Lastinger Learning
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Florida Tutoring Advantage
2026 Florida K-12 Mathematics Landscape Analysis
In Spring 2026, the UF Lastinger Center examined the current state of mathematics-specific professional learning across Florida. Through surveys and focus groups, teachers, coaches, administrators, higher education faculty, and professional learning providers shared their experiences with professional learning and identified opportunities to strengthen support for mathematics teaching and learning statewide.
Findings & Recommendations
Mathematics educators and leaders from across Florida convened with the UF Lastinger Center’s mathematics team to share their perspectives on the professional learning experiences available to teachers and the challenges that influence their implementation. Participants consistently described a need for research-based high-quality professional learning that is collaborative, classroom-relevant, job-embedded, and supported through coaching and follow-up.
Through a statewide survey of 988 participants and focus groups with 182 stakeholders, our team gathered broad and in-depth perspectives on mathematics professional learning across Florida. Findings identified both strengths and gaps in the current system, including teachers’ desire for more mathematics-specific instructional support, the central role of district decision-making, and the importance of coaching capacity for sustaining high-quality professional learning.
In culmination, The UF Lastinger Center Mathematics Team has published the landscape analysis and two companion briefs below. These resources explore key findings and recommendations for strengthening Florida’s professional learning infrastructure to support high-quality instructional materials, effective mathematics instruction, and improved student outcomes statewide.
Landscape Analysis Briefs
Brief 1
Balancing District Priorities and Teacher Needs in Mathematics Professional Learning
Key Findings
Professional learning decisions are largely driven by district priorities, leaving teachers often seeking more input, relevance, and support connected to classroom instruction.
Question
How can districts align professional learning with both system goals and teacher needs?
Recommendations
Strengthen coaching capacity, elevate teacher voice in planning, and redesign existing professional learning structures to support sustained improvement over time.
Brief 2
Florida Mathematics Teachers Need High-Quality Professional Learning
Key Findings
Teachers want mathematics professional learning that is practical, collaborative, and sustained over time, yet many report current opportunities focus more on standards and curriculum than instructional practice.
Question
How can Florida provide teachers with the high-quality professional learning they need to strengthen mathematics instruction?
Recommendations
Invest in mathematics coaches and expand job-embedded professional learning that supports implementation, reflection, feedback, and continuous growth.
