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Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math Review

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Should I use Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math?

Illustrative Mathematics provides resources and support for giving their students an enduring understanding of mathematics. - illustrativemathematics.org

· 1 month ago

Districts and schools adopting a core K–12 math curriculum should shortlist IM: EdReports all-green ratings and free OER files lower the risk. Tutors and homeschool families wanting open-and-go materials will find it heavy, prep-intensive, and training-dependent.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~20 public sources including district case studies and EdReports news. No third-party user ratings or published prices found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security postureNo security page; no incidents reported

Pricing

Free

OER digital curriculum

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
IM Certified print/digital (Kendall Hunt)Quote-based
Professional learningQuote-based

Best for

  • Districts adopting core K–12 math
  • Schools wanting EdReports all-green curriculum
  • Budget-conscious districts using free OER files
  • Teachers committed to problem-based instruction

Not for

  • Homeschool parents wanting open-and-go lessons
  • Tutors needing quick worksheets and drills
  • Schools unwilling to fund professional learning
  • Teachers seeking low-prep scripted lessons

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

No published prices; Kendall Hunt print/digital access sold by quote, so budget surprises are likely

medium

Professional learning is priced separately; skipping it stalls problem-based implementation

low

Guess: free files mean self-printing; bound student workbooks cost money through Kendall Hunt

Pros and cons

Pros

  • All-green EdReports rating for IM 9–12 Integrated Math v.360
  • Free open educational resource files remove upfront cost barriers
  • Complete K–12 coverage across K–5, 6–8, and 9–12 courses
  • Published district case studies, including Des Moines and Green Dot
  • Khan Academy offers free supplemental courses aligned to IM v.360

Cons

  • Gains require full implementation commitment, not casual adoption
  • Printed and digital program sold via Kendall Hunt at quote-based pricing
  • Professional learning is a separate, paid engagement
  • No public security page published

Sources & method

- 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. No security page published.

official x6review x2security x2news x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free OER core; pay only for print and training
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Problem-based lessons demand prep and training
  • Feature depth: 5/5. Full K–12 with narratives at activity level
  • Support quality: 3/5. Certified facilitator network exists but costs extra
  • Security posture. No security page; no incidents reported
  • K–12 Grade coverage PreK–5 expansion in progress
  • All green EdReports rating IM 9–12 Integrated v.360; K–5 also approved
  • Yes Free curriculum access OER files downloadable at no cost
  • None Published pricing Print/digital sold via Kendall Hunt by quote

Pricing

OER digital curriculum

Free

  • Full curriculum files available online
  • Teacher and student materials downloadable

IM Certified print/digital (Kendall Hunt)

Quote-based

  • Printed student workbooks and teacher guides
  • Per-student pricing set by publisher

Professional learning

Quote-based

  • Facilitator-led training, virtual or onsite
  • Separate cost from curriculum

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

No security page published.

What users say

District case studies report math proficiency gains after committed adoption, and homeschool communities flag IM as a rigorous public-school-style option.

Alternatives

Compare Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math with each alternative.

Companies that use it

  • Des Moines Public Schools
  • Green Dot Public Schools
  • Downtown College Prep
  • Greeley-Evans School District
  • Homer Plessy Community Schools
Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources including district case studies and EdReports news. No third-party user ratings or published prices found.

Rigorous, free-file K–12 math curriculum for districts that will train teachers; overkill for tutors and open-and-go homeschoolers.

Methodology

Based on ~20 public sources including district case studies and EdReports news. No third-party user ratings or published prices found.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Illustrative Mathematics homepageillustrativemathematics.org
    official
  2. IM K–12 Math Curriculum overviewillustrativemathematics.org
    official
  3. IM 9–12 Math curriculum pageillustrativemathematics.org
    official
  4. EdReports all-green announcement, IM 9–12 Integrated v.360facebook.com
    news
  5. K–5 Math EdReports approval press releaseprnewswire.com
    news
  6. District leader's guide to Illustrative Mathematicscemd.org
    review
  7. Kendall Hunt IM distribution and walkthroughk12.kendallhunt.com
    official
  8. IM Professional Learningillustrativemathematics.org
    official
  9. Reddit homeschool curriculum recommendations threadreddit.com
    review
  10. IM impact case studies hubillustrativemathematics.org
    official
  11. IM privacy policyillustrativemathematics.org
    security
  12. IM terms of useillustrativemathematics.org
    security

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