Rethinking the Math Equation: How Brain Skills Can Boost Learning

OAKLAND, Calif. – February 10, 2026 – A five-year, multi-million dollar educational experiment is culminating not with a final report, but with a beginning. The Advanced Education Research & Development Fund (AERDF) today unveiled the EF+Math Resource Library, a vast public repository of tools, research, and classroom-ready products designed to transform how students learn mathematics.

The initiative’s core premise is that the key to unlocking complex math concepts lies not just in numbers and formulas, but in strengthening a set of cognitive abilities known as executive functions. These skills—which include working memory, mental flexibility, planning, and self-monitoring—are the brain's 'air traffic control system,' managing thoughts and actions. After a half-decade of intensive research and development involving over 700 collaborators, AERDF is now making its findings and inventions freely available, aiming to reshape math instruction nationwide.

Beyond Rote Memorization

For decades, math education has often been associated with rote memorization and rigid procedures. The EF+Math program challenges this paradigm by focusing on the underlying cognitive processes students need to become effective problem-solvers. Executive functioning (EF) skills are what allow a student to hold multiple steps of a problem in their head (working memory), try a different approach when the first one fails (cognitive flexibility), and check their work for errors (metacognition).

This focus addresses a critical need felt directly in classrooms. Research highlighted by the program reveals that a staggering 88% of teachers want sustained, actionable professional development on EF skills to better support their students. The EF+Math initiative was created to bridge this gap, examining whether intentionally strengthening these cognitive skills could dramatically improve student math outcomes, particularly for students in grades 3-8.

"The EF+Math program was designed from the start to create a lasting impact beyond its planned five-year funding cycle," said Auditi Chakravarty, AERDF CEO. "The EF+Math Resource Library is a dynamic hub that ensures the program's evidence, tools, and equity-centered practices will continue to guide innovation and reach math classrooms across the country."

A New Model for Innovation

Perhaps as significant as the resources themselves is the method used to create them. AERDF championed an "Advanced Inclusive R&D" model, intentionally moving away from the traditional top-down approach where solutions are developed in isolation and then handed to schools. Instead, the EF+Math program embedded researchers, product developers, and educators in a collaborative ecosystem.

This co-design process centered the expertise of those on the front lines. Teachers, students, and administrators worked alongside learning scientists and software engineers to define problems and co-create solutions grounded in both classroom wisdom and cognitive science.

"Often, solutions are developed based on assumptions about what teachers and students need," explained Aubrey Francisco, Co-Executive Director of AERDF's EF+Math Program. "At EF+Math, we intentionally brought together educators, researchers, and developers to co-create tools… That collaboration resulted in both products that are supporting students' EF and math learning in classrooms, and new insights that can guide future R&D."

From Research to the Classroom

The tangible results of this five-year effort are now accessible through the new online library. It includes everything from peer-reviewed studies and assessment tools to ready-to-use professional development modules for teachers. The initiative also spurred the development and commercialization of new learning products already being used in schools.

One standout example is Fraction Ball, a program developed at the University of California, Irvine. It transforms the difficult concept of fractions into a physical game inspired by basketball, using a life-sized number line on a court. An early experimental study showed significant gains in students' understanding of fractions and decimals. The program has since been implemented in over 40 schools across Southern California and has even expanded internationally to Mexico and Kosovo.

Other key products include CueThinkEF+, a problem-solving program, and new offerings from MIND Education, the creators of the popular ST Math program. MIND's MathFluency+ and InsightMath are designed to simultaneously build math fact fluency and related EF skills, maximizing a student’s cognitive capacity for learning.

An Engine for Equity

From its inception, the EF+Math program had an explicit focus on equity. The initiative aimed to dramatically improve math outcomes for Black and Latino students and students experiencing poverty—groups that have been historically underserved by the education system.

The program operates on the belief that strengthening executive function skills can act as a powerful lever for equity. By providing all students with the cognitive tools to manage complex information and persevere through challenges, the approach seeks to unlock the inherent capabilities of every learner.

"We believe that all students, and especially Black and Latino students and students experiencing poverty, bring mathematical brilliance to the classroom and are capable of learning challenging math," stated Michelle Tiu, Co-Executive Director of AERDF's EF+Math Program. The goal, she noted, was to create equitable learning experiences that build on students' assets and foster a sense of belonging.

As the five-year funding cycle for the EF+Math program concludes this spring, the launch of the resource library marks a pivotal transition. The research, tools, and collaborative spirit that defined the initiative are no longer confined to a select group of participants but are now available to any educator, researcher, or developer seeking to build a more effective and equitable future for mathematics education. To further this dissemination, AERDF will host a webinar on March 3 to share highlights and demonstrate the resources now available to the public.