:52):

Yes. And we talked about your website, but I didn’t say what the website was. So it’s ThinkingIsPower.com.

Melanie Trecek-King (34:57):

Yes.

Eric Cross (34:58):

And on there, there’s tons of resources. There is the toolkit. And it’s all free.

Melanie Trecek-King (35:06):

Yes.

Eric Cross (35:07):

And there’s a dope t-shirt on there that I just bought today, that Melanie’s actually wearing right now. It says, “Be curious, be skeptical, and be humble.” And I love that. Because I think one of the things that we can’t forget about teaching people how to think and critically evaluating information, sometimes those conversations can become very dehumanizing. And what I mean by that is it sometimes can become, like, intellectual sport, where we forget that there’s a human being on the other other side. And we lose that empathy and compassion. We can kind of see that. It just becomes this intellectual jousting and arguing. And one of the things I know about you, and when you talk about this or you talk about the work that you do, and even the shirt that you’re wearing, there’s this, “be humble.” There’s this human that is never lost in this. And you said it, too: When you’re teaching your students and you’re equipping them with all of these intellectual skills and all of these tools, to use it for good. So to maintain your humanity, to maintain your character, and then to use it to edify and lift people up, not to go out and do harm. That balance, I think, is so, so important. So it’s something that I really appreciate about you and how you teach.

Melanie Trecek-King (36:19):

I appreciate those kind words. Actually—

Eric Cross (36:21):

Oh, of course!

Melanie Trecek-King (36:22):

—and if I might, I sometimes see people using critical thinking like a weapon. It’s like, “I have learned fallacies and I’m just gonna use the tools of critical thinking to tell you why you’re stupid, or why you’re wrong, and why my position is right!” But real critical thinking involves applying those same standards to your own thought processes. And even something like argumentation: the goal of our argumentation is not to BE right; it’s to GET it right. And so we’re on the same team. If we’re arguing about something, if the idea is in scientific argumentation we’re trying to find the truth, which one of us is making a better argument based on the evidence? Can your perspective help me see my own blind spots and vice versa? And the more different perspectives that we have, the more able we are to find whatever reality is. But we are in this together. And so, yeah, I think … I’m glad to hear that that’s coming through. But if you don’t have the kind of humility that says, “You know, I could be wrong,” then you’re never gonna change your mind anyway. So having the humility to say, I’m wrong. <Laugh>

Eric Cross (37:33):

Yeah. You end up just seeing people just defend turf, as opposed to support “look for truth.” And I know for me, my own education journey, I end up with more questions than answers anyways. So I go in trying to find an answer for something and I end up with 10 more questions. And I go, “OK, this is kind of how it is.” You go down this rabbit hole and you just end up with all these different questions. And it forces the humility, because you’re like, “I don’t know! I think this is what it could be, but it could also be these other answers or explanations. So this is just where I’m at, based on what we know right now, at this present time, which might shift.”

Melanie Trecek-King (38:07):

And that sounds reasonable. Yes. Which might shift. Yes.

Eric Cross (38:11):

And especially for us as life-science biology teachers, our content is something that definitely shifts. I know some of the things I teach now are not things that I learned when I was even in middle school. Just because things evolve. They change. We learn, we get new data. That’s just the way it is.

Melanie Trecek-King (38:24):

<Sighs> And Pluto is no longer a planet.

Eric Cross (38:26):

I know. Rest in — well, no, Pluto’s still there. Yeah. It’s no longer a planet. But that was one part of my kindergarten memorizations <laugh> is Pluto being in there.

Melanie Trecek-King (38:36):

Gotta change your mind.

Eric Cross (38:38):

I know. Any words of advice for science educators out there who want to focus more on honing these critical thinking skills and strategies with their own students, but they don’t know where to start? Where would you point them? Or what advice would you give them?

Melanie Trecek-King (38:52):

I think start with what you want the students to know. And not necessarily the FACTS that you want students to know, but start with the skills that you want them to know. And then really be honest with your process. When I designed Science for Life, I started with, “these are the skills that I want students to know.” And everything was in service of that. So this sort of backwards design, I think, helped me follow a path that was more likely to be useful, if that makes any sense. But it really required doing it all over again. So don’t be afraid to question the things that you’re currently doing, even if that’s all you’ve been taught or all you know.

Eric Cross (39:41):

What I’m hearing is, don’t be afraid to question your own assumptions about what you’re doing. And don’t be afraid to adapt or change or modify. Kinda, pivot. Be flexible.

Melanie Trecek-King (39:51):

Yes, be flexible and pivot. And this is where I’m in a different position than middle school and high school educators. Because I have complete freedom over what I teach in my class.

Eric Cross (40:01):

Sure.

Melanie Trecek-King (40:01):

At the end of the semester, I always joke with non-majors that there’s nothing they have to know, which actually gives me a lot of flexibility, because I could teach ’em a lot of different things. So if there are things that you have to teach students, obviously that’s one thing. But I personally think that the way that we’ve been teaching science needs a refresher. A rethinking. And so I would say, “If you want your students to learn science literacy, honestly ask, what does that mean to you? And what would that look like to get to that point?” For me, though, it was also keeping in mind that maybe I didn’t already know the best way to do that.

Eric Cross (40:43):

One of the things you mentioned earlier is trying to reach out to educators. And I know that when we work together, it’s a force multiplier. And what you’re doing is developing skills. And there’s these skills that are happening right now in academia that you’re doing. And then how do we transfer that into middle and high school. Or, I’m sorry, middle and elementary school, high school. We need to get more people into this conversation to kind of brainstorm and figure that out. We have a Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community, where we have educators that gather. That can be one place we start the conversation. And again, I know on your website you’ve been super active on social media; you’ve grown your presence on Twitter and all these different places, engaging with folks. Which is awesome. ‘Cause I know I see your posts and I’m saving the things that you’re posting and I’m thinking of ways that I can do it in my classroom. I’m gonna take that product. By the way, is that on your website, the lesson that you do with the product?

Melanie Trecek-King (41:43):

No, actually. So the article, “How to Sell Pseudoscience” is … I know Bertha Vasquez wrote up a version of it.

Eric Cross (41:50):

Maybe we can grab that. ‘Cause we might be able to put that into the show notes for folks, because she’s a middle school educator. If there’s already something that’s been done for teachers like us, we’re like, “Yeah, let me get that and let me remix it and make it my own!” if there’s already a exemplar out there.

Melanie Trecek-King (42:04):

Yeah, she’s done it. And so I will absolutely share that with you.

Eric Cross (42:08):

So, all season long, we’ve been talking about science as the underdog. We kind of framed it, you know, science oftentimes takes a back seat to math and English. It’s kinda the first thing to go. Or the first area where time can get cut. Because of what gets tested gets focused on, oftentimes. And then in addition to that, when you’re a multi-subject teacher, elementary science isn’t just one thing — it’s every field. You know, you’re a biologist, which is different than a geologist. And when you’re teaching every subject, that’s a lot. And you might not have had a science class for years. And the realities that we’re seeing over and over with different researchers and practitioners is that science could actually enhance literacy, and building those skills. And I think you really talked about it with the critical thinking skills. Those can transfer. Or the administrator that said, “This is one of the only courses I’ve seen where it transfers to other areas.” Could you share maybe with our listeners, just any advice for advocating for science in their own world?

Melanie Trecek-King (43:13):

Wow, I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer that question! One of the things that comes to mind though — because I was listening to your last episode and educators … I honestly didn’t realize how little time they had for science. And how often science was then the first to go, to allow room for other subjects. But science overlaps with a lot of other issues. And so I feel like there could be a way to bring in science when teaching these other subjects. So, for example, argumentation and logical fallacies are easy to apply to reading and writing. Information literacy, and being able to find good information online, teaching students how to laterally read, to be able to check a source, or how to use Google effectively, to put in neutral search terms to find sources, or teaching students how to recognize the characteristics of conspiratorial thinking: All of these things can overlap with so many other subjects. So the scientist in me is a little biased towards science being important enough to do this. But try to bring it into the other subjects. It doesn’t have to be completely separate.

Eric Cross (44:43):

So integrating science into other things. And I … big believer. And a hundred percent agree with you. Now I’m gonna ask a question that kinda like takes us backwards. You shared an app with me when we first met that I thought was really cool. And I know it’s a friend or colleague of yours. But as a middle school teacher, I thought it was great, because it was something that my students could download and practice some of the skills that you’re talking about. Would you talk a little bit about the cranky uncle? Is it the Cranky Uncle app?

Melanie Trecek-King (45:17):

Cranky Uncle.

Eric Cross (45:18):

Could you share a little bit about that?

Melanie Trecek-King (45:20):

Yeah. Cranky Uncle is awesome. So, Cranky Uncle is the brainchild of John Cook, who is the founder of Skeptical Science and the author of the 97% Consensus study on climate change. Cranky Uncle … so he’s also a cartoonist. And Cranky Uncle is a cartoon game where … I don’t even have to explain who Cranky Uncle is to my students. Everybody inherently gets the, the character, right? So he’s like the guy at Thanksgiving that you don’t wanna talk to because he denies climate change and he’s just really cranky. But Cranky Uncle uses the techniques of science denial, which are summarized by the acronym FLICC: So it’s Fake experts, Logical fallacies, Impossible expectations, Cherry-picking, and Conspiratorial thinking. So he uses those techniques. Again, this is technique-based inoculation. So they recognize the techniques in the game, and you earn cranky points. And as you make Cranky crankier and crankier because you’re recognizing his techniques, you learn the techniques of science denial, and level up and open up other techniques. This is another one of those examples where climate change has a lot of science behind it, right? And if you wanted to get to the science behind climate change for any particular issue … so let’s say it’s cold today, so I’m gonna say there’s no climate change. OK? If I’m gonna unpack that at a factual level, and with science, we could be here for a while. But if I told you, “That’s like saying, ‘I just ate a sandwich so there’s no global hunger.’” OK? So that’s a parallel argument. Humorous. Love to use this kind of argumentation, ’cause it makes for some … I mean, it’s funny, but you get the point. It’s an anecdote. And anecdotes aren’t good evidence. So just like that, you could teach the technique of using an anecdotal fallacy for climate-change denial. So, I have my students play this game. You could do it when you’re studying argumentation. You could do it for science denial. I use an inoculation extension with that, where I have my students pretend that … um, actually, back up for a second. So I teach a class on critical thinking. And at the end of semesters I would get emails from students on, well, they’re failing the class, but they really shouldn’t, for all of these reasons. And reading these emails, I’m like, “If you think that’s a good argument, you clearly didn’t learn what I was hoping you would learn.” So I now have my students, early in the semester, after they play Cranky, pretend that it is the end of the semester and you’re failing the class and you’re failing because you didn’t do the work. Use at least four of the fallacies from class to argue for why you should pass. So they have to put it on a discussion forum, and they’ll say things like, “Well, if you fail me, then I won’t get into graduate school and then people will die and it will all be your fault.” Or, “My dog died, and so I was really sad.” Or, um, “You’re just a terrible teacher. And you’re short. So I don’t like you.” Or that kind of thing. So, oh, they love to attack my character. It’s really funny. But it’s supposed to be funny. And the point is, the students are using those arguments, they’re using the fallacies, to argue for something. And so by creating that misinformation themselves, they learn how those fallacies work. But taken together, I mean, everything that we just talked about there, Cranky Uncle, and the fallacy assignment, or whatever iteration you want that to be in, that doesn’t have to be in a purely science unit. Right? That could be sociology. It could be argumentation. It could be English.

Eric Cross (49:01):

Absolutely. That could be totally a prompt in an English class. And practiced in there. And then this could be an interdisciplinary thing, going back and forth between English and and science. Just having these discussions and looking at it from different angles. And you’re practicing the skills in two different contexts. So you get into argumentation. And then that app, I know I had fun with it. And the questions on there definitely resonate with people in my own family. I’m like, “I feel like I’m talking to exactly somebody that I’m related to right now.” <Laugh> Melanie, anything else that you wanna share, or discuss or highlight, before we wrap up?

Melanie Trecek-King (49:39):

So we could talk about lateral reading, if you like. ‘Cause I know a lot of educators use the crap test.

Eric Cross (49:45):

Please, please, please talk about that.

Melanie Trecek-King (49:47):

So, when evaluating sources, a lot of educators teach what’s called the CRAP test. And I wish I remembered what it stood for. But basically what you do, a lot of us have been taught when you go to a website, to figure out if it’s reliable, you wanna go to the about page. Read the mission; see who they are; maybe read some of the content; evaluate the language. So is it inflammatory? Are they making logical arguments? Are the links to reputable sources as well? And the problem is that if a site wants to mislead you, they’re not going to tell you that it’s a bunk site, right? They’re just gonna do a good job of misleading you. And so, what you wanna do instead … the CRAP test basically is an evaluation of a site. And that’s what’s called vertical reading. So you’re looking through a site to determine if it’s reliable. Uh, I think his name’s Sam Wineberg at Stanford, proposed something called lateral reading. Where, instead of on the site, what you wanna do is literally open a new tab and into the search engine type the source. You could do the claim, too. And then something like Reliability or FactCheck or whatever it’s that you’re checking, and then see what other reputable sites have to say about it. So, in their study, actually, they did a really interesting study where they compared professional fact checkers to PhD historians to Stanford undergrads. And they evaluated — I wish you could … um, there’s two pediatrician organizations. One’s like the American Association of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatricians, something like that. They’re very similar sounding. So you give them to students. I do this with my students as well, the same study. So I give my students those two websites. And I say, “Which one of these is more reliable?” And they do exactly what most of us do, which is spend time on the site looking around. And most of the time, if not nearly all the time, they come to the wrong conclusion. And so then I tell them what lateral reading is: “OK, instead of looking through the site, open a new tab, search the organization and reliability.” Something like that. And it takes probably 30 seconds before they realize one of them has been dubbed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. As opposed to the other one, which is like a hundred year old huge pediatrician organization that produces their own journals and so on. But nearly all my students are fooled. And in the study, none of the fact checkers were fooled. I’m gonna get the number right. It’s something like 50% of the historians and 20% of the Stanford undergraduates got the correct answer. And they spent a lot more time on it. So it’s a great way to teach students how to use the power of the internet to evaluate sources much more quickly and, effectively. And yes, use Wikipedia, right? Wikipedia is not a final answer, but Wikipedia is actually pretty accurate. So if Wikipedia is the first place you stop, then yes, go there, see what Wikipedia says, and then follow some of their sources.

Eric Cross (52:47):

What popped in my head was like, Yelp reviews for websites. That almost sounds like what it was. It’s like when I search for a product, I don’t go and read the product description marketing. ‘Cause that’s all designed to sell me on something. But I’ll go and look in Reliability, if it’s like a car, or just other sites to cross-reference. And that sounds like what you were talking about is like cross-referencing. Seeing what FactChecker [sic] said about this site, versus seeing what a site says about itself.

Melanie Trecek-King (53:14):

Well, that’s a great analogy. Because if I wanted to know if a product was effective, what the manufacturer says about the product, clearly there’s a strong chance of bias. Right? They’re going to be on their best, um, put their best foot forward. Versus, what do independent reviewers say about this product?

Eric Cross (53:35):

Yep. And I am known to research something to death. And I get something called “paralysis by analysis.”

Melanie Trecek-King (53:42):

Ohhhh, yeah.

Eric Cross (53:44):

And it’s so bad that even if I’m trying to buy, like, towels, I need to find the best-bang-for-the-buck towel. I have to defer some of these decisions out, because I’m on the internet for three hours now. I’ll be a pseudo-expert in towels, and thread count, and all of that stuff. But yeah, that maybe that’s just the science person.

Melanie Trecek-King (54:03):

I mean, I feel your pain. I do the same thing. <Laugh> It’s annoying. Like, it’s just towels. What does it really matter? But yeah.

Eric Cross (54:10):

Coffee! It doesn’t matter what it is. I just need to go, “OK, I have to use these powers for good. Otherwise I’m gonna be researching forever.”

Melanie Trecek-King (54:16):

I wanna say one other thing. So, again, this is a college class and I have a lot of freedom. But one of the driving philosophies behind the class is a wonderful quote in a book, Schick and Vaughn, How to Think about Weird Things. And they said, “The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your decisions, and the quality of your decisions is determined by the quality of your thinking.” And I know my students want a grade. But I’m really trying to teach them how to be empowered through better thinking. That’s where the name “Thinking is Power” came from. I mean, we say “Knowledge is Power,” but it’s not enough to know things. And there’s too much to know. So being able to think and be empowered to have your own agency and not fall for someone’s bunk is my goal for my students.

Eric Cross (55:07):

And doing that is gonna help them through the rest of their lives. Not be swindled, not be taken advantage of, be able to make better decisions. There’s so many benefits to building that skill. And I know your students have definitely grown and benefited. I’m sure you’ve heard, long after you’ve taught them, heard back from them and how they’ve applied that course to their lives. Melanie, thank you so much for being here. For a few things. One, for providing and filling this space where there’s such a need. Again, the critical thinking resources, the tools that you used, are so, so important. If we ever lived in a time where they were critical, it was really what we experienced during the pandemic in the last few years. We watched people’s information literacy and science literacy play out in real time. And we literally saw life-and-death decisions being made based off those skills. That highlighted, I think how important this is. And then, taking the time to generate resources for educators like myself, that we can take and adapt and put into our classroom and start teaching our students. ‘Cause like you said, by the time they get to you, they’re, they’re so far downstream or so far in a system that, depending on the teachers that they’ve had and the education system they’ve been in, may or may not have even touched on these things. They might have learned a lot of facts, but they may not have built their muscle to be able to critically analyze and interpret the world around them. And you’ve just — even the last year, it hasn’t even been a year since we talked the first time — I’ve watched your resources continue to grow, and you share them. And so I, on behalf of those of us in K–12, thank you. And thank you for being here.

