The Principal's Math Playbook: 3 Actions You Can’t Afford to Skip
- Dr. Anecca Robinson
- Dec 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 5
When I walked into that school with the low math scores, what I really felt wasn’t just urgency—it was burnout.
The data looked bad. Teachers were drained. Kids had already checked out.
And it wasn’t because people didn’t care. There were great teachers giving everything they had and still feeling like they were losing.
In so many schools, the story sounds the same: students are coming in with big gaps, you’re under pressure to move math scores quickly, and the pacing guide keeps marching forward like nothing is wrong.
You’re caught in the middle of that tension every day: you need to see progress now, but your teachers are already at their limit. The system is asking for acceleration on top of exhaustion.
That’s the perfect recipe for burnout. So what do we usually do? We add more: more strategies, more meetings, more data, more “push.”
But the real question is this: how do you move math proficiency in the next few weeks without pushing your staff over the edge?
The answer is not to do more. It’s to do less, with intention.
The Power of 90-Day Implementation Cycles
That’s why I believe so deeply in 90-day implementation cycles. Not a new initiative. Not a binder. A focused 90-day window where you:
Get clear on what actually matters for math instruction right now.
Strip away the noise and competing priorities.
Give teachers targeted, hands-on support around a few key moves.
Protect their energy while still demanding progress.
Ninety days forces you to move quickly, but not recklessly. You’re not reacting. You’re leading on purpose.
Your teachers don’t need another “push.” They need a plan that respects their reality, guards against burnout, and still moves kids forward in math.
That’s the work I care about, and that’s where this conversation is headed.
Why Math Proficiency Won’t Budge Until Leaders Change These 3 Things
When you tighten systems and habits, you improve instruction and create real growth in math proficiency. I want to share three moves you can make right now as a leader to drive that kind of growth in math and almost any other subject.
Step 1: Narrow Your Focus to A High-Leverage Practice
You can’t fix everything at once. The first step is to identify the two or three instructional strategies that will have the biggest impact on your students right now. This means looking beyond broad goals like “improve math proficiency” and getting specific.
Ask yourself:
Which math skills are students consistently missing on assessments?
What instructional routines are teachers already comfortable with but could deepen?
Where can coaching make the biggest difference in the next 30 days?
For example, focusing on number sense and problem-solving strategies often unlocks progress across multiple math domains. When you narrow your focus, you give teachers a clear target and reduce overwhelm.
Step 2: Build a 90-Day Plan with Clear Milestones
Once you’ve identified your focus areas, build a 90-day plan that breaks down the work into manageable chunks. This plan should include:
Weekly goals for teacher learning and student outcomes.
Regular check-ins to monitor progress and adjust supports.
Opportunities for collaboration where teachers share wins and troubleshoot challenges.
The 90-day timeframe creates urgency and accountability without pressure. I once worked with a school that set a goal for the percentage of students in grades 4–5 who demonstrate proficiency in double-digit multiplication on the common end-of-year assessment to increase from 35% to 65%. We took that same goal and turned their school improvement goal into a 90-day implementation goal, designing a coaching plan to support teachers. By the end of the cycle, students were more confident, and teachers had the knowledge and skills to help students use different strategies to solve double-digit multiplication problems.
Step 3: Use Data to Drive Instruction and Coaching
Data isn’t just for compliance. It’s your best tool to understand what’s working and where to adjust. But the key is to use actionable data that informs daily instruction, not just end-of-year tests.
Here’s what to do:
Collect quick, formative assessments weekly or bi-weekly.
Look at exit tickets and open-ended responses to identify misconceptions.
Analyze data with teachers to identify patterns and next steps.
Tailor coaching to address specific gaps or misconceptions revealed by data.
For example, if data shows students struggling with fractions, coaching can focus on hands-on strategies or visual models that help students grasp concepts. When teachers see data as a guide, not a judgment, they engage more deeply in improving math proficiency.
The Path Forward: Focused Leadership and Clear Plans
Improving math proficiency isn’t about quick fixes or adding more initiatives. It’s about focused leadership, clear plans, and smart use of data. You don’t have to do this alone. At Leaders for Learning, we partner with school leaders like you to build practical, 90-day plans that get results.
Start by narrowing your focus to high-leverage math practices. Build a clear 90-day plan with milestones. Use data to guide instruction and coaching every step of the way. These steps will help you move the needle on math proficiency in your school without overwhelming your team.
You’ve got this. Let’s build a plan that works. Book a Your 90-Day Jumpstart to get started now.
Dr. Anecca Robinson is the founder of Leaders for Learning, and a former district leader who is dedicated to helping K–12 educators implement academic programs with clarity and consistency. She helps leaders to align their resources, strengthen professional learning, and support every student’s success. Visit *www.leaders4learning.com to learn more about her work or contact her at arobinson@leaders4learning.com
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