ACPS Wins $208,000 State Grant to Strengthen Math Instruction Across All Schools
Funding will support classroom coaching, model lessons, and hands-on professional learning for K–Algebra II teachers
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has been awarded a $208,003 Mathematics Innovation Grant from the Virginia Department of Education — funding that district leaders say will directly improve everyday math instruction in classrooms across the city.
The grant focuses on strengthening Tier 1 instruction — the core, high-quality teaching every student receives — by investing in sustained, classroom-based professional learning for Kindergarten through Algebra II teachers.
Rather than relying solely on occasional division-wide training days, the funding allows ACPS educators to engage in intensive, ongoing Curriculum-Based Professional Learning (CBPL) tied directly to the high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) teachers use daily.
What does that look like in practice?
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In-school coaching and job-embedded support
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Model classrooms at each ACPS school
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Live classroom demonstrations with students
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Collaborative planning time
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Content-focused professional development that connects math knowledge with effective instructional strategies
Educators will also receive direct support from ACPS’s HQIM vendor, helping ensure greater consistency of instruction across the school division.
District leaders say the goal is clear: improve math achievement while closing persistent performance gaps among student groups.
The funding is designed to benefit all ACPS students by strengthening core instruction, increasing proficiency, and improving differentiation — including intervention, targeted support, and enrichment.
“This grant allows us to build teacher capacity in authentic classroom settings,” ACPS officials noted, emphasizing that without the funding, the division would not be able to reach as many educators or provide this level of sustained, high-impact support.
The Mathematics Innovation Grant covers the 2025–26 school year, with an option to extend into 2026–27.
The timing is especially significant amid tight education budgets statewide. The grant provides resources for continuous, job-embedded professional learning throughout the school year — not just during scheduled professional development days — helping educators strengthen their skills, confidence, and instructional consistency.
The proposal aligns directly with the ACPS Strategic Plan and Division Support Plan, reinforcing the district’s mission to engage and challenge every student to achieve academic excellence while building critical thinking, confidence, and collaboration — key elements of the ACPS Profile of a Learner.
It also supports the division’s priority strategy of using high-quality instructional materials and culturally responsive teaching practices that reflect students’ diverse backgrounds and support their social and emotional growth.
In short, district leaders say this investment is about ensuring every Alexandria student has access to rigorous, inclusive, high-quality math instruction—and the tools to succeed.
