Scalability, Capacity, and Learning Engagement for Underserved Populations (SCALE UP) for Fraction Face-Off
Overview
Project SCALE UP will build on the work of Project SCALE by continuing to contribute to the rigorous evidence of the effectiveness of Fraction Face-Off! (FFO). FFO is a mathematics intervention with strong evidence of effectiveness designed as a Tier 2 intervention for students in Grade 4 to be implemented in small groups over 36, 30-minute sessions. FFO uses evidence-based intervention practices aligned with an IES Practice Guide (Fuchs et al., 2021) and focuses on improving foundational fraction knowledge to support students experiencing mathematics difficulty (MD). By conducting two randomized controlled trials with a focus on a national sample from rural schools, out-of-school programs, and diverse populations, this project aims to have a continued impact on student achievement while examining the effectiveness of school-based decision making for screening students for intervention and providing solutions for professional development, coaching, and high-quality intervention resources.
Engage in SCALE UP for the 2025-26 School Year
This project is currently seeking rural partner schools for the 2025-2026 school year to implement our research-based intervention in grade 4 and grade 5. This unique opportunity offers participating schools access to:
- A 36-lesson intervention program targeting foundational fraction concepts and fraction arithmetic (addition and subtraction)
- A rigorous 3-credit professional development course to support teachers (interventionists) understanding of evidence-based intervention practices and FFO
- Ongoing support and resources from our team of experts
By joining the SCALE UP Project, your school will be provided with support and resources to improve student outcomes in math while contributing to the evidence base for high-quality intervention.
We are accepting a limited number of schools for the 2025-2026 academic year. To ensure your school or district is considered, please email us at scalefractions@smu.edu so we can provide you with next steps to learn more.
Funder
U.S. Department of Education Office of Education Innovation and Research
Principal Investigator
Dr. Leanne Ketterlin Geller at Southern Methodist University
Partners
at the University of Missouri
at The University of Texas at Austin
at WestEd
Collaborators
at the University of Virginia
and at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa
at Georgia State University
at the University of California, Riverside
Purpose
In this project, we take a What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)-approved intervention and contribute rigorous evidence of effectiveness with new populations and settings for implementation within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). We address a pressing need to accelerate learning for students experiencing MD in fourth and fifth grade. We study strategies to efficiently and cost-effectively build capacity and provide support for educators as they use FFO to improve understanding of fractions and general mathematics to facilitate algebra readiness. Additionally, we aim to impact teacher knowledge of high-quality intervention practices by providing them with a 3-credit college course to build their professional understanding. We predict positive and significant results across grade levels and settings for both interventionists and students, compared to business-as-usual (BAU).
Methodology
Across the five years of this project, we examine the impact of intervening with students experiencing MD using Fraction Face-Off! (FFO, Fuchs et al., 2013). We conduct randomized controlled trials with diverse student populations in novel settings (i.e., rural settings and community-based settings) to continue studying the extent to which implementing FFO improves fraction knowledge and math outcomes of students in grades 4-5.
News and Related Articles
References
Fuchs, L.S., Newman-Gonchar, R., Schumacher, R., Dougherty, B., Bucka, N., Karp, K.S., Woodward, J., Clarke, B., Jordan, N. C., Gersten, R., Jayanthi, M., Keating, B., & Morgan, S. (2021). Assisting students struggling with mathematics: Intervention in the elementary grades. National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Fuchs, L. S., Schumacher R. F., Long, J., Namkung, J, Hamlett, C. L., Cirino, P. T., Jordan, N.C., Siegler, R., Gersten, R., & Changas, P. (2013). Improving at-risk learners' understanding of fractions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 683–700.
What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. (2020, March). Fraction Face-Off!
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