The National Math Literacy Campaign (NMLC), now in its pilot year, is a bold 10-year initiative aimed at addressing the urgent math literacy crisis in the United States. Under the banner Math Makes Movement, the campaign frames math literacy as a pathway to opportunity, citizenship, and community power in the 21st century.
Spearheaded by The Algebra Project and generously supported by CISCO, Math Makes Movement connects five anchor cities—Miami (FL), Atlanta (GA), Jackson (MS), Austin (TX), and Newark (NJ)—in a coordinated national effort to shift how math is taught, experienced, and valued. The campaign challenges the idea of math as a barrier and instead presents it as a foundational right—something every student deserves access to and success in.
At the heart of the campaign is a belief in local leadership. Student and teacher teams in each anchor city are designing and piloting programs in schools, community centers, and churches to demonstrate what’s possible when math learning is made visible, joyful, and rooted in community life. These grassroots activities are more than events—they are statements of belief in what young people can do when they’re supported and heard.
As the South Florida anchor, the Bob Moses Research Center at Florida International University has already launched a series of dynamic events to engage the public in reimagining math education. These include student-led Math Playgrounds, a screening of the film Counted Out, and community convenings. Each effort reflects the campaign’s core values: student voice, joyful learning, and community collaboration.
"This campaign is about building power at the local level while linking arms with a national movement," said Dr. Brian Williams, Executive Director of the Bob Moses Research Center. "We’re proud to serve as the South Florida anchor and to help create a shared vision for math literacy that reflects our communities and invests in our young people."
Ben Moynihan, Executive Director of The Algebra Project, emphasized the scope of the challenge and the importance of community-driven action: "Only 24 out of 100 12th graders in the U.S. are proficient in mathematics. Without math proficiency, too many young people are shut out of career and college opportunities. This problem is both intolerable and fixable. Math Makes Movement is about raising awareness, building advocacy, and promoting programs that prove what’s possible. We believe that those who experience the problem must be central in designing the solution. That’s why students and teachers in cities like Atlanta, Austin, Englewood, Jackson, and Miami are already piloting activities that show math literacy can be reimagined—and it starts in our communities."
To further expand access, the campaign is also developing a Digital Learning Lab—an online platform that will provide free, accessible resources to support math learning at home, in schools, and within community spaces. The lab is currently in its beta phase at mathmakesmovement.com.
Throughout 2025 and beyond, the Moses Center will continue to support student leadership, amplify local efforts, and build coalitions that push for systemic change in how math is understood and taught. This work stands on the shoulders of Bob Moses, whose pioneering efforts established math literacy as a key lever for civil rights and full participation in democracy.
The call to action is simple but urgent: Raise the Floor. Elevate the Voice. Reimagine Math for All.
The Moses Center invites the South Florida community—and communities across the country—to join the movement and help make math literacy a right for every child.
If you would like to learn more about the National Math Literacy Campaign, click here.