Melanie Trecek-King (56:49):

Oh, well, thank you so much for this opportunity. Thank you for everything that you do, reaching out to other educators and for giving me a platform to hopefully reach other educators.

Eric Cross (57:00):

Thanks so much for listening to my conversation with Melanie Trecek-King, Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College and creator of Thinking Is Power. Make sure you don’t miss any new episodes of Science Connections by subscribing to the show, wherever you get podcasts. And while you’re there, we’d really appreciate it if you can leave us a review. It’ll help more listeners to find the show. You can find more information on all of Amplify shows at our podcast hub, Amplify.com/Hub. Thanks again for listening.

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What Melanie Trecek-King says about science

“Students carry in their pocket access to basically all of humanity’s knowledge at this moment in time. The question is: do they know what they’re looking for?”

– Melanie Trecek-King

Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College and creator of Thinking is Power

Meet the guest

Melanie Trecek-King is the creator of Thinking is Power, an online resource that provides critical thinking education to the general public. She is currently an associate professor of biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches a general-education science course designed to equip students with empowering critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. An active speaker and consultant, Trecek-King loves to share her “teach skills, not facts” approach with other science educators, and help schools and organizations meet their goals through better thinking. Trecek-King is also the education director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE (Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative), which aim to advance and apply the science of mental immunity to inoculate minds against misinformation.

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A laptop screen displays the “Science Connections: The Community” private group page, with science-themed icons decorating the background and edges.

About Science Connections

Welcome to Science Connections! Science is changing before our eyes, now more than ever. So…how do we help kids figure that out? We will bring on educators, scientists, and more to discuss the importance of high-quality science instruction. In this episode, hear from our host Eric Cross about his work engaging students as a K-8 science teacher. 

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S2-05: Moving students forward with project-based learning

A promotional image for the podcast "Science Connections" featuring guest Janis Lodge and the topic "Moving students forward with project-based learning." Season 2, Episode 5.

In this episode, Eric Cross sits with K–5 educator Janis Lodge to chat about building on her own science curriculum to create meaningful project-based learning experiences. Janis shares her work teaching Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), and how to use those practices to help accelerate the learning of all students. Eric and Janis also talk about making time for science within K–5 classrooms. Explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Janis Lodge (00:00):
To me, the reward of having those kids feel like they accomplished something and the way that they can take ownership of it and go in so many different directions, I cannot take that away from them. That’s such an opportunity that if I have the means to do it, I have to just take it and run with it.

Eric Cross (00:18):
Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross. My guest today is Janis Lodge. Janis is a third-grade teacher in Orange County, California, with a specialization in gifted and talented education. Recently, Janis was awarded the Orange County Council for the Gifted and Talented Education Classroom grant. This grant funds a project that provides an extension to her third-grade science unit about environments and survival. Through this project, students will think like a biomimicry engineer as they design a robot that is inspired by an innovation found in nature. In this episode, we discuss how she uses interdisciplinary teaching practices to make time for science learning; why gifted and talented education strategies can benefit all students; and her process for creating a problem-based lesson that ultimately earned her a grant for her classroom. And now, please enjoy my conversation with Janis Lodge. One, welcome! Thanks for being here.

Janis Lodge (01:14):
Of course, I am happy to do it. I’m excited for the opportunity.

Eric Cross (01:17):
Of course! Yeah. Elementary school teachers in science, I feel like there’s so many things to have conversations about. And some of the things that you’ve really focused on, I think, are, really, really important. But I wanna start off with your journey of you becoming a teacher in the classroom. And so, would you kind of give your background, your origin story? How did you end up as a third-grade teacher?

Janis Lodge (01:37):
Well, my story is definitely not a traditional story. Before I was a teacher, I was actually living in Maui, Hawaii. I moved there right after college. I went to Chico State in Northern California. And I got a degree in graphic design. And after I graduated, well, I should give a little bit of a backstory. My last summer before graduating, I spent the whole summer in Maui and I just fell in love with it. So when I graduated, I decided instead of applying for jobs in Northern California, I’m just gonna put some resumes out in Maui and see if I can get a job. And I did. I ended up getting a job doing graphic design and marketing for a kite surf company out there. And I ended up just staying for seven years on the island. And after about seven years, I kind of got a little bit of island fever and decided I wanted to come back to California. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I just had this calling that I need to do something a little more fulfilling with my life. And I started thinking about different ideas and dreams I had. And I actually started thinking about when I was younger, right? I had this dream. If you were to ask me when I was 10 years old what I wanted to be when I grow up, it would be elementary school teacher.

Eric Cross (02:48):
Really?

Janis Lodge (02:48):
Believe it or not. When I was younger, I transformed my bedroom into a classroom. My stuffed animals were my students. I just thought I’m gonna be the next best teacher ever. And you know, as I went through life and kind of went in different directions, I kind of lost sight of that dream a little bit. But for some reason, when I decided to change careers, I just remembered that. And so I just decided to go get my teaching credential and see if it worked out. And it was probably the best decision I made. I feel like everything just fell perfectly into place. I ended up getting a job at an amazing school, and now, five years later, I’m a third grade teacher.

Eric Cross (03:28):
So one of the questions I have to ask, and talking to elementary school teachers, this comes up a lot: How do you make time for science as an elementary school teacher who’s teaching everything? And let me kind of premise this with, at least for those of us in California, and I’m sure the rest of the states too, but we know this; There’s kind of this pressure with pacing and then even, depending on what school you’re at, math and English tend to get the bulk of things. And maybe there’s this perception also of like, well, I gotta teach math and English, and sometimes science gets put to the back burner for different reasons.

Janis Lodge (03:57):
Well, you’re exactly right. The beginning of the year, we were provided with a pacing from the district. And you know, they try to keep us on track, saying, “You should be starting Unit 2 at this time.” But other than that, there’s really no specific guidelines of how many days we’re supposed to be teaching or for how long. But one kind of secret that I’ve discovered is that I can weave science into the other subjects, specifically with language arts. So quite often what I do is I take a look at the language arts standard, and if it’s identifying the key details and the main idea, well I can do that with the science books used from the curriculum. So I’ll just pull those readers and we’ll do the exact same skill, start with the same standard, but we’ll use the content from science. By doing that, we call that kind of like interdisciplinary study. And the students really enjoy that more, too, because they’re using the same skills but they’re diving deeper into the content.

Eric Cross (04:54):
Right.

Janis Lodge (04:55):
And so also that helps build the background knowledge. So then when it comes to time where, if I want to do a science lab or a science investigation, now they already have that background knowledge ’cause we already dove deep into the reading and they can apply that pretty quickly right away into their lab or whatever activity they’re doing.

Eric Cross (05:12):
Can you give an example maybe of how you might pull out something that might be a skill that you’re trying to develop, maybe in an English content, but you would pull that out in a science lesson, maybe? What would you do?

Janis Lodge (05:25):
We’re actually doing that right now. So we’re in our second unit of science and they’re studying inheritance and traits and they’re looking at different organisms to see how they have adaptations to help them survive in their environment. So coincidentally part of the literacy skills is to look at multiple sources, do research, and summarize and make analysis of what they’re reading. And so we have different varied resources. I have websites; I have books, ebooks, videos, and pictures. And they’re choosing which four sources they want to use. And then, then they’re coming up with a summary at the end and then putting together a Google Slides presentation based on whatever organism that they chose.

Eric Cross (06:05):
Did you have a science background before becoming an elementary school teacher?

Janis Lodge (06:11):
Um, none. Besides what I, you know, took in high school and college.

Eric Cross (06:16):
Did you find it easy to kind of lean into the science, or was it something you just kind of jumped into and said, “All right, I’m gonna get after it”?

Janis Lodge (06:23):
What’s interesting is if, you know, throughout my education, my favorite subjects were English and reading and writing and art. And quite honestly, science wasn’t my favorite subject. But I think because of that, that inspires me to come up with creative ways of presenting the information to them and making it exciting and engaging for them, because I don’t want them to feel that way. I want them to be excited about all subjects. And I think that’s the beauty of combining the different subjects like I mentioned before. Like I say, you know, “What would a scholar do? Think like a wildlife biologist. And like with my project, think like a biomimicry engineer.” And so it kind of shifts their thinking. Like, it’s not just, “Oh, we have to study science.” It’s like, “No, you are the scientist; you are a meteorologist; or you are an author. How would an author write about this? How would an illustrator capture this in a photo or a comic strip?” And so, when you really combine those disciplines, you can take it to another level. So even if science isn’t their favorite subject, like maybe it wasn’t for me growing up, they can still take something they’re passionate about and apply the science content to it and they really resonate with them.

Eric Cross (07:37):
You leaned into your strengths. Which are more like, coming into it, you had all these kind of creative strengths. You have that background as a graphics designer. You were into the arts. But then with those strengths, did that kinda give you more confidence to dive into the science work, because you approached it from your assets that you were already coming to the table with?

Janis Lodge (07:55):
Yeah.You said it perfectly. If you look at it from a different lens, there’s all these different ways you can approach science.

Eric Cross (07:59):
I find it in my own science class, too. We’re all teaching the same standards. But how I approach it is through Eric Cross’s kind of personality and understanding and my angle, and another teacher might do it a different way. But we’re all leading to the same destination.

Janis Lodge (08:14):
Exactly.

Eric Cross (08:15):
That kind of leads me to my next question, and this is having to do with the project that you just alluded to. The biomimicry project. So you did a biomimicry project. Would you consider that like a project based-learning assignment?

Janis Lodge (08:26):
Well, this will be the third year that I’ve taught this unit. And when I wrapped it up last year, it’s through the Amplify Science program, and they do a wonderful job of having a lot of investigations and really thinking like a biomimicry engineer. But the final part of the unit was to design a robot inspired by a giraffe, to eliminate invasive plants in a particular environment. And the project part of it at the end was to create a model using Popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. And then the other part of it was a digital simulation where they would put in different shape structures of teeth, and kind of reconfigure the shape of the mouth. And then they’d put in what they think is effective, and then the computer would say, oh, you’re 98% successful or 70% successful. And I remember at the end of it the students were like, “OK, well when do we make the robots?” And I thought, “Well, we’re just doing the simulation, or we’re just doing this model out of Popsicle sticks; we’re not actually gonna make a robot.” And they just seemed so disappointed. And that’s kind of how the wheels started turning my head like, “Well, what if they actually could make a robot? The only thing stopping me is I don’t have the materials to do it.” So, shortly after that unit wrapped up, coincidentally I saw the email about this grant opportunity that was being offered through the Orange County Council for Gifted Education. And they said, If you have a project that you wanna get funded that would promote GATE strategies within the classroom, then you can submit this proposal. So that’s how the ball got rolling for that proposal. And I researched different robotics kits and different companies and I found one that was really user-friendly for third graders, and not so difficult for me to learn as well.

Eric Cross (10:10):
You’re a risk taker. Like, I’m already seeing this as I’m talking to you. Is that just who you are or do you have a network? Like what keeps you taking these risks?

Janis Lodge (10:18):
I don’t really consider it a risk, because it’s exciting for me. Like I said, I don’t know that much about robotics, but the idea of learning more and then teaching that to my students is exciting. And you know, there was a little bit of risk ’cause I’m deviating a little bit from the curriculum, from the standard lesson, but to me, the reward of having those kids feel like they accomplished something, and the way that they can take ownership of it and go in so many different directions, and on top of that, develop coding skills and computer science skills and robotic skills, to me it was just like I cannot take that away from them. That’s such an opportunity that if I have the means to do it, I have to just take it and run with it. So I think just being inspired by the potential outcomes of what could happen is what made me take that risk.

Eric Cross (11:05):
Did you just kind of create this from scratch? Did you work with a team of people? How did you come to the point where you were ready to present this for the grant?

Janis Lodge (11:12):
Pretty much from scratch. Like I said, the Amplify unit, it does teach them about robotics that were inspired by nature. So some of the materials that they read, and there’s some videos that show really great examples. There’s like a robotic arm that was inspired by an elephant trunk. There’s a book that shows what this field is, biomimicry engineer, they actually show like what they do in that field. And I thought this is a perfect way to apply it because the curriculum’s already pretty much set it up for me; now I just have to add this one final component to it. And essentially it becomes project-based learning at that point, because they’re taking their knowledge and their skills that they’ve learned up to that point. Even the unit that we’re doing doing right now is building up to it. So it’s kind of that final—instead of giving them a test at the end and saying, “OK, tell me what you learned about inheritance and traits and environments,” they can actually take that knowledge and apply it to an innovation or creation that comes out of their own mind, which is so much more powerful.

Eric Cross (12:11):
Do they connect to any other learning goals as they’re doing these projects?

Janis Lodge (12:15):
Well, I think first and foremost, the 21st century skills that from day one I tell them, the four Cs: collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. All of those are woven in through this lesson. From the beginning, we talked about the whole engineering design process. So from the beginning, they start with a question and oftentimes that actually can be the hardest for them to think about, “What’s a scientific question or a problem that I wanna solve?” If they’re passionate about, maybe, a sport or the environment or something within their school, I go, “There it is. OK, that’s the problem. How can you design something inspired by nature to solve that problem?” And then, from there they go into the planning and the designing and the testing and then the improving. So going through that engineering design process, I think, is what really makes them feel like they are the engineer going through this. And they can make mistakes. They can take risks. A lot of my students I’ve found are afraid to take risks. They wanna make sure they succeed. And they need that challenge to know that if they do fail, that’s OK. We can just revisit this. We can test it. We can look at it in a different way.

Eric Cross (13:27):
You maybe wonder about, how do you assess something like this?

Janis Lodge (13:30):
I think that’s where all those stages along the way are important. Because I wanna make sure that they have a plan and that it’s based on the knowledge that they’ve gained in the unit. I think one of the other things about project-based learning is the final product of how they demonstrate their mastery. And in my classroom I oftentimes give them a choice of how they’re gonna present that to me. So maybe they’re going to write it out like an essay. Maybe they’re gonna create a Google slide. Maybe they’re gonna make a video. Maybe they’re going to—obviously in this part they will have the model, but they’ll have to have some way to explain it to me. And I think giving them that choice gives them the opportunity to show it in the way that’s meaningful to them.

Eric Cross (14:14):
And are you using like a rubric when you’re grading these assignments? Or, how do you actually grade it?

Janis Lodge (14:20):
Yes. So we have a rubric that’s provided to us for the written component that all the students will do at the end. But I can take that same rubric and see if they’ve applied that to the project. So even the verbiage wouldn’t really need to change. I think it’s still important that the students are able to demonstrate this in written form and so all of them will still complete that written component, but to also give them the opportunity to show that in the modality of their choice. I think is really important too.

Eric Cross (14:48):
Right. And you have some students that feel much more comfortable being able to present orally versus—

Janis Lodge (14:53):
Exactly.

Eric Cross (14:53):
—versus writing versus maybe doing a video. I mean, we see that in middle school and in high school too. Students show their knowledge or their understanding of a topic depending on the medium in different ways, and some better than others. Some may find that they can communicate it a lot better orally, but when pen goes to paper or fingers go to keyboard, you might grade it completely different, ’cause they’re not able to transfer what’s in their mind into writing. And the way you’re doing it, and giving that student choice, they probably have so much more buy-in, I’d imagine, because they get to pick what they get to do.

Janis Lodge (15:21):
Right.

Eric Cross (15:22):
You said something earlier and I wanna come back to it. So you mentioned GATE, and GATE is not something that I hear a lot in my world, but it was something I heard a lot when I was in school. There were kind of all of these perceptions and ideas about GATE. You’re a GATE teacher, correct?

Janis Lodge (15:38):
Right.

Eric Cross (15:39):
What is GATE, and what is it like being a GATE teacher? What are the misconceptions, if any, that you might have heard or come across?

Janis Lodge (15:46):
Well, so GATE stands for Gifted and Talented Education. And first and foremost, I think a misconception is that we’re just kind of doing whatever we want; we come up with our own lessons and teach a totally different curriculum. Which is definitely a myth. Because we start with the exact same standards as any other third grade class that you’d walk into. That’s definitely where we start. But I think in addition to the standards, we also implement what are called GATE standards: So they’re Depth, Complexity, Acceleration, and Novelty. And there’s a lot of tools that we use in the classroom, different strategies. You’ll see things like the prompts of Depth and Complexity. We’ll use things like “think like a disciplinarian”; I’m doing “think like a biomimicry engineer.” But really, all they are are just thinking tools and strategies to elevate students thinking and kind of go below that surface level of the content to dive deeper. It also provides opportunities for acceleration. So for example, our last science unit, it was on magnetic force, and there was a handful of students that just grasped the concepts right away, and they’re ready for something else. They’re ready for more rigor. They need some challenge. And so at that point I can kind of pull that group aside and provide some differentiation for them. And I said, “OK, well, you understand the concept of magnetic force, balanced forces. So now what I want you to do is think about something that you’re really passionate about, and how could you use magnetic force somewhere in that field—again to solve a problem, problem-based learning—and present it to me?” So they create this form, it’s like a “think like a disciplinarian” frame, and one of them was “think like a hockey player.” And he’s trying to think of a way that he can incorporate magnetic force. Anyway, I could go on and on. But basically it’s finding what these students’ passions are. And I do that with all my students. And I should probably preface this by saying that even though these are standards that I implement in my classroom because it’s a GATE classroom, these are practices and tools that can be applied to any learner, at any age. And they really just enrich the education for all students.

Eric Cross (18:02):
So your classroom is, is a mixed classroom. There’s GATE students and then general—

Janis Lodge (18:05):
Right.

