In the spring of 1998, the California Department of Education (CDE) awarded a contract to WestEd, in collaboration with the RAND Corporation and Management Analysis and Planning, Inc. (MAP), to study mathematics instruction in California.

The study was designed to examine the instructional practices used in teaching mathematics in grades 4 and 8, the relationship between instructional practices and student achievement, and the influence of state and local policies on instruction.

In addition to instructional practices, primary focuses of the study included curriculum materials, standards, assessment, professional development, and structural and student influences on instruction.