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beating the odds

How consistent, rigorous math instruction led to breakthrough growth in NYC’s District 7.
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DETAILS

NYC District 7
Released Apr 15, 2026

SUMMARY

For District 7 (D7) in New York City's South Bronx, the transition to a unified math curriculum (IM) in 2022-23 led to what leadership describes as a “breakthrough year,” in which math proficiency nearly doubled. Their secret sauce, according to Superintendent Roberto Padilla, was relentless consistency—of materials, expectations, instructional routines, and professional learning practices. The breakthrough gains that followed prove that even in the highest-poverty contexts, establishing a unified, rigorous instructional approach can lead to extraordinary student growth.

"If people come and go, that's okay. We’re not going to freak out because we have protocols, processes, and professional learning standardized and locked in." 

— Roberto Padilla, Superintendent
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