Eric Cross (18:07):
—students, non-GATE students, in the same class. It’s interesting because I imagine GATE is kind of scaffolding up to a higher level, but then, you also said something that I’ve noticed when I’m creating scaffolds for my students to support them, who may not be at a grade level, maybe in reading or literacy or math, those same scaffolds can help all students.

Janis Lodge (18:27):
So yeah, I don’t just go, “OK, you’re my GATE students; I’m gonna use these practices on you.” I use it for the whole class. But I’m also surprised by having that mix of these different learning styles. A lot of times students are inspired by other students, or, you know, we have this big thing about one of the prompts is Multiple Perspectives. I try to do that as much as I can, because students are inspired by the ideas of their peers. And quite often, if they hear it from a peer, it could be exactly what I just said, but they heard their student say it in a different way and it just clicks and they’re like, “Wow, I get that.”

Eric Cross (19:00):
I think a lot of teachers struggle or, or maybe feel ill-equipped, to support higher-level students. Did you get trained to be a GATE teacher? First lemme ask that question: Did you get special training for this?

Janis Lodge (19:13):
Yes. I went through a course, I think it was like a six-week certification course, through my district.

Eric Cross (19:19):
OK, so you got a special training, which—I’ve been in the classroom for nine years; I teach at a university as an adjunct professor; but I’ve never been trained on teaching gifted or accelerated students. And I’m kind of wondering now, like, do you feel like it made you a better teacher?

Janis Lodge (19:33):
Absolutely.

Eric Cross (19:34):
And if so, how do I get to do this?

Janis Lodge (19:36):
Well, it’s through the county. I mean, anybody can get trained and certified how to teach this way. But, just like you said, I think coming out of that, my eyes were just open, and my biggest takeaway is that these practices, even though they are designed for gifted and talented, it really kind of reshaped my thinking about how I, number one, present material to the students, that I’m doing it in an engaging way, and I’m not just lecturing at them; there’s opportunities for them to collaborate and communicate and use multiple resources. So, you know, how I’m teaching has changed. And then also, how I’m providing opportunities for them to demonstrate their learning. And a lot of that is project-based learning, because once they have the knowledge and skills they need to do something with it. I mean, that’s really the true definition of innovation, is taking the skills or taking something that you’ve learned, and now go with it. Run with it.

Eric Cross (20:32):
How can we take what you’ve learned and then kind of spread it, so teachers have this in their toolkit, too? Like for me, I have multiple ways to be able to support reading and literacy and math and tools and sentence frames. And my students who have special learning plans, I have a have a lot of tool sets for that. I wanna build my tool sets for this other area for my students who want to continue, who wanna run, or go beyond, or even stretch themselves. I think we need to take some of the things that you’re doing and not make them kind of like this exclusive group, but also let’s share it with everyone, ’cause if everybody can access it—

Janis Lodge (21:03):
I agree.

Eric Cross (21:03):
—we might see a lot more potential or a lot more opportunities for students who might not otherwise have them.

Janis Lodge (21:08):
And one thing: My school, I’m really proud to say that my principal has seen that. You know, he’s like, “Well why are we just keeping this in the GATE classroom?” So he’s working on getting all of our teachers certified.

Eric Cross (21:19):
No, I love what you’re doing and your principal sounds, sounds awesome for doing that and recognizing that this can benefit more students than just the ones who, you know, pass the Raisin Test, I think it’s what it was called when I was taking it, or whatever it is back then.

Janis Lodge (21:31):
Exactly.

Eric Cross (21:32):
We’ve talked about project-based learning, the GATE classroom…I kind of wanna come back to you as we wrap up. Thinking about, like, the jobs that you and I do, and the people that listen to this podcast, we have one of the few jobs that people remember us for a lifetime. And I wanna ask you, who was someone that was maybe inspirational in your educational career, that inspired you, or is maybe one of the most memorable? You might have several…but who is someone that was memorable to you in your career, and why? Why were they memorable to you?

Janis Lodge (22:02):
Yeah. Well, obviously, when I was younger, I was definitely inspired by all my teachers. The fact that I turned my bedroom into a classroom…I just was just in awe of this profession. But I think one that really resonated with me was my junior year in high school. I was taking a newspaper class and the teacher was Mrs. Kavanaugh, and she really taught us everything from writing the articles to the editing, to putting the pages together. And I remember in that class I was working on this program called QuarkXPress. I don’t even know if it exists anymore. But I was just fascinated with putting all these pieces together that we’d worked on for so long and getting the articles, picking the pictures, the illustrations and the titles. And I remember her looking at me saying, “You really enjoy this, don’t you?” And I said, “Yeah.” And she said, “Well, I have a computer graphics elective class that you should take next year.” And I thought, “OK, I’d love to do this, this opportunity to expand my knowledge and my skills.” So because of that, I took the computer graphics class the next year and I just remember throughout the whole time, she was just constantly encouraging me and acknowledging my skills. And I find myself doing that as a teacher as well. ‘Cause that really resonated with me. And it’s funny, this summer I was going through some boxes of some old stuff from high school, and I found this handout that I had made, because I remember my senior year of high school, she said, “Janis, you know what? You’re doing such a great job; we have these new, incoming students coming into the newspaper class, and I’d love for you to actually teach them how to do this pagination on this QuarkXPress program. I want you to put something together and actually teach it to them.” I thought, “Wow, she believes in me that much that she’s gonna let me teach this to the incoming students.” But I think my takeaway from that was that she gave me the opportunity to take those skills and actually do something with them, to apply them right away.

Eric Cross (23:53):
Mrs. Kavanaugh. Miss Kavanaugh. Shout-out to Miss Kavanaugh. As you told that story, I heard you as a teacher because I’m hearing she’s applying these GATE strategies in that situation. That’s what that’s what I heard.

Janis Lodge (24:08):
Yeah, absolutely.

Eric Cross (24:09):
She personalized this learning. She created a specialized opportunity. You presented to a real audience that was authentic. It had this personalization in it and this rigor and this challenge and it made a huge impact. And it’s just amazing to listen to you and hear this come full-circle, and now you’re doing this with little ones. And I just wanna thank you for your time in doing the interview, sharing your story with how you became a teacher, your students, the projects that you do. And just like so many teachers, going the extra mile for your kids and bringing in these really important 21st century skills; they’re gonna be so much better off for it. And I know it makes my job easier when I get them in the classroom, so thank you.

Janis Lodge (24:49):
Yeah. Well, thank you for the opportunity.

Eric Cross (24:51):
My pleasure. Thanks so much for listening and we wanna hear more about you and the educators who inspire you. You can nominate them as a future guest on Science Connections by emailing STEM@amplify.com. That’s S -T-E-M at amplify dot com. And be sure to click subscribe, wherever you listen to podcasts, and join our Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community. Until next time.

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What Janis Lodge says about science

“The reward of having kids feel like they accomplished something and take ownership is such an opportunity [with project-based learning] that I have to run with it. Being inspired by the potential outcomes of what could happen is what made me take that risk.”

– Janice Lodge

3rd Grade Teacher, De Portola Elementary

Meet the guest

Janis Lodge is a third grade teacher in Orange County, California. Her career in education started six years ago when she decided to follow her passion of making a positive difference in the lives of young scholars. Prior to teaching, Janis lived in Maui, Hawaii for seven years, working in the field of graphic design, marketing, and hospitality. She has found that her interest in innovation, project-based learning, and inquiry-driven exploration has helped shape her into the educator she is today. STEAM is integrated regularly into her classroom, and her students continually develop 21st century skills through a variety of unique projects. ​​Janis is also a PAL (Peer Assistance Leadership) Advisor for her school, where she helps young leaders (4th-6th graders) cultivate their leadership skills and empowers them to make a positive difference in their school and community. Janis was recently awarded the Orange County Council for the Gifted & Talented Education Classroom Grant, which will provide an extension to the third grade Amplify Science Unit: Environments and Survival.

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About Science Connections

Welcome to Science Connections! Science is changing before our eyes, now more than ever. So…how do we help kids figure that out? We will bring on educators, scientists, and more to discuss the importance of high-quality science instruction. In this episode, hear from our host Eric Cross about his work engaging students as a K-8 science teacher. Listen here!

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Free posters

Inspire your K–8 students with two free bilingual posters of scientists.

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Creating lasting change in K–5 math and literacy instruction

Two women seated at a table engage in a lively conversation. One is using a laptop, likely discussing innovative teaching practices. Bookshelves filled with resources for empowering students are visible in the background, perhaps hinting at their dedication to star awards in education.

Transforming math and literacy education takes more than just tips and tricks—it requires vision, commitment, and the right support. Whether you’re rethinking early literacy skills instruction, refining math core curriculum, or fostering a culture of collaboration, you need strong leadership and proven strategies for real change to occur.

“Sustained, meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight,” said Kymyona Burk, Ed.D., a senior policy fellow at ExcelinEd and the keynote speaker at our recent Leading With Vision symposium. “It requires commitment, collaboration, and a clear vision for supporting both educators and students.”

At the symposium—which included keynotes, panels, and math and literacy tracks—education experts from across the country shared experiences navigating instructional shifts, leading curriculum implementation, and setting schools up for success. From building buy-in to making data-driven decisions, their actionable insights can empower you with the knowledge and tools to create lasting change in your district.

Read on for a recap of the core presentations. You can also watch or listen along—and, for extra credit, download the workbook to deepen your learning.

Opening keynote: Key Factors for Successful Transformation in Literacy and Math

Kymyona Burk, Ed.D.
Senior Policy Fellow, ExcelinEd

In her session, Kymona Burk made the case that real student learning progress in literacy and math doesn’t come from policy alone—it requires systemic, research-based change in classrooms. Too often, schools focus on interventions for struggling students instead of strengthening core instruction to prevent gaps in the first place. She pointed to Mississippi’s success in narrowing achievement gaps as proof that evidence-based teaching, teacher support, and family engagement drive meaningful, lasting improvement.

A key factor in that success, she argued, was a firm commitment to the Science of Reading. “We have decades of research on how children learn to read, and we can’t afford to ignore it,” she said.

Burk also stressed math’s similarities to literacy when it comes to effective teaching methods. Just as students need structured, research-backed reading instruction, they also need math teaching and instructional materials that build deep understanding rather than rely on rote memorization. Achieving this, she said, requires strong materials, better teacher training, and a commitment to using data to refine strategies. The path to better outcomes isn’t a mystery—what’s needed is leadership and persistence.

Key takeaways:

  • Tier 1 instruction is the foundation. Schools must prioritize high-quality core instruction to prevent learning gaps.
  • Literacy and math both need urgent attention. Math reform has lagged behind literacy efforts, but both require evidence-based teaching and structured support.
  • Teachers need more than just training. Professional development must be paired with coaching, collaboration, and access to the right materials.
  • Sustained effort leads to results. Mississippi’s success proves that achievement gaps can be closed with consistent investment in people, resources, and accountability.

Leadership Lessons Learned in Baltimore City Schools That Impact Change Everywhere

Janise Lane
VP of Customer Transformation, Amplify; former Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Baltimore City Schools

Janise Lane’s talk centered on Baltimore City Schools’ multi-year effort to implement a more effective literacy curriculum, highlighting the importance of managing both the logistical and emotional aspects of change. While the district had strong, committed educators, student performance remained stagnant, prompting a curriculum audit and a shift toward evidence-based instruction.

Lane described how to build buy-in and sustainability by ensuring that change is not dictated solely by district leadership. “We had to shift from a system where decisions were made at the top, to one where teachers, families, and community members were true decision-makers,” Lane said.

She also emphasized the need to recognize and address resistance. “Everybody approaches change differently, and it’s our job as leaders to attend to all of those emotions,” Lane said. The key to success, she noted, is creating structured pathways for implementation while remaining adaptable and open to feedback and real classroom experiences.

Key takeaways:

  • Balance structure with flexibility. A clear plan is necessary, but it must adapt based on feedback, data, and the realities of implementation.
  • Small wins build momentum. Celebrating early progress helps shift mindsets from skepticism to belief in the change.
  • Trust and transparency matter. Educators need to see that leadership is engaged, responsive, and committed to making change work for everyone.

Making Math People: Key Shifts in How We Think of Math Assessment

Patrick Callahan, Ph.D.
Educator; Founder, Math ANEX

During his talk, Patrick Callahan emphasized the ways that asset-based assessments measure not just what students don’t know, but the depths of their mathematical thinking. Instead of relying on traditional multiple-choice tests, his approach encourages open-ended responses, allowing teachers to analyze how students arrive at their answers.

Callahan noted that by looking beyond correctness to understand reasoning, teachers can better target instruction. “If all I see is that 37% of my students got an area problem right, I might think I need to reteach area,” Callahan explained. “But if I analyze responses, I see that some kids are correctly multiplying but misunderstanding overlapping rectangles, while others are actually calculating perimeter instead. That tells me exactly where to focus my instruction.”

His research also shows a correlation between students who demonstrated conceptual understanding (such as interpreting remainders in division problems) and higher performance on standardized tests—evidence that fostering deep thinking supports both engagement and achievement.

Key takeaways:

  • Assessments should focus on thinking, not just accuracy. Open-ended questions provide deeper learning opportunities.
  • Targeted teaching saves time. Knowing why students struggle prevents unnecessary reteaching.
  • Classroom discussions boost comprehension. Encouraging students to explain their thinking deepens understanding.

Creating a Supportive Environment for Educators During Times of Instructional Change

Ricky Robertson
Educator; author; consultant

“The number one influence on team effectiveness is psychological safety,” Ricky Robertson said during his symposium session. “Not how talented the individuals are, but how they interact with one another.” His talk focused on how the knowledge that one can speak up without fear of punishment or humiliation affects school culture, educator well-being, and student success, citing research such as Google’s Project Aristotle that demonstrates how high-performing teams thrive not on individual expertise but the quality of interactions among team members.

He also noted that toxic workplace dynamics—such as fear-based leadership, cliques, and bullying—contribute to burnout, disengagement, and resistance to change. Stressing that “strategies don’t transform schools, systems do,” he shared case studies of schools that changed their culture by fostering open communication, restructuring leadership teams, and implementing clear decision-making processes. Creating a safe environment isn’t just about being nice, Robertson said. Robertson noted that creating a safe environment isn’t just about being nice, but about building systems that allow educators to collaborate, support one another, and better serve their students.

Key takeaways:

  • Psychological safety boosts performance. Schools that report a high sense of psychological safety see increased collaboration, innovation, and teacher retention.
  • Structured collaboration matters. Schools with clear communication protocols and leadership structures create more productive teams.
  • Change starts with educators. Supporting teachers’ well-being and professional growth is the foundation for student success.

More to explore

Welcome, Ellensburg, to Amplify Desmos Math!

Amplify Desmos Math K-5 thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program motivates students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.  Feel free to explore our grade-level ancillary samplers to learn more about assessment and reporting, intervention, and differentiation:

Grade K Ancillary Sampler

Grade 1 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 2 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 3 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 4 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 5 Ancillary Sampler

A laptop displays a math problem with illustrated students and a virtual keyboard. Behind it, a chart shows percentages for a Math 2 Beginning-of-Year Screener assessment.

Assessment

mCLASS® Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core and intervention resources. Visit our mClass Math site to learn more.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. With low-floor, high-ceiling tasks every student can actively participate and be a part of the math community. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction.

A math lesson screen shows a toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. A textbox asks how many centimeters that is, with space for an answer and a "Try again" button. An avatar explains the question, using Desmos math tools to amplify understanding.

Differentiation

Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning and offer personalized differentiation. Visit our Boost Math site to learn more. 

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

Embedded intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Multilingual Learners

To support multilingual/English learners, Amplify Desmos Math incorporates research-based Math Language Routines (MLRs) by providing language modality strategies like sentence frames where appropriate, both in the teacher language provided for each task and in the differentiation support section found throughout the program. For further information on math language development, please see pg. 82 of the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

Una profesora con un polo rojo ayuda a una estudiante con cabello largo y rizado que está leyendo un libro en su escritorio en un salón de clases. En la pared detrás de ellos se exhiben carteles con temas educativos.

Review Resources

To support your review of Amplify Desmos Math here are links to important K-5 review resources:

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K-5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade.  To see sample student responses, please click on the Teacher Edition pages and scroll to “Sample Student Work” (first one is about 30 pages in) or click on Intervention and Extension resources.   

For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Digital educational material showing an activity named "Hamster Homes" involving tube length and platform heights for a hamster cage. Includes a diagram with platforms measuring 9 inches.
Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

Educational activity screen displaying a blue backpack with icons, dot groups on the left, and a grid background. Prompt reads, "Look inside the backpack. Then choose the group with the same number of dots." A great tool to amplify Desmos math learning in line with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A digital activity screen, crafted in the style of Amplify Desmos Math, shows two paths with different quantities of mushrooms. The user is prompted to choose the path with more mushrooms. A bear is on the left side of the screen.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

A digital math exercise, amplified by Desmos Math, showcases a story problem about adding kalo plants with three illustrations and a filled-out number sentence 3 + 4 = 7. A "Check" button is present. This tool aligns perfectly with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Centers Resources" for Grade 1, featuring a yellow and white 3D letter "C" on a light background.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 1: Intervention and Extension Resources" depicting a large, blocky number one and a yellow-themed design. Ideal for enhancing New York math curriculum.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational game screen, inspired by New York math standards, shows a subtraction problem, "4 - 1," with a frog moving along numbered lily pads to reveal the answer "3.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Activity screen displaying a task to estimate the number of animals in an aquarium, featuring a bar chart for goldfish, frogs, and shrimp. Utilizing Desmos math tools, an illustration of an aquarium with various animals is also included to amplify learning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational activity where users must select the block with the correct number to make a total of 10 using the given block numbers. The UI, inspired by New York math standards, features a caterpillar and two tree stumps to amplify engagement with Desmos Math tools.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

Educational software displays a challenge to determine the area of an unpainted wall. The wall features a door and window with given dimensions, and a mouse pointer hovers near the question, amplifying the student's engagement.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A page titled "Activity 2" features a table showing counts of rabbits, raccoons, and foxes, an image of animal stickers, and a bar graph representing the number of each animal, designed to amplify your New York math lesson with engaging visual data.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

Educational screen showing an interactive activity from Amplify Desmos Math where a user drags a point to cut a log into quarters. The progress is 2 out of 10.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Interactive educational activity asking users to determine platform heights using a 3-inch tube. The interface, inspired by Desmos math tools, features a dragging function and feedback system with a checkbox and "Try another" option, amplifying the learning experience.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

A digital activity prompt showing a scenic landscape with bamboo shoots and a panda. Using Desmos math tools, the task is to estimate the length where the third bamboo shoot should be placed for the panda to reach a leaf. This exercise is designed to amplify your understanding of spatial reasoning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An interactive screen showing an activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a touch of Desmos Math integration. The user is asked to drag points to demonstrate the decomposition. Two prism illustrations are displayed, offering a glimpse of New York Math's approach.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

Contact Us

If you have any questions throughout your review process or need additional samples, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Alicia O’Neil

Account Executive

425-890-6103

aoneil@amplify.com

Request additional samples

Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math expert to request additional program samples.

