Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Districts and schools adopting a core K-12 math curriculum should shortlist IM: EdReports all-green ratings and free OER files lower the risk.
Comparison
Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math vs Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum
Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math and Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum both land on Depends.
Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum
Depends
Confidence: Low
Evidence is thin (one vendor page), so confidence is low: this is a district-scale curriculum with cited outcome studies, fit for districts with adoption and PD budgets.
| Compare | Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math | Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Districts adopting core K-12 math | District-wide math adoption |
| Who it's not for | Homeschool parents wanting open-and-go lessons | Homeschool families . classroom-scale, district-priced |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.11 | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.14 |
| Support quality | Certified facilitator network exists but costs extra | Districts cite strong instructional support |
| Public sentiment | District case studies report math proficiency gains after committed adoption, and homeschool communities flag IM as a rigorous public-school-style option.10 | No independent reviews found; evidence is limited to vendor case studies (Louisiana, Arizona, North Carolina) and one site testimonial.13 |
| Biggest gotcha | No published prices; Kendall Hunt print/digital access sold by quote, so budget surprises are likely⁷ | Pricing is quote-based; expect multi-year district contracts plus professional development costs on top13 |
Pick Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math when
- 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
When Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math is not a fit
- 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
Pick Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum when
- District-wide math adoption
- Schools targeting NAEP-style gains
- Leaders wanting studied curricula
- Districts with PD budgets
When Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculum is not a fit
- Homeschool families . classroom-scale, district-priced
- Tutors wanting cheap self-serve lesson materials
- Small schools without multi-year adoption budget
- Buyers needing transparent pricing or security docs upfront
Sources
- Illustrative Mathematics homepageillustrativemathematics.orgofficial
- IM K-12 Math Curriculum overviewillustrativemathematics.orgofficial
- IM 9-12 Math curriculum pageillustrativemathematics.orgofficial
news
- K-5 Math EdReports approval press releaseprnewswire.comnews
review
- Kendall Hunt IM distribution and walkthroughk12.kendallhunt.comofficial
- IM Professional Learningillustrativemathematics.orgofficial
review
- IM impact case studies hubillustrativemathematics.orgofficial
- IM privacy policyillustrativemathematics.orgsecurity
- IM terms of useillustrativemathematics.orgsecurity
- Great Minds | PK-12 Math and Literacy Curriculumgreatminds.orgofficial
- Security pagegreatminds.orgsecurity