Since 2006, AIR has been working with the Microsoft Corporation and Puget Sound Educational Services District (PSESD) to improve instruction and increase rigor in middle school math throughout eight school districts in Washington.

AIR completed a report, The Gateway to Student Success in Mathematics and Science, which lays out the rationale and a policy framework for the Microsoft Math Partnership (MMP). At the request of our client, AIR then created a Field Guide, which focused on best practices in middle school math and science.

In simplest terms, the first report describes the “why” and the “what” of the initiative and this second report describes the “how” of math and science reform at the middle school level. AIR also guided the development of an assessment system and helped create a suite of PD offerings to operationalize the Field Guide. Furthermore, AIR conceptualized and coordinated a Summer Institute and the series of half-day workshops that occurred over the course of the 2007-08 school year. AIR played a leadership role in planning the assessment strategy for the MMP and assisting Microsoft and the PSESD in conceptualizing and coordinating formative and summative assessments aligned with the needs of the MMP.

In addition, AIR has provided guidance on the creation of the MMP website and professional development in math pedagogy, technology supported instruction, and culturally responsive instruction. AIR is responsible for stakeholder involvement, assessment technical assistance, professional development, and data analysis of student math assessments.