Unlock targeted instruction for all students.

Boost Math® is a K–8 personalized learning and intervention program that provides Learning Pathways to ensure that every student succeeds. Our system supports all aspects of a strong Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) through learning progressions that connect foundational skills directly to core instruction.

Boost Math for grades K–5 is available starting in the 2025–26 school year. Boost Math for grades 6–8 will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Explore Samples
Two children stand at a table in a classroom, working together with blue counting blocks and worksheets as part of a Boost Math supplemental math activity in a well-lit room.

Why Boost Math?

As math gaps continue to widen, many traditional intervention tools pull students off grade level or offer disconnected practice. Teachers are left piecing together supports, and students are left further behind.

Boost Math supports all MTSS models with instructional resources that include:

  • Self-paced, digital learning supported by a virtual tutor.
  • Teacher-led, small-group sessions.
  • Additional independent student and pair activities.

Our approach

Each pathway includes a progression of learning activities that build understanding of a key grade-level topic. Students are grouped into the Intervention Pathway or the Practice Pathway based on mCLASS Math data.


Each pathway:

  • Has research-backed small-group and independent activities to help every student experience success.
  • Gives teachers the ability to quickly assign at least 45 minutes of digital activities per week.
  • Utilizes an asset-based approach by building on what students already know.

The goal is to help teachers deliver instruction that accelerates learning and builds student confidence.

A laptop screen displays a Boost Math lesson comparing the fractions 5/12 and 7/12 with visual fraction bars and an explanation about numerators and denominators in a chat bubble for individualized instruction.

Multi-modal instruction built for MTSS

Instructional resources for small-group rotations include teacher-led instruction, student–driven activities, and digital personalized learning.

Two pages of a math worksheet titled "Determining Coordinates After a Rotation." The left page includes exercises and a guided practice section, while the right page provides detailed instructions and explanations.

Learning pathways connected to grade-level learning

Intervention and Practice Pathways provide a progression of instructional activities aligned to topics you’re teaching.

A laptop screen displays a math performance report dashboard, highlighting student scores across domains like Algebraic Thinking and Fractions to guide individualized instruction and targeted math intervention.

Driven by mCLASS® Math data

Instructional groupings are generated based on assessment results.

Benchmarks and progress monitoring assessments are also available. Learn more about our math assessments.

Built to work alongside your core math program

Boost Math is designed to complement the core math program you’re already using. Whether you are differentiating whole-class instruction, leading small-group intervention, or giving students an additional opportunity for practice or challenge, our Intervention and Practice Learning Pathways support all students in what they need most, aligned directly to the major work of the grade.

Teachers can follow along with their core math program through correlations or preset digital instruction plans, or pull resources by skills, topic, or standard.

Integrated core programs include Reveal Math®, enVision®, Eureka Math2®, Into Math®, IM® v.360, with more coming soon.

The Boost Math resource alignments to curriculum materials are published by third parties. The resource alignments are provided by Amplify Education, Inc. (Amplify) and are not affiliated with, sponsored by, reviewed, approved, or endorsed by such third parties. Boost Math™ is a registered trademark of Amplify. All other intellectual property rights are the property of their respective owners.

One integrated math solution

Amplify’s comprehensive math suite, Amplify Desmos Math, provides seamless alignment to help teachers identify and capitalize on student strengths, foster deep investment, and build student agency.

Everything is in one place—with screening and progress monitoring, core instruction, integrated personalized learning, and embedded intervention teachers can trust.

Learn more

Ready to learn more about Boost Math?

Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Amplify Classroom

Amplify Classroom is a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction.

Amplify Classroom features free lessons, lesson-building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by math educators, the platform makes differentiation easier for teachers, personalizing instruction for students in real time.

Create your teacher account on classroom.amplify.com.

Explore more programs.

Amplify programs are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs.

A laptop displaying a graph on a webpage labeled "Robots" sits next to two textbooks titled "Amplify Desmos Math," one being the teacher edition and the other for grade 6, exemplifying student-centered instruction through math technology.

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A woman and a young girl looking at a smartphone together, both seem engaged and interested. the woman is pointing at the screen.

mCLASS (K–5)

Amplify’s mClass is the gold-standard universal and dyslexia screener grou…

Illustration of a colorful, stylized map showing various buildings, roads, trees, and icons with people engaged in different reading activities or roles related to the science of reading.

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Boost Reading is a Science of Reading K–5 personalized reading program that is h…

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1. Scope

These Customer Terms and Conditions are a legal agreement between Amplify Education, Inc. (“Amplify”) and the local education agency or authority, school district, school network, independent school, or other regional education system (“Customer”) for the license and use of one or more of Amplify products or services (the “Products”), as specified in the receipt, price quote, proposal, renewal letter, or other ordering document containing the details of this purchase (the “Quote”). These Customer Terms and Conditions, all addenda, attachments, and the Quote, as applicable (together, the “Agreement”), constitute the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof. The provisions of this Agreement will supersede any conflicting terms and conditions in any Customer purchase order, other correspondence or verbal communication, and will supersede and cancel all prior agreements, written or oral, between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof.

2. Agreement Acceptance

This Agreement becomes effective at the earliest of the following: (i) issuing a purchase order, shipment request, or payment against the Quote; (ii) accessing, downloading, or using the Products; or (iii) otherwise accepting this Agreement. This term of the Agreement will be as specified in the Quote and may be renewed or extended by mutual agreement of the parties. Customer represents and warrants that: (1) Customer is of legal age to accept this Agreement; (2) Customer is authorized to accept this Agreement and to access and use the Products; and (3) Customer’s use of the Products will comply at all times with Amplify’s Acceptable Use Policy available at amplify.com/acceptable-use (“AUP”). The Customer may not access, download, or use the Products if the Customer does not agree to this Agreement.

3. License

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, Amplify grants to Customer a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to access and use, and permit Authorized School Users, as defined below, to access and use the Products in accordance with the AUP, for the duration specified in the Quote (the “Term”), and for the number of Authorized School Users specified in the Quote for whom Customer has paid the applicable fees to Amplify. “Authorized School User” means the K–12 students registered or authorized for instruction with Customer and the educators, agents and staff members who use the Products as authorized by Customer who Customer permits to access and use the Products subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, solely while such individual is so employed or so registered. Each Authorized School User’s access and use of the Products will be subject to the AUP in addition to the terms and conditions of the Agreement. Violations of this Agreement or the AUP may result in suspension or termination of the applicable account.

4. Restrictions

Customer may access and use the Products solely for non-commercial instructional and administrative purposes. Guidelines for such purposes may be set forth at
https://amplify.com/amplify-program-usage-guidelines/ and additional guidelines may be detailed in materials associated with the Product the Customer is accessing. Further, Customer may not, except as expressly authorized by Amplify: (a) copy, modify, translate, distribute, disclose, or create derivative works based on the contents of, sell, or otherwise exploit, the Products, or any part thereof; (b) decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer the Products, or otherwise use the Products to develop functionally similar products or services; (c) modify, alter, or delete any of the copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices in or on the Products; (d) rent, lease, or lend the Products or use the Products for the benefit of any third party; (e) avoid, circumvent, or disable any security or digital rights management device, procedure, protocol, or mechanism in the Products; (f) use any content from the Products, including but not limited to text, images, videos, assessments, lesson plans, or code, as input or training material for any machine learning or artificial intelligence system, including large language models, neural networks, or other algorithmic models, for any purposes, commercial or non-commercial; or (g) permit any Authorized School User or third party to do any of the foregoing. Customer also agrees that any works created in violation of this section are derivative works, and, as such, Customer agrees to assign, and hereby assigns, all right, title, and interest in such works to Amplify. The Products and derivatives thereof may be subject to export control laws, restrictions, regulations, and orders of the U.S. and other jurisdictions (together, “Export Laws”). Customer agrees to comply with all applicable Export Laws, and will not, and will not permit Authorized School Users to, export, or transfer for the purpose of re-export, any Product to any prohibited or embargoed country in violation of any U.S. export law or regulation. Further, Customer represents that it is not a party subject to sanctions by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control or included on any restricted party list maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security. The software and associated documentation portions of the Products are “commercial items” (as defined at 48 CFR 2.101), comprising “commercial computer software” and “commercial computer software documentation,” as those terms are used in 48 CFR 12.212. Accordingly, if Customer is the U.S. Government or its contractor, Customer will receive only those rights set forth in this Agreement in accordance with 48 CFR 227.7201-227.7204 (for Department of Defense and their contractors) or 48 CFR 12.212 (for other U.S. Government licensees and their contractors).

5. Reservation of Rights

SUBSCRIPTION PRODUCTS ARE LICENSED, NOT SOLD. Subject to the limited rights expressly granted hereunder, all rights, title, and interest in and to all Products, including all related IP Rights, are and will remain the sole and exclusive property of Amplify or its third-party licensors. “IP Rights” means, collectively, rights under patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret laws, and any other intellectual property or proprietary rights recognized in any country or jurisdiction worldwide. Customer must promptly notify Amplify of any violation of Amplify’s IP Rights in the Products, and will reasonably assist Amplify as necessary to remedy any such violation. Amplify Products are protected by patents (see amplify.com/virtual-patent-marking). Amplify reserves the right to update or modify the Products at any time and to discontinue the Products upon reasonable notice.

6. Payments

In consideration of the Products, Customer will pay to Amplify (or other party designated on the Quote) the fees specified in the Quote in full within 30 days of the date of invoice, except as otherwise agreed by the parties or for those amounts that are subject to a good faith dispute of which Customer has notified Amplify in writing. Customer will be responsible for all state or local sales, use or gross receipts taxes, and federal excise taxes unless Customer provides a then-current tax exemption certificate in advance of the delivery, license, or performance of any Product, as applicable.

7. Shipments

Unless otherwise specified on the Quote, physical Products will be shipped FOB origin in the US (Incoterms 2010 EXW outside of the US) and are deemed accepted by Customer upon receipt. Upon acceptance of such Products, orders are non-refundable, non-returnable, and non-exchangeable, except in the case of defective or missing materials reported to Amplify by Customer within 60 days of receipt. In such case, Customer may not return Products without Amplify’s written authorization.

8. Account Information

For subscription Products, the authentication of Authorized School Users is based in part upon information supplied by Customer or Authorized School Users, as applicable. Customer will and will cause its Authorized School Users to (a) provide accurate information to Amplify or a third-party service as applicable, and promptly report any changes to such information, (b) not share login credentials or otherwise allow others to use their account, (c) maintain the confidentiality and security of their account information, and (d) use the Products solely via such authorized accounts. Customer agrees to notify Amplify immediately of any unauthorized use of its or its Authorized School Users’ accounts or related authentication information. Amplify will not be responsible for any losses arising out of the unauthorized use of accounts created by or for Customer and its Authorized School Users. 

9. Confidentiality

Customer acknowledges that, in connection with this Agreement, Amplify has provided or will provide to Customer and its Authorized School Users certain sensitive or proprietary information, including software, source code, assessment instruments, research, designs, methods, processes, customer lists, training materials, product documentation, know-how, or trade secrets, in whatever form (“Confidential Information”). Customer agrees (a) not to use Confidential Information for any purpose other than use of the Products in accordance with this Agreement and (b) to take all steps reasonably necessary to maintain and protect the Confidential Information of Amplify in strict confidence. Confidential Information shall not include information that, as evidenced by Customer’s contemporaneous written records: (i) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of Customer; (ii) is rightfully known to Customer prior to the time of its disclosure; (iii) has been independently developed by Customer without any use of the Confidential Information; or (iv) is subsequently learned from a third party not under any confidentiality obligation. 

10. Student Data

The parties acknowledge and agree that in the course of providing the Products to the Customer, Amplify may collect, receive, or generate information that directly relates to an identifiable student of Customer (“Student Data”). Student Data may include personal information from a student’s “educational records,” as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”). Student Data is owned and controlled by the Customer and Amplify receives Student Data as a “school official” under Section 99.31 of FERPA for the purpose of providing the Products hereunder. Individually and collectively, Amplify and Customer agree to uphold our obligations, as applicable, under FERPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (“PPRA”), and applicable state laws relating to student data privacy. Amplify’s Customer Privacy Policy at amplify.com/customer-privacy (“Privacy Policy”) will govern collection, use, and disclosure of Student Data collected or stored on behalf of Customer under this Agreement. In addition, Amplify has entered into the data privacy agreements listed at amplify.com/privacy-security aligned with state and national templates to facilitate compliance with applicable state laws and help expedite Customer’s student data privacy documentation process. Customer is responsible for providing notice and obtaining appropriate consents under applicable laws to authorize Authorized School Users’ use of the Products, including making a copy of the Privacy Policy available to the parents or guardians of users who are under the age of 13.  

11. Customer Materials and Requirements

Customer represents, warrants, and covenants that it has all the necessary rights, including consents and IP Rights, in connection with any data, information, content, and other materials provided to or collected by Amplify on behalf of Customer or its Authorized School Users using the Products or otherwise in connection with this Agreement (“Customer Materials”), and that Amplify has the right to use such Customer Materials as contemplated hereunder or for any other purposes required by Customer. Customer is solely responsible for the accuracy, integrity, completeness, quality, legality, and safety of such Customer Materials. Customer is responsible for meeting hardware, software, telecommunications, and other requirements listed at amplify.com/customer-requirements. 

12. Warranty Disclaimer

PRODUCTS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND BY AMPLIFY. AMPLIFY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY AS TO TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. CUSTOMER ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTING THE PRODUCTS TO ACHIEVE CUSTOMER’S INTENDED RESULTS AND FOR THE ACCESS AND USE OF THE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE PRODUCTS. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, AMPLIFY MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE PRODUCTS WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR FREE FROM INTERRUPTIONS OR OTHER FAILURES OR WILL MEET CUSTOMER’S REQUIREMENTS. AMPLIFY IS NEITHER RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY THIRD-PARTY CONTENT OR SOFTWARE INCLUDED IN PRODUCTS, INCLUDING THE ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, COMPLETENESS, QUALITY, LEGALITY, USEFULNESS, OR SAFETY OF, OR IP RIGHTS RELATING TO, SUCH THIRD-PARTY CONTENT AND SOFTWARE. ANY ACCESS TO OR USE OF SUCH THIRD-PARTY CONTENT AND SOFTWARE MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION COLLECTION, USAGE, AND DISCLOSURE PRACTICES OF THIRD PARTIES.

13. Limitation of Liability

 TO THE EXTENT SUCH LIMITATION IS NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL AMPLIFY BE LIABLE TO CUSTOMER OR TO ANY AUTHORIZED SCHOOL USER FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, RELIANCE, OR COVER DAMAGES, DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA OR LOST BUSINESS, OR ANY OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGES, EVEN IF AMPLIFY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. TO THE EXTENT SUCH LIMITATION IS NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AMPLIFY’S ENTIRE LIABILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY AUTHORIZED USER ARISING OUT OF PERFORMANCE OR NONPERFORMANCE BY AMPLIFY OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CLAIM FOR SUCH DAMAGES IS BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, MAY NOT EXCEED THE AGGREGATE OF CUSTOMER’S OR ANY AUTHORIZED USER’S DIRECT DAMAGES UP TO THE FEES PAID BY CUSTOMER TO AMPLIFY FOR THE AFFECTED PORTION OF THE PRODUCTS IN THE PRIOR 12-MONTH PERIOD. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL AMPLIFY BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES OF ANY UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE PRODUCTS BY AN AUTHORIZED SCHOOL USER THAT VIOLATES THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION.

14. Termination

Without prejudice to any rights either party may have under this Agreement, in law, equity, or otherwise, a party will have the right to terminate this Agreement if the other party (or in the case of Amplify, an Authorized School User) materially breaches any term, provision, warranty, or representation under this Agreement and fails to correct the breach within 30 days of its receipt of written notice thereof. Upon termination, Customer will: (a) cease using the Products, (b) return, purge, or destroy (as directed by Amplify) all copies of any Products and, if so requested, certify to Amplify in writing that such surrender or destruction has occurred, (c) pay any fees due and owing hereunder, and (d) not be entitled to a refund of any fees previously paid, unless otherwise specified in the Quote. Customer will be responsible for the cost of any continued use of the Products following termination. Upon termination, Amplify will return or destroy any Student Data provided to Amplify hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing will require Amplify to return or destroy any data that does not include Student Data, including de-identified information or data that is derived from access to Student Data but which does not contain Student Data. Sections 3–14 will survive the termination of this Agreement.

