The Coherence Conundrum: Getting the Most Impact Out of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)

Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Sawyer Altman, CEO at Goblins; Ahsan Rizvi, CEO at Kiddom; Chonghao Fu, CEO at Leading Educators; Angie Gaylord, Chief Academic Officer at Dallas ISD; and Lewis Leiboh, Deputy Director of K–12 Research & Development at the Gates Foundation.The speakers explored how recent NAEP results delivered a sobering message: math performance had not rebounded, and in many states, it continued to slide. They examined how the takeaway was clear—adopting High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) was necessary, but far from sufficient.This conversation focused on the reality that sustained gains only emerged when systems were coherent: when curriculum, instructional practice, professional learning, technology, and a deep understanding of student thinking moved in sync. Panelists discussed how fragmentation blunted impact, while coherence unlocked it.District leaders, practice-based instructional experts, and builders of next-generation math and technology platforms examined what it truly took to translate HQIM into measurable outcomes. From classroom-level insight to system-wide infrastructure, speakers explored how districts could align the right materials with the right supports to accelerate learning—especially for the students who needed it most.At its core, this session moved beyond adoption to execution, offering a clear-eyed look at how coherence could become the catalyst for stronger math outcomes and a more equitable future.