With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1991-1996, and in 2000-2006, the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) developed a complete mathematics curriculum for middle school teachers and students. CMP helps students and teachers develop understanding of important mathematical concepts, skills, procedures, and ways of thinking and reasoning, in number, geometry, measurement, algebra, probability and statistics. CMP is based on research, and was field-tested in diverse sites across the country with approximately 45,000 students and 390 teachers. Each unit, in both 1991-1996 and 2000-2006 development periods, went through at least 3 cycles of field testing. A growing body of research and evaluation reports indicates that CMP outperforms non-CMP curricula on tests of problem-solving ability, equals or outperforms non-CMP curricula on skills tests, and promotes long term retention (see http://connectedmath.msu.edu/ for more information regarding these reports).

Overarching Goal of CMP

All students should be able to reason and communicate proficiently in mathematics. They should have knowledge of and skill in the use of the vocabulary, forms of representation, materials, tools, techniques, and intellectual methods of the discipline of mathematics, including the ability to define and solve problems with reason, insight, inventiveness and proficiency.