Educators and schools aiming to provide targeted mathematics support for learners should participate in Project SCALE, a U.S. Department of Education funded project hosted by Southern Methodist University. Through a partnership with Project SCALE, participants will contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at improving student outcomes in mathematics and have access to a What Works Clearinghouse approved and Evidence for ESSA strong rated fraction intervention. The project supports an area critical to the future success of learners to address persistent gaps in fraction understanding that hinders student success in advanced math.
Project SCALE, led by Dr. Leanne Ketterlin Geller, is funded by the U.S. Department of Education as a replication study based on an in-school mathematics intervention, Fraction Face-Off (FFO, Fuchs et al., 2013) which was determined to have moderate evidence of effectiveness with 4th graders by the What Works Clearinghouse.
In addition to replicating the study with 4th graders, this project investigates the differences between in person and virtual training for interventionists, and the efficacy of FFO with 5th–8th grade students experiencing mathematics difficulties. The research will be hosted in the urban, suburban, and rural geographies nationwide, including the areas surrounding the three partner universities: Southern Methodist University; University of Texas, Austin; and University of Missouri.
Participation is free, there is no cost to the school or district. Teachers will earn a stipend for their participation.
This project is currently seeking partner schools for the 2025-2026 school year to implement this research-based intervention. This unique opportunity offers participating schools access to:
- A 36-lesson intervention program targeting foundational fraction concepts and fraction arithmetic (addition and subtraction)
- Comprehensive professional development to support successful implementation
- Ongoing support and resources from the SMU Simmons team of experts
The FFO intervention is specifically designed for students experiencing mathematics difficulties and is best suited for:
- Grade 5 Tier 2 students
- Grades 6-8 Tier 3 students
A limited number of schools will be accepted to participate for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please schedule a time to connect at scalefractions@smu.edu. Get details on the SCALE webpage and view a very informative video about the research project and how to participate.
Dr. Ketterlin Geller at SMU is joined in this research by partners Dr. Sarah Powell at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Erica Lembke at the University of Missouri, and Dr. Sam Rikoon with American Institutes for Research.
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