15. Miscellaneous

This Agreement may not be modified except in writing signed by both parties. All defined terms in this Agreement will apply to their singular and plural forms, as applicable. The word “including” means “including without limitation.” For United States-based Customers, this Agreement will be governed by  and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the U.S., state, commonwealth, or territory in which Customer resides based on the address set forth in the Quote, without regard to that state’s, commonwealth’s, or territory’s choice of law rules. For Customers based outside of the United States, this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the U.S., state of New York, without giving effect to the choice of law rules thereof. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns. The parties expressly understand and agree that their relationship is that of independent contractors. Nothing in this Agreement will constitute one party as an employee, agent, joint venture partner, or servant of another. Each party is solely responsible for all of its employees and agents and its labor costs and expenses arising in connection herewith. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned or delegated by Customer or any Authorized School User without the prior written consent of Amplify. If one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement will for any reason be held to be unenforceable at law, such provisions will be construed by the appropriate judicial body to limit or reduce such provision or provisions so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent compatible with applicable law. Amplify will have no liability to Customer or to third parties for any failure or delay in performing any obligation under this Agreement due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God or nature, fire, earthquake, flood, epidemic, pandemic, strikes, labor stoppages or slowdowns, civil disturbances or terrorism, national or regional emergencies, supply shortages or delays, action by any governmental authority, or interruptions in power, communications, satellites, the Internet, or any other network. Each party represents and warrants that it has all necessary right, power, and authority to enter into this Agreement and to comply with the obligations hereunder.

Last Modified: February 2, 2026

Customer Privacy Policy

Last Modified: January 23, 2026 | Update History

Most recent update: This Privacy Policy has been updated to address additional rights for individuals in the European Union/UK.

We advise you to read this Privacy Policy in its entirety, including the jurisdiction-specific provisions in the appendix. Click here to review Our U.S. Notice At Collection.

Customer Privacy Policy: K–12 Schools

Who We Are

Amplify Education, Inc. (“Amplify”) is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Amplify’s programs provide teachers with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of each student and use data in a way that is safe, secure, and effective.

Our Products and Services

Amplify’s products support classroom instruction and learning and include Amplify CKLA, Amplify ELA, Amplify Caminos, Amplify Science, Amplify Desmos Math, Boost Reading, Boost Math, mCLASS, Mathigon, associated professional development and tutoring services, and services at classroom.amplify.com (for creating and assigning activities) and student.amplify.com (for use of the activities or curricula as directed by an instructor), and any other product or service that links to this Privacy Policy (together, the “Products”).

Our Approach to Student Data Privacy 

In the course of providing the Products to Schools and their Authorized School Users, Amplify collects, receives, generates, or has access to Student Data (defined below). We consider Student Data to be confidential and we collect and use Student Data solely for educational purposes in connection with providing our Products to, or on behalf of the School as described in this Privacy Policy and our Agreements (defined below). We work to maintain the security and confidentiality of Student Data that we collect or store, and we enable Schools to control the use, access, sharing, and retention of Student Data.

Our Products are geared towards K–12 students (“Students”), and the educators, agents and staff members who use the Products as authorized by their School (“Educators”). Information that directly relates to an identifiable Student (“Student Data”) is owned and controlled by the School, and Amplify receives Student Data as a “school official” under Section 99.31 of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”) for the purpose of providing the Products hereunder. In addition, we rely on the School acknowledging that it is acting as the parent’s agent and consenting on the parent’s behalf to process personal information of Students under the age of 13 (“Child Users”) in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”).

Our collection and use of Student Data is governed by our Agreements with Schools, including this Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”), and applicable laws which may include FERPA, COPPA, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (“PPRA”), as well as other applicable federal, state, and local privacy laws and regulations (“Applicable Laws”). As noted above, with respect to FERPA, Amplify receives Student Data as a “school official” under Section 99.31 of FERPA for the purpose of providing its Products, and such Student Data is owned and controlled by the School.

Schools may provide authorization in two ways:

  1. by the School agreeing to our Customer Terms and Conditions located at amplify.com/customer-terms or another written agreement between Amplify and the School, as applicable; or
  2. by an Educator agreeing to the Acceptable Use Policy located at amplify.com/acceptable-use-policy/ (“AUP”) on behalf of the School as outlined in the AUP.

In each case, we collect Student Data and provide these Products solely for the use and benefit of the School and for no other commercial purpose. We require all Schools to review this Privacy Policy, available at amplify.com/customer-privacy, and to make a copy of the Privacy Policy available to the parents or guardians of Child Users.

We also provide limited opportunities for individual users to sign up for an account for use of our Products at-home or otherwise outside of the authorization of a School (“Home Users”). See the Appendix–Supplemental Disclosures for additional information that applies to our Home Users.

What This Privacy Policy Covers 

This Customer Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes how Amplify collects, uses, and discloses personal information through the provision of Products.

For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “you” and “your” means Authorized Users (defined below).

This Privacy Policy does not apply to Amplify’s handling of:

  • information collected from users of Amplify’s company website, which is governed by our Website Privacy Policy.
  • job applicant data that we process in accordance with our applicant privacy notice.

There may be different contractual terms or privacy policies in place with some Schools. Such other terms or policies supersede this Privacy Policy for information collected or released under those terms. If you have any questions as to which legal agreement or privacy policy controls the collection and use of your personal information, please contact us using the information provided below. Unless expressly superseded, this Privacy Policy is incorporated into and is subject to the Agreement that governs your use of the Products.

Our Role

Amplify as a processor/service provider: Our School customers are the controllers of Student Data (as well as certain other Educator personal information to the extent required by law or Amplify’s agreement with the School) (together “School Data”).

Amplify acts as a processor/service provider for our School customers with respect to School Data, which means when we use School Data, we do so solely on the instruction of the School. School Data is subject to the School’s privacy policies; therefore, you will need to contact the School directly if you have any questions or would like to exercise your rights with respect to School Data.

Amplify as a controller: We are the controller of all other personal information we collect from non-Student Authorized Users (“Amplify Data”) and can be reached by email at privacy@amplify.com or by mail at Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington St.#800, Brooklyn, NY, 11201.

Policy

1. Definitions

Capitalized terms not defined in this section or elsewhere in this Privacy Policy will have the meaning set forth by Applicable Laws.

“Agreement” means the underlying contractual agreement between Amplify and the School.

“Authorized Users” means all users of our Products, including Authorized School Users, parents and legal guardians, and Home Users.

“Authorized School Users” means Students and Educators.

“Local Education Authority” means a local education agency or authority, school district, school network, independent school, or other regional education system.

“Non-Student Data” means information that is linked or linkable to Authorized Users who are not Students.

“School” means the Local Education Authority or State Agency.

“State Agency” means the educational agency primarily responsible for the supervision of public elementary and secondary schools in any of the 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, or other territories and possessions of the United States, as well as a national or regional ministry or department of education in other countries, as applicable.

2. What personal information do we collect?

When you access or use our Products, you may choose to provide us with personal information, including Student Data. This information may be provided to us directly (e.g. when an account is created or through communications with us) or through your interactions with our Products.

Student Data. Below is a list of the categories of Student Data that may be collected by Amplify or its Products, either directly or through the Authorized School User’s use of the various features and configurations of the Products:

  • Identifier and Enrollment Data, such as name, email, school / state ID number, username and password, grade level, homeroom, courses, teacher names.
    • Why? Most of Amplify’s Products require some basic information about who is in a classroom and who teaches the class—Student or teacher Identifier and Enrollment data. This information is provided to Amplify by the School, either directly from the School’s student information system or via a third party with whom the School contracts to provide that information.
  • Demographic Data, such as date of birth, socioeconomic status, race, national origin, and preferred or primary language.
    • Why? To support school instructional and reporting requirements, Amplify’s Products allow Schools to view reports and analyze data using Demographic Data. Generally, Demographic Data is provided on a voluntary basis by the School. For example, a School may wish to analyze Student literacy assessment results based on English Language Learner status to better tailor classroom instruction, and in that case, the School may provide Demographic Data to enable that reporting.
  • School Records, such as grades, attendance, assessment results, and whether an Individualized Education Plan (IEP or local equivalent) is in place.
    • Why? Some of our Products support grading assignments and administering formative, diagnostic, and curriculum-based assessments. Teachers use that information to support Students’ progress in the program or help with instructional decisions. We do not collect specific details from an IEP, nor do we collect protected health information or other sensitive information.
  • Schoolwork and Student Generated Content, which includes any information contained in Student assignments and assessments, including information in response to instructional activities and participation in collaborative or interactive features of our Products, such as Student responses to academic questions and Student-written essays, as well as images, video, and audio recordings.
    • Why? As part of the digital learning experience, some of our Products may enable Students to write text and create and upload images, video, and audio recordings. For example, in Amplify ELA, students may write essays or submit short-form responses in our platform as part of a lesson on literature. As another example, in Boost Reading, student interactions with reading skills games are recorded to keep track of the student’s progress to level up in the program and to provide visibility to teachers on how students are mastering the skills.
  • Teacher Comments and Feedback, such as scores, written comments, or other feedback that Educators may provide about Student responses or student course performance.
    • Why? To enable teachers to track the performance and provide feedback to their students.
  • Non-Student Data. We may collect the following types of personal information from all other Authorized Users:
    • Contact Information, such as name and email address, as well as grade level taught, school name and school location, whether you are an Educator or Home User that creates an account or uses our Products or communicates with us.
    • Account Information, such as user login and password, for account creation and access purposes.
    • Survey Responses, which you provide in response to surveys or questionnaires.
  • Device and Usage Data. Depending on the Product, we may collect certain information about the device used to connect to our Product, such as device type and model, browser configurations, and persistent identifiers, such as IP addresses and unique device identifiers. We may collect device diagnostic information, such as battery level, usage logs, and error logs, as well as usage, viewing, and technical information (e.g., email open rates), such as the number of requests a device makes, to ensure proper system capacity for all Authorized Users. We may collect IP addresses and use that information to approximate device location to support operation of the Product. To the extent that we collect this information, this data is solely used to support operation of the Product and is not linked to Student Data. For purposes of clarity, Amplify does not use Student Data for marketing or advertising purposes (see section 6 of this Privacy Policy for more information about our commitments regarding Student Data).
    • Why? We use this information to remember returning users and facilitate ease of login, to customize the function and appearance of the Products, and to improve the learning experience. This information also helps us track product usage for various purposes, including website optimization, to ensure proper system capacity, troubleshoot and fix errors, provide technical assistance and customer support, provide and monitor the effectiveness of our Products, monitor and address security concerns, and compile analytics for product improvement and other internal purposes.
    • How? Cookies and Similar Technologies. We collect device and usage data through “cookies,” Web beacons, HTML5 local storage, and other similar technologies, which are used in some of our Products solely to support operation of the Products as described above. While we may use third party cookies and similar technologies for advertising and marketing purposes on our website (in accordance with our Website Privacy Policy), we do not permit such tracking technologies to be present on Student-facing portions of the Products. In particular, we only use the following types of cookies in our Products:
      • Strictly necessary cookies – These are cookies that are required for the operation of our websites and applications that host our Products. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our Products. These cookies are not generally stored beyond the browser session and are less likely to include personal information. This category of cookies cannot be disabled.
      • Functionality Cookies – We use these cookies so that we recognize you on the websites and apps that host our Products and remember your previously selected preferences. These cookies are stored on your device between browsing sessions but expire after a pre-defined period. These cookies enable us to “recognize” you when you use our Products, including your preferences such as your preferred language, time, and location. A mix of first party (placed by us) and third-party cookies (placed by third parties) are used.
      • Performance Cookies – These cookies help us and service providers acting on our behalf compile statistics and analytics about users of our Products that are accessed via websites and apps, including Device and Usage Information.
    • Learn how to opt out of cookies and similar technologies by reading the “What Rights and Choices Do You Have?” section of this Privacy Policy below.

3. How do we use personal information?

Student Data. Amplify uses Student Data for educational purposes, to provide the Products, and to ensure secure and effective operation of our Products, including:

  • to provide and improve our educational Products;
  • to support School and Authorized School Users’ activities;
  • to ensure secure and effective operation of our Products;
  • for purposes requested or authorized by the School or Authorized School User or as otherwise permitted by Applicable Laws;
  • for customer support purposes, to respond to the inquiries and fulfill the requests of the School and their Authorized School Users;
  • to enforce Product access and security controls; and
  • to conduct system audits and improve protections against the misuse of our Products, or to detect and prevent fraud and other harmful activities.
  • to enable the adaptive and personalized learning features of the Products.

Non-Student Data. Amplify may use Non-Student Data for the purposes for which Student Data is used as set forth above. In addition, Amplify may use Non-Student Data to provide customized content, advertising and marketing in limited circumstances (e.g. to periodically send newsletters and other promotional materials) directed to Educators and Home Users. For sake of clarity, we do not use Student Data for marketing purposes and we do not direct marketing to Students. Amplify may also use Non-Student Data for internal research and analytics, including generating insights on the use of our Products by Educators in certain Schools so that we can better serve those communities. We will also use Non-Student Data as otherwise required or permitted by law, or as we may notify you at the time of collection. Learn how to opt out of these communications by reading the “What Rights and Choices Do You Have?” section of this Privacy Policy below.

Amplify may use aggregate or de-identified data as described in the Aggregate/De-identified Data section below.

4. To whom do we disclose personal information?

Student Data. We disclose Student Data to third parties only as needed to provide the Products under the Agreement, as directed or permitted by the School or Authorized School User, and as required by law. Such disclosures may include but are not limited to the following:

  • to other Authorized School Users of the School entitled to access such data in connection with the Products;
  • to our service providers, subprocessors, or vendors who have a legitimate need to access such data in order to assist us in providing or supporting our Products, such as platform, infrastructure, and application software. We contractually bind such parties to protect Student Data in a manner consistent with those practices set forth in this Privacy Policy and in accordance with Applicable Laws. A list of Amplify subprocessors is available at https://www.amplify.com/subprocessors;
  • to comply with the law, respond to requests in legal or government enforcement proceedings (such as complying with a subpoena), protect our rights in a legal dispute, or seek assistance of law enforcement in the event of a threat to our rights, security, or property or that of our affiliates, customers, Authorized Users, or others;
  • in the event Amplify or all or part of its assets are acquired or transferred to another party, including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings, provided that successor entity will be required to comply with the privacy protections in this Privacy Policy with respect to information collected under this Privacy Policy, or we will provide the School with notice and an opportunity to opt out of the transfer of such data prior to the transfer; and
  • except as restricted by Applicable Laws or contracts with the School, we may also share Student Data with Amplify’s affiliated education companies, provided that such disclosure is solely for the purposes of providing Products and at all times is subject to this Policy.

Non-Student Data. Amplify discloses Non-Student Data for the purposes for which Student Data is used as set forth above. Amplify may also disclose Non-Student Data as otherwise required or permitted, or as disclosed at the time of collection. Please note that we do not share mobile information or opt-in consent with third parties / affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

5. Aggregate/De-identified data

Amplify may use de-identified or aggregate data for purposes allowed under FERPA and other Applicable Laws, to research, develop, and improve educational sites, services, and applications and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Amplify Products. Amplify will not attempt to re-identify de-identified data. We may use aggregate information (which is information that has been collected in summary form such that the data cannot be associated with any individual) for analytics and reports. For example, our promotional materials may note the total number of students served by our programs in the prior year, but that information cannot be used to identify any one student. We may also share de-identified or aggregate data with research partners to help us analyze the information for product improvement and development purposes.

Records and information are de-identified when all personal information has been removed or obscured, such that the remaining information does not reasonably identify a specific individual. We de-identify Student Data in compliance with Applicable Laws and in accordance with the guidelines of NIST SP 800-122. Amplify has implemented internal procedures and controls to protect against the re-identification of de-identified Student Data. Amplify does not disclose de-identified data to its research partners unless that party has agreed in writing not to attempt to re-identify such data.

6. Data prohibitions, Advertising, Advertising limitations

Amplify will not:

  • sell Student Data to third parties;
  • use or disclose Student Data to inform, influence, or enable targeted advertising to a Student based on Student Data or information or data inferred over time from the Student’s usage of the Products;
  • use Student Data to develop a profile of a Student for any purpose other than providing the Products to a School or Authorized School User, or as authorized by a parent or legal guardian;
  • use Student Data for any commercial purpose other than to provide the Products to the School or Authorized School User, or as permitted by Applicable Laws.

7. External third-party services

This Privacy Policy applies solely to Amplify’s Products and practices. Schools and other Authorized Users may choose to connect or use our Products in conjunction with third-party services and Products. Additionally, our sites and Products may contain links to third-party websites or services . This Privacy Policy does not address, and Amplify is not responsible for, the privacy, information, or other practices of such third parties. Schools should carefully consider which third-party applications to include among the Products and services they provide to Students and vet the privacy and data security standards of those providers.

Authorized Users may be able to log in to our Products using third-party sign-in services such as Clever, ClassLink or Google. These services authenticate your identity and provide you with the option to share certain personal information with us, including your name and email address, to pre-populate our account sign-up form. If you choose to enable a third party to share your third-party account credentials with Amplify, we may obtain personal information via that mechanism. You may configure your accounts on these third-party platform services to control what information they share.

8. Security

Amplify maintains a comprehensive information security program and uses industry standard administrative, technical, operational, and physical measures to safeguard Student Data in its possession against loss, theft and unauthorized use, disclosure, or modification. Amplify performs periodic risk assessments of its information security program and prioritizes the remediation of identified security vulnerabilities. Please see https://amplify.com/security for a detailed description of Amplify’s security program.

