Faculty awarded national grant to strengthen mathematics teaching

 

UW-River Falls faculty awarded national grant to strengthen mathematics teaching

Sept. 11, 2026 — A new University of Wisconsin-River Falls professional development program is helping middle school mathematics teachers build deeper content knowledge, strengthen classroom instruction and expand opportunities for students to engage in real-world problem solving. 

UWRF mathematics faculty, Professor Erick Hofacker and Assistant Professor Brooke Krejci, have received a grant for $11,993 from the Mathematical Association of America and the John and Mary Neff Foundation for the project, titled Mathematics at the Core: Modeling and Coherence (MC)2. It is one of only eight projects nationwide selected for funding through the highly competitive grant program.

The project is designed to strengthen teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching by centering professional learning on mathematical modeling and content knowledge coherence across grade levels. The initiative serves middle school math teachers in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota, helping participants deepen their understanding of how core middle school content connects within and across grades, extends into high school mathematics and applies to real-world and career contexts. 

Mathematical modeling is a major component of the 2021 Wisconsin Standards for Mathematics and spans kindergarten through 12th grade. The process challenges students to investigate complex real-world problems, create and test mathematical representations, revise their approaches and communicate solutions to a client or audience. Rather than focusing on a single correct answer, mathematical modeling encourages problem solving, critical thinking and decision-making.

Twelve teachers are participating in the first year of the project, representing New Richmond Middle School, Somerset Middle School, Augusta Middle School, Elmwood Middle School, Menomonie Middle School, Hastings Middle School and St. Anne’s Middle School in Somerset. 

Participants will receive 32 hours of professional development during year one. The project began with the first of three all-day Core Content Workshops held on the UWRF campus Aug. 12. During the workshop, teachers engaged in mathematical modeling activities, explored content standards involving ratios, proportions and functions and examined strategies for implementing mathematical practices in their classrooms. 

This is Hofacker’s 14th funded grant project supporting K-16 mathematics teachers in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. His cumulative grant funding for similar mathematics education initiatives totals approximately $2.5 million.

“I’m grateful to have another project funded and to continue all the great work we’ve done over the last 20 years with math teachers from around the region,” Hofacker said. “We have so many wonderful and dedicated K-12 math teachers in this area and this will provide an opportunity that will allow them to bring more math modeling experiences to their middle school students.” 

In addition to the on-campus workshops, participants will take part in four virtual Modeling in Practice sessions throughout the school year. These sessions will focus on mathematical modeling and preparation for the annual COMAP Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MidMCM), a national competition held in November where teams of students work for two weeks to solve a real-world problem with no single correct answer. Teams submit a paper of up to 25 pages and receive feedback from judges across the country. 

One goal of the project is to increase the number of teachers who provide mathematical modeling opportunities and modeling competitions for their students.

“This grant is a wonderful opportunity to connect with local teachers, build a professional community and support meaningful professional development that encourages teachers and students to make connections beyond the classroom, to other grade levels, their broader community and real-world experiences,” Krejci said.

Through participation in the program, teachers engage in active, collaborative learning experiences that emphasize sense-making, justification and application of mathematics. 

UWRF will host its second annual Math Modeling Showcase in April 2027. Middle school and high school students will present work from the fall modeling competition and receive feedback from a panel of regional judges. 

The current grant award supports the first year of the initiative. Hofacker and Krejci plan to apply for additional funding in March 2027 to support years two and three and expand the number of participating teachers. 

For more information, email Hofacker at  erick.b.hofacker@uwrf.edu.

Photo: Mathematics teachers from seven middle schools in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota attended the first of three professional development workshops at UW-River Falls August 12. The project, titled Mathematics at the Core: Modeling and Coherence, is one of just eight in the country funded by a grant from the Mathematical Association of America and the John and Mary Neff Foundation. Contributed photo.