California’s Latest Math Adoption List: 3 Next Steps for District Leaders

For the first time in over a decade, the California State Board of Education has released a new list of state-approved mathematics instructional materials. This is a major milestone for California schools—but for district leaders, we know it’s only the beginning of a complex process.

Here, we tackle the most common questions about the new adoption list and outline key next steps for selecting and implementing materials in your district. 

Which programs are included in California’s recommended math instructional materials?

The 2025 California math adoption list includes 64 approved programs spanning kindergarten through high school. A few key trends stand out:

• Expanded choice: Having 64 programs representing 29 product families gives districts a wide variety of options, but it also means finding the best fit will require a more strategic and in-depth review.
• New and updated options: The list features several updated versions of familiar series in addition to 17 new providers. This highlights significant growth and innovation in math curriculum since the last update in 2014, particularly with stronger digital tools and an emphasis on support for all learners.
• More coherence across grade levels: Many new and extended programs span multiple grade bands, giving districts more options for selecting a cohesive series. Over half of the 29 adopted series cover K–Algebra I or K–Math I, while the remainder offer K–8, K–6, and middle school–only options.

How do the new materials align with the California Math Framework?

The newly adopted materials were selected to ensure that math instruction reflects the instructional guidance from the 2023 California Math Framework, which aims for higher, more equitable achievement across the state.

This means materials were evaluated for features including:

• Standards integrated around “Big Ideas,” not taught in isolation
• Inquiry-based instruction 
• Increased focus on equity and supporting all students in developing curiosity and confidence in math
• More supports for multilingual learners

Still, it is important for district leaders to thoughtfully review materials in order to make the best selection for their context, vision, and priorities.

What does the 2025 math adoption list mean for districts?

3 Steps for District Leaders

We’ve partnered with hundreds of California instructional leaders to select and implement high-quality instructional materials. If you’re looking at the adoption list and wondering what’s next or where to begin, here’s what we recommend. 

1. Plan Your Process – The goal is to plan your selection process.

• • The foundational step is planning your process and assembling a Selection Team to design the process. 
  • The resource Selection Team Process and Team Member Criteria lays out the different ways the Selection Team, Selection Team Leader, and Review Committee can be chosen.

2. Establish the Vision – The goal is to prepare the Selection Team and Review Committee to understand the standards and Framework and develop a shared vision of effective instruction for each relevant subject for all students.

• • A vision is most concretely articulated as a walkthrough tool—what would we want to see in the enacted daily instruction in this subject?
  • Educators bring a variety of experiences and perspectives to this work. Establishing a common foundation and viewpoint of the subject area prior to selection gives everyone a common starting point.
  • Changing materials often accompanies a fundamental shift in expectations for students or educators. Naming your agreements about Core Beliefs (e.g., that all students are capable of high-level work) can create a touchstone you can return to throughout the process.

3. Develop the Rubric and Prepare for Reviews – The goal is to determine the final rubric you will use, what materials you are going to review, and prepare the Review Committee to conduct the reviews. The goal is also to use this moment to gather broad stakeholder input on the wishes for the materials to inform the process.

• • The key up-front perspectives that early implementers valued were 1) broad teacher perspective for all teachers who will be asked to use the materials and 2) parent and family perspectives.
  • Many early implementers valued a combination of a survey for breadth and focus groups for depth.
  • The resource Curriculum Criteria includes an initial list of questions to consider when determining criteria as well as sample criteria early implementers used that you can use as a starting point.