In the event Amplify discovers or is notified that Student Data within our possession or control was disclosed to, or acquired by, an unauthorized party, we will investigate the incident, take steps to mitigate the potential impact, and notify the School in accordance with Applicable Laws.

Non-Student Data

Outside of Student Data, Amplify uses commercially reasonable administrative, technical, personnel, and physical measures to safeguard personal information in its possession against loss, theft, and unauthorized use, disclosure or modification.

9. Data Storage and Transfers

We are a United States Company, and our servers are hosted, managed, and controlled by us in the United States. If you are outside of the United States, we use industry standards to protect your data when it leaves your country of residence and your data will always be protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy, Applicable Laws and our Agreement regardless of the storage location.

Additionally, where we transfer your personal information to service providers outside of the United Kingdom (UK), European Economic Area (EEA), or other region that offers similar protections, we use specific appropriate safeguards to contractually obligate such service providers to protect personal information in accordance with Amplify’s commitment to privacy and security and applicable data protection laws.

If you have questions or wish to obtain more information about the international transfer of your personal information or the implemented safeguards, please contact us using the contact information below.

10. Data Retention / Deletion

Student Data

Upon request, we provide the School the opportunity to review and delete the personal information collected from Students. We will retain Student Data for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy and our Agreement with the School. We do not knowingly retain Student Data beyond the time period required to support the School or Authorized School User’s educational purpose, unless authorized by the School or Authorized School User. Upon request, Amplify will return, delete, or destroy Student Data stored by Amplify in accordance with applicable law and customer requirements. We may not be able to delete all data in all circumstances, such as information retained in technical support records, customer service records, back-ups, and similar business records. All such information will be protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy and our Agreement until it has been permanently deleted. Unless otherwise notified by the School, we will delete or de-identify Student Data after termination of our Agreement with the School.

Non-Student Data

Outside of Student Data, we keep personal information as long as it is necessary or relevant for the practices described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise required by our Agreement with the School, if applicable. We determine the appropriate retention period for personal information on the basis of the amount, nature and sensitivity of the personal information being processed, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of the personal information, whether we can achieve the purposes of the processing through other means, and on the basis of applicable legal requirements (such as applicable statutes of limitations).

11. What rights and choices do you have?

What Choices Do You Have?

Marketing/Advertising

As noted above, we do not use Student Data for marketing purposes and we do not direct marketing to Students. Amplify does not use third party cookies and similar technologies for advertising and marketing purposes on Student-facing portions of the Products. The choices below apply to Non-Student Authorized Users.

Opt-out of Marketing Communications. If you want to stop receiving promotional materials from Amplify, you can follow the unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each email or email us at privacy@amplify.com. Amplify does not send marketing communications to Students.

Opt-out of Cookies and Similar Tracking Technologies. With respect to cookies, you may be able to reject cookies through your browser or device controls. Note that you have to opt-out of cookies on each browser or device that you use. If you replace, change, or upgrade your browser or device, or delete your cookies, you may need to use these opt-out tools again. Please be aware that disabling cookies may negatively impact your experience as some features may not work properly. To learn more about browser cookies, including how to manage or delete them, check the “Help,” “Tools,” or similar section of your browser.

What Rights Do You Have?

Individuals in the U.S.

  • What Rights Do You Have With Respect to Student Data?
    • Review and Correction. FERPA requires schools to provide parents with access to their children’s education records, and parents may request that the school correct records that they believe to be inaccurate or misleading.
    • If you are a parent or guardian and would like to review, correct, or update your child’s data stored in our Products, contact your School. Amplify will work with your School to enable your access to and, if applicable, correction of your child’s education records.
    • If you have any questions about whom to contact or other questions about your child’s data, you may contact us using the information provided below.
    • Other Privacy Rights? Please see section 3 of our supplemental disclosures: “Additional U.S. State Privacy Law Rights” for more information about your U.S. privacy rights

Individuals in the EU/UK

Please see section 4 of our supplemental disclosures: “Notice for European Economic Area and United Kingdom Customers” for more information about your EU/UK privacy rights.

12. COPPA

We do not knowingly collect personal information from a Child User unless and until a School or Educator, with the permission of the School, has authorized us to collect such information to provide the Products. Amplify relies on the School acknowledging that it is acting as the parent’s agent and consenting on the parent’s behalf to process personal information of Child Users in accordance with all applicable provisions of COPPA. To the extent COPPA applies to the information we collect, we process such information for educational purposes only, and no other commercial purpose, at the direction of the School and on the basis of the School’s authorization. If you are a parent or guardian and have questions about your child’s use of the Products and any personal information collected, please direct these questions to your child’s school.

Please refer to the Appendix–Supplemental Disclosures if you are a Home User.

13. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy in the future. For example, we may update it to comply with new laws or regulations, to conform to industry best practices, or to reflect changes in our product offerings. When these changes do not reflect material changes in our practices with respect to use and/or disclosure of Authorized Users’ personal information, including Student Data, such changes to the Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on our website. In the event there are material changes in our practices that would result in Authorized Users’ personal information being used in a materially different manner than was disclosed when the information was collected, with respect to Student Data, we will notify the School, and with respect to other information, we will notify you via email and provide an opportunity to opt out before such changes take effect.

14. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@amplify.com
Mail: Amplify Education, Inc.
55 Washington St.#800
Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Phone: (800) 823-1969
Attn: General Counsel

To report a security vulnerability, visit https://amplify.com/report-a-vulnerability/.

Appendix – Supplemental Disclosures

1. Mathigon and Amplify Classroom accounts

While our Products are geared towards Schools we do provide a limited opportunity for Home Users to use the Products at home—outside of the school context. We do not allow persons under the age of 13 (or those under the age of consent in any applicable jurisdiction) to register for an account with us outside the school context.

If you are a Home User, you are prohibited from collecting or providing any personal information from students or minors. You are permitted to access the platform for instructional purposes, but you may not enroll or roster minors, create accounts for minors, or input any personal information of minors into the Product.

Please note that most parts of Mathigon can be used without creating an account or providing any personal information that directly identifies you.

What Rights Do You Have? If you are a Child User who is 13 or older with a legacy Mathigon account (or the parent or guardian of a Child User with a legacy Mathigon account), you may request that we provide for your review, delete from our records, or cease collecting any Child User personal information. To the extent that you are unable to exercise these rights through self-service features within your account with us, please contact us by sending an email to: help@amplify.com and we will provide assistance.

2. U.S. Notice at Collection

Personal Information We Collect How We Use Personal Information

Student Data, which includes:

  • Roster Information
  • Demographic Data, such as race and national origin
  • School Records
  • Account Information
  • Schoolwork and Student Generated Content
  • Teacher Comments and Feedback
  • Device and Usage Data
  • To provide and improve our educational Products;
  • To support Schools’ and Authorized School Users’ activities;
  • To ensure secure and effective operation of our Products;
  • For purposes requested or authorized by the School or Authorized School Users, or as otherwise permitted by Applicable Laws;
  • For adaptive or personalized learning features of the Products; provided that Student Data is not disclosed;
  • For customer support purposes, to respond to the inquiries and fulfill the requests of the School and their Authorized School Users;
  • To enforce product access and security controls; and
  • To conduct system audits and improve protections against the misuse of our Products, or to detect and prevent fraud and other harmful activities.

Authorized Users, which includes:

  • Contact Information
  • Account Information
  • Survey Responses
  • Device and Usage Data
  • For the purposes for which Student Data is used as set forth above;
  • For marketing purposes in limited circumstances (e.g. to periodically send newsletters and other promotional materials), which will not be based on Student Data or directed to K–12 students;
  • For internal research and analytics; and
  • As otherwise required or permitted, or as we may notify you at the time of collection.

Some of the information described above may be considered “sensitive” under the laws of certain jurisdictions (i.e., account credentials and race/national origin) (“Sensitive Information”). We use Sensitive Information for necessary or reasonably expected purposes – specifically, to provide you with our Services (i.e., account credentials are used to allow account logins and race/national origin are used for the School’s reporting purposes when voluntarily provided by the School).

We do not sell or share your personal information, as described in California law.

We retain your personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes disclosed in the chart above. Additional information about our retention of Student Data and personal information from other Authorized Users can be found in Section 10 of this Privacy Policy.

Please see the Additional U.S. State Privacy Law Rights section of this appendix for information about your privacy rights pursuant to applicable U.S. law.

Notice of Financial Incentive

From time to time, to support our services, we offer opportunities to complete surveys and questionnaires. As an incentive for completing the survey or questionnaire, you can voluntarily provide personal information as an entry into a raffle drawing or to obtain other benefits, discounts, offers, or deals that may constitute a financial incentive under California law (“Financial Incentive”). The categories of personal information required for us to provide the Financial Incentives include: contact information and any other information that you choose to provide when you complete the survey.

Participation is voluntary and you can opt out at any time before the survey is complete. We do not allow students to participate in our surveys.

The value of the personal information we collect in connection with our Financial Incentives is equivalent to the value of the benefit offered.

3. Additional U.S. State Privacy Law Rights

Note for Requests Relating to Student Data: Because Amplify provides the Products to Schools as a “School Official,” we collect, retain, use, and disclose Student Data only for or on behalf of the School for educational purposes, including the purpose of providing the Products specified in our Agreement with the School and for no other commercial purpose. Accordingly, we act as a “service provider” for the School with respect to School Data. We work with the School to support and assist them in addressing privacy requests relating to School Data. Please reach out to your School directly if you wish to exercise any privacy rights that may be available to you.

For all other requests: With respect to Amplify Data, individuals residing in certain U.S. states have the following rights, regarding your personal information (each of which is subject to various exceptions and limitations):

  • Access. You have the right to request, up to two times every 12 months, that we disclose to you the categories of personal information collected about you; the categories of sources from which the personal information is collected; the categories of personal information sold or shared; the business or commercial purpose for collecting, selling, or sharing the personal information; the categories of third parties with whom personal information was shared; and the specific pieces of personal information collected about you.
  • Correction. You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information collected from you.
  • Deletion. You have the right to request that we delete the personal information that we maintain about you. Even after the deletion of your account, some personal information may remain on our servers, such as in technical support logs, server caches, data backups, or email conversations. These will be automatically deleted after a reasonable amount of time, unless we are legally required to retain information for longer, or unless there is a legitimate business reason (e.g. security and fraud prevention or financial record-keeping). We are not required to delete any information which has been aggregated or de-identified in accordance with Section 5.
  • No Discrimination. You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights.
  • Appeals. You have a right to appeal decisions concerning your ability to exercise your consumer rights.

See Submitting Requests section below for details on submitting a request to exercise these rights.

4. Notice for European Economic Area (EEA) and United Kingdom (UK) Customers

As detailed at the beginning of our Privacy Policy (under the section titled “Our Role”), Amplify operates primarily as a processor that collects personal information on behalf of the School, and we act as a controller in limited circumstances where we offer Products outside the school context.

If you represent a School in the EEA or the UK, please note that we process personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, our Acceptable Use Policy, and our standard Data Protection Agreement, which sets out our responsibilities when it comes to our processing activities. Schools must send an email to privacy@amplify.com to enter into that DPA.

Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on the following lawful bases for our processing activities:

  • Consent;
    • We obtain your consent to use cookies to collect and process device and usage data to understand how individuals use our Products.
  • Pursuant to a contract for use of our Products;
    • We process School Data to provide our Products (e.g., to create, authenticate and manage your account, to verify your identity, to manage our Products) pursuant to the Agreement between us and the School, as required in order for us to perform our obligations.
  • To comply with our legal obligations;
    • We process all categories of personal information that we collect to ensure the safety and security of our Products where we are complying with security requirements under data protection and cyber and information security law.
    • We process all categories of personal information that we collect to comply with our legal obligations which includes, for example, to access, retain or share certain personal information where we receive a valid request from a government body, law enforcement body, judicial body regulator or similar, to deal with legal claims and prospective legal claims, and to ensure we are complying with applicable laws.
  • When we have a legitimate interest in doing so, which is not outweighed by the risks to the individual.
    • We process all categories of personal information that we collect to support the provision, effective management, and improvement of our Products where such activities are not strictly required under our contract. This is in our legitimate interests to ensure that we are providing the best possible service.
    • We process all categories of personal information that we collect to ensure the safety and security of our services where this is important but not required under the data protection law or cyber and information security laws. This is in our legitimate interests to ensure the security of our services and systems, to prevent threats, abuse or fraudulent or unlawful activity, to promote safety and security and to ensure our Products are used in accordance with our terms and conditions.
    • We process the contact information of Non-Student Authorized Users to manage our relationship, including to respond to queries or otherwise communicate with you in relation to our Products and the operation of our business where this is not strictly required under a contract with you. This is in our legitimate interests to communicate with and resolve queries from users of our Products and to ensure that we are providing the best possible service.

We process the contact information and survey data of Non-Student Authorized Users for internal research and marketing purposes in limited circumstances (e.g. to periodically send newsletters and other promotional materials), which will not be based on Student Data or directed to Students. This is in our legitimate interests to understand our customers and prospective customers, understand how our products and services are perceived in the market, to promote our products, and to grow and develop our business.

Your Data Subject Rights

Note for Requests Relating to School Data: Amplify acts as processor to its School customers with respect to all School Data. We work with our School customers to support and assist them in addressing privacy requests relating to School Data. Please reach out to your School directly if you wish to exercise any privacy rights that may be available to you.

For all other Requests – With respect to Amplify Data, you have the following rights if you are in the EEA or UK, subject to certain exceptions:

  • Right of access: You have the right to ask us for confirmation on whether we are processing your personal information and access to that personal information.
  • Right to correction: You have the right to have your personal information corrected.
  • Right to erasure: You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information.
  • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw consent that you have provided.
  • Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
  • Right to restriction of processing: You have the right to request the limiting of our processing under limited circumstances.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the personal information that you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and you have the right to transmit that information to another controller, including to have it transmitted directly, where technically feasible.
  • Right to object: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal information

See Submitting Requests section below for details on submitting a request to exercise these rights.

5. Submitting Requests

To exercise any of the rights described in sections 2 and 3 of this appendix, email us at privacy@amplify.com and specify which privacy right you intend to exercise. We may require additional information from you to allow us to confirm your identity. The verification steps will vary depending on the sensitivity of the personal information and whether you have an account with us. Please note that your rights may not apply in all cases. For example, we may need to retain your personal information to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and enforce our agreements. We will inform you if we are not able to fully respond to your requests. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. When submitting the request, please ensure the authorized agent identifies himself/herself/itself as an authorized agent and can show written permission from you to represent you. We may contact you directly to confirm that you have authorized the agent to act on your behalf or confirm your identity.

Complaints

If you have any issues, you have the right to lodge a complaint with an EEA or UK supervisory authority. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you approach a data protection regulator and would welcome you directing an inquiry first to us. To do so, please contact us by email at privacy@amplify.com or by mail at Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington St.#800, Brooklyn, NY, 11201.

6. Google APIs

Amplify uses Google’s Application Programming Interface (API) Services to enable Authorized Users to log in to Amplify, import classes and rosters from Google Classroom, create assignments in Google Classroom, and copy, edit, and publish Amplify content using Google Slides. Amplify will use and transfer information received from Google’s API in accordance with Google API Service User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Update History:

Update: 6/13/2025: This Policy has been updated to align with product updates and to provide additional context for authorized educational use of Amplify’s Products.

Update 6/27/2024: The Policy has been updated to include an explanation regarding Google APIs in the Appendix — Supplemental Disclosures section.

Update 6/30/2023: This Privacy Policy has been updated to address new state law data privacy requirements.

Acceptable Use Policy

Amplify Education, Inc. (“Amplify”) products support classroom instruction and learning and include Amplify CKLA, Amplify ELA, Amplify Science, Amplify Desmos Math, Desmos Math, Boost Reading, Boost Math, mCLASS, Mathigon, services at classroom.amplify.com (for creating and assigning activities) and student.amplify.com (for use of the activities or curricula as directed by an instructor), and any other product or service that links to this Acceptable Use Policy (together, the “Products”). This Acceptable Use Policy (the “AUP”) provides the general terms and conditions applicable to your use of the Products. By accessing, downloading, or using the Products, you agree to be bound by the terms of this AUP. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this AUP supersedes or limits your rights under the terms of any other agreement you or your institution have entered into with Amplify regarding the use of Products. In the event of any conflict between the AUP and the terms and conditions of an applicable agreement that you or your institution have entered into with Amplify, the terms and conditions of such agreement shall control.

Our Products are geared towards K–12 students, educators, and staff who use the Products as authorized by their School District or State Agency (each as defined in the Privacy Policy (defined below), and together, “School”) (“Authorized School Users”). Student Data (defined below) is owned and controlled by the School, and Amplify receives Student Data as a “school official” under Section 99.31 of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”) for the purpose of providing the Products hereunder. In addition, we rely on the School acknowledging that it is acting as the parent’s agent and consenting on the parent’s behalf to process personal information of students under the age of 13 (“Child Users”) in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”). 

Schools may provide authorization in two ways: 

(1) by the School agreeing to our Customer Terms and Conditions located at amplify.com/customer-terms or another agreement between Amplify and the School, as applicable; or 

(2) by an educator, staff member, or agent of a School (“Educator”) agreeing to this AUP. If you are an Educator and wish to use the Products in your classroom, you represent and warrant that the use of the Products in your classroom has been authorized by your School, and that you are authorized to accept this AUP on behalf of the School.

In each case, we provide these Products solely for the benefit of the School and for no other commercial purpose. We require all Schools to review our Privacy Policy, available at amplify.com/customer-privacy (“Privacy Policy”), and to make a copy of the Privacy Policy available to the parents or guardians of Child Users.

