Math Education Nonprofit Raises $10M in Campaign Commitments

HOUSTON - Feb. 10, 2016 - PRLog -- Math education nonprofit Reasoning Mind has now surpassed $10M in funding for its campaign to develop new digital math courses. The Texas Mission to M.A.R.S. campaign (the “M.A.R.S.” stands for “Making Algebra-Ready Students”) launched in late 2014 and is designed to provide the funding necessary for Reasoning Mind to expand its current suite of adaptive math courses from grades 2-6 to Pre-K through 8th grade by 2018.

“When it comes to mathematics, we know that Algebra I is the gatekeeper to college, and the key is to build strong foundations as early as possible,” said Forrest Hoglund, Vice Chairman of the Board for Reasoning Mind and current chairman of the fundraising campaign. “Reasoning Mind’s innovative approach is already helping schools make tremendous gains, and we are excited to be able to expand offerings so that more students can experience the power of the program.”

Major contributors to the campaign include The Cockrell Foundation, EOG Resources, Inc., The Ewing Halsell Foundation, Harold Simmons Foundation, The Hoglund Foundation, Lyda Hill, David Weekley Family Fund and many more. The project will run through 2017, with an overall fundraising goal of $15M. Funds will allow Reasoning Mind to create high-quality math courses for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and first grade, as well as middle school courses through grade eight.

Only 7% of American eighth graders reached the “advanced” level in math on the most recent international TIMSS assessment, compared to 48% of students in Singapore. In Texas last year, nearly a quarter of students failed their Algebra I end-of-course exam, despite only needing a 37% accuracy to pass. Research has shown that students who fail Algebra I are four times more likely to drop out of high school, while those who complete at least Algebra II are twice as likely to complete a four-year degree.

“If the U.S. is going to remain competitive in the 21st century economy, our students need to excel in math and science, and contributors to this campaign understand that urgency,” said Bruce Bilger, Chairman of the Board for Reasoning Mind. “This is a phenomenal program that has been proven to excite students about math, increase achievement, and provide teachers with the tools they need to be successful.”

Reasoning Mind is now used by around 100,000 students across twelve states, with the largest number in Texas, where the organization was founded. Dallas ISD implements the program for all second, third, and most fourth-grade students as a supplement to their traditional math classroom practices. Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed that Dallas ISD was one of only three metropolitan districts in the U.S. to show large gains from 2013 to 2015 in fourth-grade math.

Reasoning Mind has received endorsements from the Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas, Change the Equation, The Philanthropy Roundtable, and The National Council on Teacher Quality, among others. In 2015, Reasoning Mind was selected as the winner of Deloitte’s RightStep Innovation Prize, a national competition designed to recognize the next “cutting edge solution in education.” The program’s results to date have been confirmed by 10 high-quality research studies, including six independent evaluations, and the body of research on the program recently received positive reviews from SRI International.

For more information about Reasoning Mind, visit: http://www.reasoningmind.org

About Reasoning Mind

Reasoning Mind is a 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to providing a first-rate math education for every child. The organization designs and implements interactive, online mathematics programs for elementary and middle school students that ignite their interest in math, develop higher-order thinking skills, and prepare them for algebra—the “gatekeeper” course to college. In addition, Reasoning Mind offers ongoing professional development, training, and in-person support for teachers and administrators using the program. With Reasoning Mind, students are engaged, teachers are empowered, and technology is leveraged to provide a world-class mathematics education.