Seeing Every Student as a Mathematician: How San Mateo–Foster City is Reimagining Math Learning with ST Math

In classrooms across San Mateo–Foster City School District, something powerful is happening in math instruction. Walk into a 3rd grade room at Lead Elementary, or a 5th grade class at Laurel, and you’ll hear the quiet hum of curiosity and problem-solving. Students lean into the screen, eyes fixed on a penguin named JiJi as they puzzle their way through visual math challenges. But they’re not just playing a game, they’re building deep understanding. And they’re doing it on their terms.

For this diverse Bay Area district, ST Math has become far more than a digital program. It’s a catalyst for equity, confidence, and connection.

A District-Wide Vision Rooted in Access and Belonging

“We believe every student can learn math to the highest levels,” says Amy Burke, Math Coordinator for the district. “But we also know that our school systems haven’t always made that possible.” In her five years at San Mateo–Foster City, Burke has helped lead a system-wide transformation—one grounded in the belief that math learning should be visual, conceptual, and accessible to every learner, regardless of language, background, or prior experience.

That belief is reflected in the district’s strategic plan and the structure of its support teams, including a robust network of math TOSAs (teachers on special assignment) who guide implementation and professional learning at each school site.

David Chambliss, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, puts it plainly: “We had to stop doing math the way it’s always been done. Students need more time with math, more access to thinking tools, not just steps and formulas.” Chambliss, who previously worked in Oakland, had seen ST Math spark student growth before. But in San Mateo–Foster City, he and Superintendent Diego Ochoa went all in, scaling the program across every elementary and middle school and encouraging students to continue playing at home.

That decision, supported by teacher training, coaching, and clear messaging, created a culture shift.

Letting Students Lead and Learn by Doing

For Olivia Kush, a 5th grade teacher at Laurel Elementary, ST Math changed not only how her students approach math, but how she does too.

“I used to be very language-focused in my teaching,” Kush says. “But now I use a lot more visuals and a lot less talk. ST Math shows me what my students know without needing a word.” In a classroom with multilingual learners and frequent newcomer students, Kush uses ST Math to welcome everyone into math learning from day one. “It’s often the first thing I give a student who doesn’t speak English yet. They can jump right in, and other students support them, not with words, but with pointing, gestures, and problem-solving.”

Kush’s classroom culture reflects what ST Math encourages: ownership, perseverance, and joy. “They cheer each other on. They don’t mind getting it wrong. They say, ‘I’ll get it the second or third time.’ That grit carries into everything we do.”Robin Lovell, a district math TOSA working at Lead Elementary, echoes the same impact across her school site. “We’re helping kids see themselves as mathematicians. I see it every day—students having aha moments, trying again after a mistake, and discovering their own brilliance. That’s not just math growth. That’s identity work.”

I see it every day—students having aha moments, trying again after a mistake, and discovering their own brilliance.

Robin Lovell, district math TOSA

Equity That’s Measurable and Meaningful

San Mateo–Foster City serves more than 10,000 students across 22 schools, with over 50% of students identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged and 30% as English language learners. These are the very students who often face systemic barriers to success in math.

But thanks to ST Math’s visual-first design and the district’s intentional implementation, those barriers are beginning to fall.

“Our interim assessment data show a major shift,” says Chambliss. “We’ve gone from 70–80% of students not meeting standards to 70–80% meeting them. That’s huge.” In one year alone, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds gained eight percentage points on the state math assessment. “Even our homeless student population showed gains,” Chambliss notes.

For Burke, these improvements reflect something deeper. “When students are given more chances to engage meaningfully with math, they shine,” she says. “ST Math gives them that space, not dependent on language, not confined by past labels. It removes barriers in a real way.”

Shifting Teacher Mindsets, Too

One of the biggest shifts ST Math brought wasn’t just in students, it was in the stance teachers take.

“At first, some teachers wanted to jump in and explain,” says Chambliss. “But ST Math works when we step back. When teachers trust the struggle, that’s when the learning sticks.”

Lovell trains educators across the district in how to ask questions that prompt student thinking without giving answers. “It’s not about telling students what to do. It’s asking: What do you notice? What do you wonder? What would happen if you tried that? That’s how kids build confidence. That’s where they see that math makes sense.”

That trust in students is paying off. Teachers report stronger engagement, deeper conceptual understanding, and more student-led discourse. And with Puzzle Talks, a facilitation strategy that extends visual puzzles into whole-class discussion, the program connects directly to the district’s math vision.

A Safe Place to Make Mistakes and Grow

Whether it’s JiJi’s gentle feedback or the self-paced structure, ST Math has become a safe place for students to try, fail, and try again.

“We don’t learn without mistakes,” Burke says. “And we don’t build resilience by avoiding struggle. ST Math gives students that productive struggle in a joyful, low-stakes way. That’s a lesson for life.”

ST Math gives students that productive struggle in a joyful, low-stakes way. That’s a lesson for life.

Amy Burke, Math Coordinator

She saw that power firsthand in a classroom at San Mateo Park Elementary, where one student helped another solve a puzzle, not by giving the answer, but by asking: What do you see?

“That moment was about more than math,” she says. “It was about agency. About believing in each other. That’s the future we want to build.”

The Bottom Line

Across San Mateo–Foster City, ST Math isn’t just boosting scores. It’s changing mindsets—about math, about who can succeed, and about what learning should look like.

“In the past, kids heard adults say, ‘I’m not a math person,’” says Chambliss. “Now, we hear students say, ‘I am.’”

And thanks to a district that leads with vision, joy, and equity, they’re not just saying it. They’re showing it. In their confidence, in their thinking, and in results that prove what’s possible when every student gets to truly see, and make sense of math.