We also provide limited opportunities for individual users to sign up for a restricted account for at-home use of our Products (together, with Authorized School Users, “Authorized Users”). Please see Additional terms for Mathigon and Amplify Classroom accounts (Section 18) for additional information.

1. License

Subject to compliance with this AUP, you are granted a non-transferable, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable license to access and use the Products. You understand that your use of the Products does not confer to you any intellectual property rights held by Amplify or its licensors. Unless otherwise indicated, any future release, update, or other addition to functionality or content of the Products will be subject to this AUP. 

2. Restrictions

You may access and use the Products solely for non-commercial instructional and administrative purposes. Guidelines for such purposes may be set forth at http://amplify.com/amplify-program-usage-guidelines and additional guidelines may be detailed in materials associated with the Product You are accessing. Further, You may not, except as expressly authorized by Amplify: (a) copy, modify, translate, distribute, disclose, or create derivative works based on the contents of, sell, or otherwise exploit, the Products, or any part thereof; (b) decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer the Products, or otherwise use the Products to develop functionally similar products or services; (c) modify, alter, or delete any of the copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices in or on the Products; (d) rent, lease, or lend the Products or use the Products for the benefit of any third party; (e) avoid, circumvent, or disable any security or digital rights management device, procedure, protocol, or mechanism in the Products; (f) use any content from the Products, including but not limited to text, images, videos, assessments, lesson plans, or code, as input or training material for any machine learning or artificial intelligence system, including large language models, neural networks, or other algorithmic models, for any purposes, commercial or non-commercial; or (g) permit any Authorized User or third party to do any of the foregoing. You also agree that any works created in violation of this section are derivative works, and, as such, You agree to assign, and hereby assign, all right, title, and interest in such works to Amplify. The Products and derivatives thereof may be subject to export control laws, restrictions, regulations, and orders of the U.S. and other jurisdictions (together, “Export Laws”). You agree to comply with all applicable Export Laws, and will not, and will not permit Authorized Users to, export, or transfer for the purpose of re-export, any Product to any prohibited or embargoed country in violation of any U.S. export law or regulation. Further, You represent that You are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, subject to sanctions by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, or included on any restricted party list maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security. The software and associated documentation portions of the Products are “commercial items” (as defined at 48 CFR 2.101), comprising “commercial computer software” and “commercial computer software documentation,” as those terms are used in 48 CFR 12.212. Accordingly, if You are associated with the U.S. Government or its contractor, You will receive only those rights set forth in this Agreement in accordance with 48 CFR 227.7201-227.7204 (for Department of Defense and their contractors) or 48 CFR 12.212 (for other U.S. Government licensees and their contractors).

3. Use of the products

In connection with your access to and use of the Products, you agree not to: (a) post, upload, or otherwise transmit or link to content that is: unlawful; threatening; harmful; abusive; pornographic or includes nudity; offensive; harassing; excessively violent; tortious; defamatory; false or misleading; obscene; vulgar; libelous; hateful; or discriminatory; (b) violate the rights of others, including patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, privacy, publicity, contract, or other proprietary rights; (c) harass or harm another person; (d) exploit or endanger a minor; (e) impersonate any person or entity; (f) introduce or engage in activity that involves the use of viruses, bots, worms, Trojan horses, time bombs, spyware, or any other computer code, files, or programs that interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment, or otherwise permit the unauthorized access to or use of a computer or a computer network; (g) interfere with, damage, disable, disrupt, impair, create an undue burden on, or gain unauthorized access to the Products or any account (as defined below), or Amplify’s servers or networks; (h) restrict or inhibit any other person from using the Products (including by hacking or defacing the Products); (i) remove, disable, block, or obscure any portion of the Products; (j) use technology or any automated system, such as scripts or bots, to collect user names, passwords, email addresses, or any other data from or through the Products, or to circumvent or modify any security technology or software that is part of the Products; (k) send or cause to send (directly or indirectly) unsolicited bulk messages or other unsolicited bulk communications of any kind through the Products; (l) solicit, collect, or request any information for commercial or unlawful purposes; (m) post, upload, or otherwise transmit an image, audio recording, or video of another person without that person’s consent; (n) use the Products to advertise, promote, or engage in any commercial activity (including engaging in advertising, sales, contests, sweepstakes, or other promotions) without Amplify’s prior written consent; (o) frame or mirror the Products without Amplify’s express prior written consent; (p) use the Products in a manner inconsistent with any applicable law, rule, or regulation; (q) use any robot, spider, search/retrieval application, or other manual or automatic device to retrieve, index, “scrape,” “data mine,” or in any way gather content of the Products or reproduce or circumvent the navigational structure or presentation of the Products; (r) attempt, facilitate, or encourage others to do any of the foregoing. In addition to the foregoing restrictions, your use of the Products may also be subject to an additional acceptable use policy provided to you by your School, as applicable. You are responsible for meeting the hardware, software, telecommunications, and other requirements listed at amplify.com/customer-requirements.

4. Intellectual property

The Products and any Product logo, and certain other of the names, logos, and materials displayed in the Products, may constitute trademarks, trade names, or service marks (“Marks”) of Amplify or other entities. You are not authorized to use any such Marks. Ownership of all such Marks and the goodwill associated therewith remains with Amplify or those other entities. The content provided to you in the Products, including the software, graphs, text, and graphics, is protected under copyright laws, is subject to other intellectual property and proprietary rights and laws, and is owned by Amplify or its licensors. Your access to the Products does not transfer to you or any third party any rights, title, or interest in or to such intellectual property rights. You may not use the content of the Products, in whole or in part, to train or fine-tune any machine learning or artificial intelligence model or system, including for research, product development, commercial services, or any other purpose, commercial or non-commercial. Such use constitutes unauthorized derivative work and a violation of Amplify’s intellectual property rights. Your rights to make use of the Products are limited to those provided under this AUP, any additional terms as may be agreed upon between your School and Amplify, and any available exceptions under applicable intellectual property laws. Amplify Products are protected by patents (see amplify.com/virtual-patent-marking).

5. Account information

Your authentication to enable your access and use of these Products is based in part upon information supplied by you. You are required to (a) provide accurate information to Amplify and promptly report any changes to such information, (b) not share or allow others to use your account, (c) maintain the confidentiality and security of your account information, and (d) use the Products solely via such authorized accounts. You may not share your credentials (i.e., username and password) to access the Products with anyone except the person for whom that account was created. You agree to notify Amplify immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or related authentication information. Amplify will not be responsible for any losses arising out of the unauthorized use of your account.

6. Student data

The parties acknowledge and agree that in the course of providing the Products, Amplify may collect, receive, or generate information that directly relates to an identifiable current or former student of a School (“Student Data”). Student Data may include personal information from a student’s “educational records,” as defined by FERPA. Student Data is owned and controlled by the School and Amplify receives Student Data as a “school official” under Section 99.31 of FERPA for the purpose of providing the Products hereunder. Individually and collectively, Amplify and School agree to uphold our obligations, as applicable, under FERPA, COPPA, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (“PPRA”), and applicable state laws relating to Student Data privacy. Amplify’s Privacy Policy governs the collection, use, and disclosure of Student Data collected or stored on behalf of the School under this AUP. The School is responsible for providing notice or obtaining appropriate consents under applicable laws to authorize Authorized School Users’ use of the Products, including making a copy of the Privacy Policy available to the parents or guardians of Child Users. Please see Additional Terms for Mathigon and Amplify Classroom accounts (Section 18) for additional information.

7. Confidentiality

You acknowledge that in connection with these terms, Amplify may provide you with certain sensitive or proprietary information (“Confidential Information”), including software, source code, assessment instruments, research, designs, methods, processes, customer lists, training materials, product documentation, know-how, or trade secrets, in whatever form. You agree (a) not to use Confidential Information for any purpose other than use of the Products in accordance with the AUP, and (b) to take all steps reasonably necessary to maintain and protect the Confidential Information of Amplify in strict confidence. Confidential Information shall not include information that, as evidenced by your contemporaneous written records: (i) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of your own; (ii) is rightfully known to you prior to the time of its disclosure; (iii) has been independently developed by you without any use of the Confidential Information; or (iv) is subsequently learned from a third party not under any confidentiality obligation.  

8. User materials

You represent, warrant, and covenant that you have all the necessary rights, including consents and intellectual property rights, in connection with any data, information, content, and other materials provided to or collected by Amplify from you or on your behalf in connection with your use of the Products, including materials and content that you post, upload, transmit, email, or otherwise make available on, through, or in connection with the Products (“User Materials”), and that except as otherwise agreed by your School and Amplify, you retain any ownership rights that you have in your User Materials. You hereby grant to Amplify and its affiliates, licensees, and authorized users, a perpetual, non-exclusive, fully paid-up, royalty-free, sublicensable (through multiple tiers), transferable (in whole or in part), worldwide license to use, modify, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and compilations based upon, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and distribute such User Materials in connection with the Products, subject to Amplify’s Privacy Policy. You and your School are responsible for the accuracy, integrity, completeness, quality, legality, and safety of such User Materials. You further represent and warrant that the posting of such User Materials through or in connection with the Products does not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, contract rights, or any other rights of any person or entity. Amplify and your School reserve the right (but have no obligation) to monitor the Products, including for inappropriate content or conduct, and to remove any content in their discretion without liability to you or any third party. Further, Amplify reserves the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in Amplify’s discretion, violates this AUP or attempts to do so, including terminating or suspending a user’s account or access to or use of the Products, or reporting any content or conduct to law enforcement authorities. You are solely responsible for creating and maintaining your own backup copies of your User Materials. Amplify is not responsible for any loss, theft, or damage of any kind to any User Materials. 

9. Feedback

If you provide us with any ideas, proposals, or suggestions related to the Products (“Feedback”), you hereby acknowledge and agree that your provision of any Feedback is gratuitous, unsolicited, and without restriction, and does not place Amplify under any fiduciary or other obligation. You hereby grant to Amplify a worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid-up, exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, and fully sublicensable (through multiple tiers) license to reproduce, distribute, perform and/or display (publicly or otherwise), adapt, modify, and otherwise use such Feedback, in any format or media now known or hereafter developed, and you hereby represent and warrant that you have all necessary rights to grant the foregoing license.

10. Third party links and services

The Products may make available, or third parties may provide, links to websites, software, applications, resources, advertisements, content, or other products or services created, hosted, or made available by third parties (“Third Party Services”). When you access or use a Third-Party Service, you are interacting with the applicable third party, not with Amplify, and you do so at your own risk. Inclusion of any Third-Party Service or a link thereto within the Products does not imply approval or endorsement of such Third-Party Service. Amplify does not control any content that is not Amplify content, and as such, you may be exposed to offensive, indecent, inaccurate, or otherwise objectionable content in the course of accessing or using such Third-Party Services linked from the Products. You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users of the Products, providers of Third-Party Services, and any other third parties with whom you interact on, through, or in connection with the Products. AMPLIFY IS NEITHER RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY THIRD-PARTY SERVICES, INCLUDING THE ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, COMPLETENESS, QUALITY, LEGALITY, USEFULNESS, OR SAFETY OF, OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS RELATING TO, SUCH THIRD-PARTY SERVICES. ANY ACCESS TO OR USE OF SUCH THIRD-PARTY SERVICES MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION COLLECTION, USAGE, AND DISCLOSURE PRACTICES OF THIRD PARTIES. THIS AUP DOES NOT CREATE ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND ANY PROVIDER OF THIRD-PARTY SERVICES, AND NOTHING IN THIS AUP WILL BE DEEMED TO BE A REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY BY AMPLIFY WITH RESPECT TO ANY THIRD-PARTY SERVICE.

11. Digital Millennium Copyright Act

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (“DMCA”) provides recourse for copyright owners who believe that material appearing on the Internet infringes their rights under U.S. copyright law. If you believe that any material residing on or linked to from the Products infringes your copyright, please send (or have your agent send) to Amplify’s Copyright Agent, by email, fax, or regular mail, a written notification of claimed infringement with all of the following information: (a) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works; (b) identification of the claimed infringing material and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material on the Products (such as the URL(s) of the claimed infringing material); (c) information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact you, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an e-mail address; (d) a statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, the copyright owner’s agent or the law; (e) a statement by you that the above information in your notification is accurate, and a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that you are the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed, or that you are authorized to act on such owner’s behalf; and (f) your physical or electronic signature. Amplify’s Copyright Agent for notification of claimed infringement can be reached as follows: Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington Street #800, Brooklyn NY 11201; Attn: Copyright Agent. Amplify’s Copyright Agent for notification of claimed infringement can also be reached electronically at legal@amplify.com. Amplify reserves the right to terminate infringers’ and suspected infringers’ accounts or their access to or use of the Products.

12. Changes to the products

Amplify may, without prior notice, change any Product or stop providing any features of any Product. We may permanently or temporarily terminate or suspend your access to any Product features without notice for any reason, including if in our sole determination you violate any provision of this AUP. Upon termination, you continue to be bound by this AUP.

13. Warranty disclaimer

PRODUCTS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND BY AMPLIFY. AMPLIFY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY AS TO TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTING THE PRODUCTS TO ACHIEVE YOUR INTENDED RESULTS AND FOR THE ACCESS AND USE OF THE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE PRODUCTS. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, AMPLIFY MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE PRODUCTS WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR FREE FROM INTERRUPTIONS OR OTHER FAILURES OR WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS. AMPLIFY IS NEITHER RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY THIRD-PARTY CONTENT OR SOFTWARE INCLUDED IN PRODUCTS, INCLUDING THE ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, COMPLETENESS, QUALITY, LEGALITY, USEFULNESS, OR SAFETY OF, OR IP RIGHTS RELATING TO, SUCH THIRD-PARTY CONTENT AND SOFTWARE. ANY ACCESS TO OR USE OF SUCH THIRD-PARTY CONTENT AND SOFTWARE MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION COLLECTION, USAGE, AND DISCLOSURE PRACTICES OF THIRD PARTIES.

14. Limitation of liability

IN NO EVENT WILL AMPLIFY BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, RELIANCE, OR COVER DAMAGES, DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, LOST BUSINESS, OR ANY OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGES, EVEN IF AMPLIFY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AMPLIFY’S ENTIRE LIABILITY TO YOU ARISING OUT OF PERFORMANCE OR NONPERFORMANCE BY AMPLIFY OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AUP, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CLAIM FOR SUCH DAMAGES IS BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, WILL NOT EXCEED $100 IN AGGREGATE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL AMPLIFY BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES OF ANY UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE PRODUCTS THAT VIOLATES THIS AUP OR ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION.

15. Termination

Amplify may terminate or suspend your access to the Products at any time for any reason, including if Amplify believes that you have violated the AUP or have engaged in conduct that violates applicable law or is otherwise harmful to the interests of Amplify, any other Amplify user, or any third party. Upon termination, you will: cease using the Products and return, purge, or destroy all copies of any Products and, if so requested, certify to Amplify in writing that such surrender or destruction has occurred. Sections 3–13, 16, and 17 will survive the termination of this Agreement.

16. Governing Law

This Agreement will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the U.S., state of New York, without giving effect to the choice of law rules thereof.

17. Additional terms for iOS apps

By downloading any Products through Apple, Inc.’s App Store (“iOS Products”), you agree that the following additional terms apply to your use of our iOS Products:

  1. This AUP is not a legal agreement with Apple, Inc. (“Apple”). As between Amplify and Apple, Amplify (not Apple) is responsible for the iOS Products and the contents thereof.
  2. The license to use the iOS Products under Section 3 above is limited to use (i) on iOS devices that you or your School owns or controls, separate from and in addition to any specific technical requirements for any iOS Product, and (ii) as permitted by the Usage Rules set forth in Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions.
  3. You must comply with applicable third-party terms of agreement when using the Products.
  4. Without limiting Section 13 above and solely as between Amplify and Apple, you acknowledge that: (i) Apple has no obligation whatsoever to furnish any maintenance and support services with respect to the iOS Products; (ii) Amplify (not Apple) is responsible for addressing any claims of yours or of any third party relating to the iOS Products or your possession and/or use of the iOS products, including but not limited to (1) product liability claims, (2) any claim that the iOS Products fail to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement, and (3) claims arising under consumer protection, privacy, or similar legislation; (iii) in the event of any failure of the iOS Products to conform to any applicable warranty, you may notify Apple, and Apple will refund the purchase price for the iOS Products to you; to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple will have no other warranty obligation whatsoever with respect to the iOS Products, and any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses attributable to any failure to conform to any warranty will be Amplify’s sole responsibility; and (iv) in the event of any third-party claim that the iOS Products or your possession and use of the iOS Products infringes that third party’s intellectual property rights, Amplify (not Apple) will be responsible for any investigation, defense, settlement, and discharge of any such intellectual property infringement claim.
  5. You represent and warrant that: (i) you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country; and (ii) you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
  6. Apple and Apple’s subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms, and upon your acceptance of these Terms, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce these Terms against you as a third-party beneficiary thereof.
  7.  Any questions, complaints, or claims with respect to the Products should be directed to: 

Email: privacy@amplify.comMail: Amplify Education, Inc., 55 Washington St. #800, Brooklyn, NY, 11201

18. Additional terms for Mathigon and Amplify Classroom accounts.

a. Mathigon updates: Amplify no longer offers accounts for Child Users, but we will continue to allow Child Users to access their active legacy Mathigon accounts where verifiable parental consent was obtained. We will continue to protect personal information in accordance with the Privacy Policy and applicable law.

b. Mathigon and Amplify Classroom:

i. School Use:

  1. Educators: If you are an Educator, you can create a Mathigon or an Amplify Classroom account using any existing email or through an existing third-party account (e.g. Google, Microsoft). Go to https://mathigon.org/signup#teacher  to sign up for Mathigon. Go to classroom.amplify.com to sign up for Amplify Classroom.
  2. Students can also sign up using a unique class code provided by an Educator. Educators are responsible for gaining appropriate authorization or permission from their School to use the Products with students, including Child Users, before providing their unique class code or linking the Products to a third-party service like Google Classroom. For such use in the school context, we do not request additional consent from parents in accordance with the “school official” exception under FERPA and relevant COPPA guidance. For more information, visit our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and disclose personal information and data through the provision of our Products in schools. 

ii. Outside of School Use: If you are an individual user using the Products at home or otherwise outside of the school context, you are prohibited from collecting or providing any personal information from students or minors. You are permitted to access the platform for instructional purposes, but you may not enroll or roster minors, create accounts for minors, or input any personal information of minors into the Product.

