XtraMath gets a boost from NewSchools
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XtraMath has been selected for NewSchools’ 2026 Learning Solutions cohort. The grant will support rapid research and development of Fluency Intelligence, helping us test and improve new tools alongside educators and gather evidence of their impact.
Our goal is practical: give teachers a clearer picture of where students are struggling their math learning and evidence-based strategies that might help. Fluency Intelligence always defers to the teacher’s judgement and doesn’t require any additional screen time beyond 10 minutes of daily adaptive practice.
XtraMath’s earned revenue supports the ongoing costs of our free daily practice, ensuring access to all regardless of zipcode. NewSchools’ funding will accelerate the development and evaluation of Fluency Intelligence, part of our paid XtraMath Pro offering for educators.
From Daily Practice to Useful Next Steps
A student understands the steps in a multi-digit multiplication problem. Yet they can use up all their working memory on 7 x 8, they can lose their place kicking off a cycle of math anxiety.
Moments like this help explain why math fact fluency matters. When basic facts come more easily, students can devote more attention to reasoning, solving problems, and learning new concepts. Fluency practice supports that work alongside classroom teaching and conceptual understanding.
XtraMath provides short, adaptive practice to help students build those foundational skills. That practice data often reveals insights for teachers: Who is making progress? Who may need a closer look? What might be worth trying next?
Fluency Intelligence is being developed to help give teachers answers to those questions without needing to spend more time sorting through reports and dashboards.
Developing With Teachers and Testing What Works
Fluency Intelligence uses recent classroom practice data to create a concise Weekly Classroom Brief. The brief is designed to highlight patterns in participation and progress, identify students who may need attention, and suggest strategies and activities for teachers to consider.
It provides a starting point for professional judgment. Practice data can show patterns, but understanding why a student is struggling requires the teacher’s knowledge of that student and what is happening in the classroom.
NewSchools’ support will help us move more quickly through cycles of development, educator feedback, testing, and improvement. Evaluation will be part of that work from the beginning: examining whether the briefs are accurate and useful, whether they help teachers take informed action, and whether their use contributes to stronger student outcomes.
Those are questions to investigate, rather than outcomes to assume. We want to build evidence that helps us understand what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
“Teachers don’t need more data, they need clear next steps based on insights from their students daily practice. NewSchools’ support gives us the opportunity to develop Fluency Intelligence alongside educators and refine how it helps them deliver more effective support for students. “— Roy King, Executive Director, XtraMath
Why NewSchools
NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that connects people, resources, and ideas to build a better education system. Its Learning Solutions investment area supports tools, content, and models intended to accelerate reading and math growth.
We’re grateful to join this community and for the opportunity to strengthen both our tools and the evidence behind them.
Bring XtraMath to More Classrooms
XtraMath’s earned revenue supports the ongoing costs of our free daily practice. NewSchools’ funding will accelerate the development and evaluation of Fluency Intelligence, part of our paid XtraMath Pro offering for educators. This support allows us to test and improve a new approach while keeping the core service free for all.
Already using XtraMath? Thank you. Educators’ experiences and feedback help shape what we build next.
New to XtraMath? Explore our free math fact practice at xtramath.org.
What to accelerate Fluency Intelligence? Additional philanthropic support will allow us to expand pilots into more districts and improve coherence with existing HQIM.