19. Updates to this policy

We may change this Acceptable Use Policy in the future. For example, we may update it to address changes in our product offerings, or to address changes in the law or best practices. If we make changes that materially impact your legal rights or use of our products, we will provide prominent notification to you (e.g. via the Site or by email).  Otherwise, we will post any updates to the policy with an updated “Last Revised Date” and all changes will become effective immediately. Please check the Last Revised Date to confirm if the policy has been revised.

Last Modified: February 2, 2026

Season 6, Episode 10

The big win is just the beginning, with Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

With Utah’s recent passing of Senate Bill 127, a sweeping piece of literacy legislation, many are turning to the state as a model of what statewide implementation of the Science of Reading can look like. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, Director of Teaching and Learning at Utah State Board of Education, joins Susan to tell the story of how Senate Bill 127 came to be and how they are continuing to make changes in schools across Utah. Together, they discuss what the bill included, the opportunities and challenges the bill provides when it comes to implementation, and advice for other states looking to enact literacy legislation. Throndsen also discusses her experience as a teacher and her journey with the Science of Reading.

Join Science of Reading: The Community to connect with fellow educators.

A button with the Apple Podcasts logo and text that reads "Listen on Apple Podcasts" on a white background, perfect for discovering science of reading training resources. Spotify logo with the text 'Listen on Spotify' inside a rounded rectangle on a white background.

Transcripts and additional resources:

Transcript
Utah’s S.B. 127 Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement
Western States Take Aim at Early Literacy During 2022 Legislative Sessions
(The Council of State Governments West)

Meet Our Guest(s):

Una sonriente Dra. Jennifer Throndsen con cabello largo y castaño, fotografiada en un marco circular contra un fondo de pared de ladrillos, con elementos gráficos de un libro azul y una flecha naranja.

Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

Dr. Jennifer Throndsen is the Director of Teaching and Learning at the Utah State Board of Education. Throndsen takes pride in developing and designing policy, resources, and supports to help other educators serve students as best as possible. Prior to her current role, she worked as an elementary and middle school teacher, instructional coach, adjunct professor, and district specialist. She earned her doctorate in mathematics curriculum and instruction from Utah State University in 2018. In addition to her primary role, Jennifer has been recognized for her extraordinary commitment to early learning.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Susan is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Susan is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Susan-Lambert_Headshot

Quotes

"Our students are the state's greatest asset, and we need to invest in them with all the energy and knowledge we have to do our best to serve them with urgency, compassion, and high expectations."

—Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

"If kids can't read, that really keeps them from accessing other content areas like science, social studies, and being able to engage in story problems in mathematics."

—Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

"Being able to read is today's civil right's movement."

—Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

"With requirements comes resistance. No matter how great the opportunity is."

—Dr. Jennifer Throndsen

Featured Episodes

Season 6, Episode 5

Episode 5: Leading with the head and the heart:…

Equal parts educational leader, educator, and life-long learner of reading science, Mitchell Brookins has leveraged his passion and dedication to…
Season 6, Episode 3

Episode 3: Focused implementation: Doing less to do more,…

Educator, researcher, author, and leadership consultant Dr. Doug Reeves joins Susan to discuss his book Building to Impact. Together, they dive…
Season 6, Episode 8

Episode 8: Love at the center of literacy, with…

Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in the School District of Philadelphia, has played an integral role…

Season 5, Episode 1

Investigating math anxiety in the classroom

Season 5 is here! This season, we’ll be talking all about math anxiety: what it is, what causes it, and what we can do to prevent or ease this anxiety in the math classroom. To launch this very important theme, we sat down with Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University. As someone who’s been studying math anxiety for more than a decade, he had some interesting research and advice to share on why math anxiety affects so many students (and adults), and tips for how to start reducing it. Listen now and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!

A man with a beard and glasses, wearing a suit and blue tie, smiles in front of a black background featuring colorful triangle patterns.

Meet Our Guest(s):

A man with glasses and a short beard is wearing a suit and tie, smiling at the camera against a dark background. Circular graphic frame with an illustrated shirt decorates the image.

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez

Dr. Gerardo Ramirez obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where he studied the role of teachers and parents in shaping the math attitudes of their students, as well as reappraisal techniques to help students cope with anxiety during testing situations.

Dr. Ramirez is currently an associate professor at Ball State, where he examines the role of frustration, empathy, and cultural capital in shaping students’ success and persistence.

Meet our hosts: Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer

Bethany Lockhart Johnson is an elementary school educator and author. Prior to serving as a multiple-subject teacher, she taught theater and dance, and now loves incorporating movement and creative play into her classroom. Bethany is committed to helping students find joy in discovering their identities as mathematicians. In addition to her role as a full-time classroom teacher, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations. Bethany is a member of the Illustrative Mathematics Elementary Curriculum Steering Committee and serves as a consultant, creating materials to support families during distance learning.

Dan Meyer taught high school math to students who didn’t like high school math. He has advocated for better math instruction on CNN, Good Morning America, Everyday With Rachel Ray, and TED.com. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in math education and is currently the Dean of Research at Desmos, where he explores the future of math, technology, and learning. Dan has worked with teachers internationally and in all 50 United States and was named one of Tech & Learning’s 30 Leaders of the Future.

Two people smiling at the camera, each in a separate circular frame, with geometric shapes decorating the background—perfect for a math teacher lounge or highlighting fresh math teacher resources.

Transcripts and additional resources:

Get your free MTL study guide for this episode
Create an account with Amplify Classroom, a highly interactive teaching and learning platform with hundreds of free K–12 lessons, virtual manipulatives, and teaching tools.
Transcript

Quotes

"A lot of students struggle with math, and we want to normalize that struggle as much as possible. We have to find opportunities to tell better stories and reflect on our experiences."

—Dr. Gerardo Ramirez

Featured Episodes

A smiling woman with shoulder-length curly hair, wearing a dark blazer and a necklace, framed by a circular border with a math fluency pattern background.
Season 3, Episode 5

Episode 5: Developing an asset orientation with Lani Horn

In this episode, math education professor Lani Horn shares with us what it means to have an asset orientation towards…
Two portraits in circular frames over a background with geometric shapes; the top shows a smiling woman with curly hair, and the bottom features a happy young woman wearing a cap and holding a "Dear Math
Season 4, Episode 4

Episode 4: Dear Math

In this episode, Bethany and Dan chat with Sarah Strong and Gigi Butterfield, authors of Dear Math: Why Kids Hate…
Portrait of a woman with long dark hair, wearing a blue blazer, smiling slightly, centered within a circular frame on a math teaching-themed background with geometric shapes.
Season 4, Episode 1

Episode 1: Joyful math teaching with Kanchan Kant

This season on the Math Teacher Lounge podcast, we follow the theme “joyful math” and uncover its meaning. In this…

Stay connected!

Season 1, Example Episode

NAEP: What you’ve always wanted to know, with Chester Finn, Jr.

In this episode, we dive deep into the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the national report card. Chester Finn, Jr., author of the new book Assessing the Nation’s Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP, joins Susan to discuss the NAEP assessment. Together, they unpack how it works, what it is and isn’t, and what benefits and opportunities it provides as the achievement gap continues to grow.

Meet Our Guest(s):

Meet our guest: Chester Finn, Jr.

Scholar, educator and public servant Chester Finn, Jr. has devoted his career to improving education in the United States. A native of Ohio, he holds an undergraduate degree in U.S. history, a master’s degree in social studies teaching, and a doctorate in education policy, all from Harvard University. He is now distinguished senior fellow and president emeritus at Fordham University, and a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Finn was Fordham’s president from 1997 to 2014, after many earlier roles in education, academia, and government. From 1999 until 2002, he was the John M. Olin Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and at Hudson Institute.

Meet our host: Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Transcripts and additional resources:

Read: “Joint Statement from The Reading League (TRL) and the National Committee for Effective Literacy (NCEL)”
Read: “2006 Report: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners”
Transcript

Quotes

“It must be acknowledged that there is more scientific research, or there has been more scientific research, conducted with monolingual English-speaking children, and that additional research related to teaching literacy development for English learners and emergent bilinguals is needed to advance our understanding of their literacy development.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“We have an underserved area that’s experiencing a massive growth in student population. And so it’s really important to then focus on it. Schools are adjusting, they’re quick, they’re doing the best they can, but we need to be having these conversations around research [and] best practices so that we can set schools up for success and students up for success.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“I just think we have an exciting future in this country. I was in a classroom last week, I saw some of their writing. I saw them speaking, heard them speaking in two languages fluently, easily, excitedly. I just got very excited. These kids are going to be our doctors and our teachers and our engineers and they’re bilingual or multilingual.”

—Kajal Patel Below

“Their language is an asset, whatever language it is and however much it is.”

—Kajal Patel Below

Introducing mCLASS Math: Deep Dive Into the Assessment System

Monday, 4pm ET

Register now

Why attend?

—

What if your math assessments could measure your students’ understanding with more nuance than just right or wrong?

Join us January 26, February 24, or March 23 at 4:00 p.m. ET as one of our math experts takes you through mCLASS® Math.

In this 30-minute live webinar, you’ll learn how mCLASS Math can help you:

  • Measure math performance against grade-level expectations, in less time than typical assessment methods.
  • Use an asset-based approach to uncover how students approach problems, using open-ended questions that will help you understand student thinking.
  • Identify students at risk, including flagging for the potential risk of dyscalculia.
  • Turn assessment data into actionable instruction with recommendations aligned to your core math program.

Can’t make it live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the on-demand recording. You can also click here to explore our full library of Amplify Desmos Math webinars to watch and share anytime.

Introducing mCLASS Math: Deep Dive Into the Assessment System

Tuesday, 4pm ET

Register now

Why attend?

—

What if your math assessments could measure your students’ understanding with more nuance than just right or wrong?

Join us January 26, February 24, or March 23 at 4:00 p.m. ET as one of our math experts takes you through mCLASS® Math.

In this 30-minute live webinar, you’ll learn how mCLASS Math can help you:

  • Measure math performance against grade-level expectations, in less time than typical assessment methods.
  • Use an asset-based approach to uncover how students approach problems, using open-ended questions that will help you understand student thinking.
  • Identify students at risk, including flagging for the potential risk of dyscalculia.
  • Turn assessment data into actionable instruction with recommendations aligned to your core math program.

Can’t make it live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the on-demand recording. You can also click here to explore our full library of Amplify Desmos Math webinars to watch and share anytime.

Introducing mCLASS Math: Deep Dive Into the Assessment System

Monday, 4pm ET

Register now

Why attend?

—

What if your math assessments could measure your students’ understanding with more nuance than just right or wrong?

Join us January 26, February 24, or March 23 at 4:00 p.m. ET as one of our math experts takes you through mCLASS® Math.

In this 30-minute live webinar, you’ll learn how mCLASS Math can help you:

  • Measure math performance against grade-level expectations, in less time than typical assessment methods.
  • Use an asset-based approach to uncover how students approach problems, using open-ended questions that will help you understand student thinking.
  • Identify students at risk, including flagging for the potential risk of dyscalculia.
  • Turn assessment data into actionable instruction with recommendations aligned to your core math program.

Can’t make it live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the on-demand recording. You can also click here to explore our full library of Amplify Desmos Math webinars to watch and share anytime.

Season 6, Episode 12

Celebrating many meanings: Language comprehension and the importance of Black English, with Jasmine Rogers

While working with students, one educator came to a realization that put her on a path to fascinating research in the Science of Reading. In this episode, Jasmine Rogers—manager and coach with the In Schools program at the DC Reading Clinic and an early literacy intervention lead at American University—shares her story and delves into her research on dialects and best practices for structured literacy instruction. She discusses Black language and how it connects with the language comprehension strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. Jasmine also offers recommendations for classroom teachers who have bidialectal students.

Join Science of Reading: The Community to connect with fellow educators.

A button with the Apple Podcasts logo and text that reads "Listen on Apple Podcasts" on a white background, perfect for discovering science of reading training resources. Spotify logo with the text 'Listen on Spotify' inside a rounded rectangle on a white background.

Transcripts and additional resources:

Transcript
DC Reading Clinic
Jasmine Rogers – Linkedin
S4-07: Linguistic Variety and Dialects: Difference, not error: Julie Washington
Teaching Reading to African American Children
Linguistic Justice: Black Language, Literacy, Identity, and Pedagogy
An Informed Lens on African American English
Multilingualism and Codeswitching in Education

Meet Our Guest(s):

Mujer sonriente con el pelo trenzado, enmarcada en un círculo, con iconos de un corazón y una bombilla cerca de su cabeza, sobre un fondo verde.

Jasmine Rogers

Jasmine Rogers is a manager and coach with the In Schools program at the DC Reading Clinic, serving the District of Columbia Public Schools. In this role, she manages professional development on structured literacy best practices. For nine years, she was an elementary teacher serving in kindergarten and special education as well as a reading specialist. She also mentored at the DC Reading Clinic in its 2019 inaugural cohort. She holds masters degrees in sports administration, elementary education, and special education. She is currently an early literacy intervention lead at American University, pursuing her doctorate in education policy and leadership.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Susan is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Susan is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Susan-Lambert_Headshot

Quotes

“As a teacher, a Black woman, who speaks Black English, who knows the language, who is very well versed in structured literacy, if I overlooked this, if that caught me off guard a little bit, then that means that could potentially catch someone else off guard.”

—Jasmine Rogers

“With language comprehension, and considering in your native language, there may be a word that doesn’t necessarily match up with a language that you are learning in the classroom. So you have to then use your incredible cognitive skills that speak two completely different codes, comprehend what is happening, and then tie that back into, of course, the Rope to become a fluent reader.”

—Jasmine Rogers

“I consider Black English to be a very complex and complicated language…but I think typically in society it has been viewed very negatively. You can see in the media and in research where people have talked about it and used negative connotations. And I think those beliefs from society have seeped into the classroom.”

—Jasmine Rogers

“A strength of children that are bidialectal is the similar strength to students that are bilingual—they have an ability to take language that is different from theirs and translate it. That right there is an asset.”

—Jasmine Rogers

“The languages that we speak and bring from home also are not wrong. They’re simply different. And we’re gonna work together so that we take what we know differently and come together with a common language so that we’re communicating with one another.”

—Jasmine Rogers

“We have got to give our students access to this code so that they can become literate and run our society one day.”

—Jasmine Rogers

Featured Episodes

Season 6, Episode 8

Episode 8: Love at the center of literacy, with…

Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in the School District of Philadelphia, has played an integral role…
Season 6, Episode 5

Episode 5: Leading with the head and the heart:…

Equal parts educational leader, educator, and life-long learner of reading science, Mitchell Brookins has leveraged his passion and dedication to…
Season 6, Episode 4

Episode 4: From the community, for the community: Grassroots…

Community and education activist Naomi Peña and clinical psychologist Dr. Akeela Azcuy knew that, as moms of struggling readers themselves,…

Special miniseries, Episode 2

Nurturing multilingualism, with Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus Jim Cummins, Ph.D., joins Susan Lambert from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education for an engaging conversation that explores the dynamics of language development and bilingual education, as well as the importance of a supportive learning environment for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs). Cummins shares stories from his extensive experience and research in the field, highlighting the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, the importance of literacy engagement, and the role of translanguaging in educational settings. He also illuminates the challenges and opportunities in fostering multilingual capabilities and underscores the value of embracing students’ linguistic diversity in schools.

Join Science of Reading: The Community to connect with fellow educators.

Guest on Science of Reading podcast in a Special miniseries Episode 2: Nurturing multilingualism, with Jim Cummins, Ph.D.
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Transcripts and additional resources:

Listen to Episode 1: Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel Below
Read: “Translanguaging in Bilingual Education” by Ofelia García and Angel M.Y. Lin
Website: Language Friendly School
Transcript

Meet Our Guest(s):

Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

Jim Cummins is professor emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. His research focuses on literacy development in educational contexts characterized by linguistic and socioeconomic diversity. In numerous articles and books, he has explored the nature of language proficiency and its relationship to literacy development, with particular emphasis on the intersections of societal power relations, teacher-student identity negotiation, and literacy attainment. His most recent book Rethinking the Education of Multilingual Learners: A Critical Analysis of Theoretical Concepts was published in fall 2021. He is the recipient of the International Reading Association’s 1979 Albert J. Harris Award and has received honorary doctorates from five universities in North America and Europe.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Retrato de una mujer caucásica sonriente con cabello rubio corto, involucrada en un podcast sobre la ciencia de la lectura, con gafas, lápiz labial rojo y un collar de perlas.

Quotes

“Virtually all the research highlights the importance of being in a communicative, interactive context if you want to pick up a language."

—Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

“There are differences between the linguistic demands of schooling and the kind of language that we use in everyday conversational context outside of school."

—Jim Cummins, Ph.D.

“All of these processes are amplified when there's a community of peers or people that we can discuss these ideas with, we can get feedback, we can explore ideas collectively."

—Jim Cummins, Ph.D.