YPP becomes an IM Certified® partner, integrating its near-peer math literacy model with IM’s high-quality curriculum to benefit students, educators, and communities across the country.

Cambridge, MA — Thursday December 4, 2025 — The Young People’s Project (YPP) today announced a new partnership with Illustrative Mathematics (IM) that will bring YPP’s unique, student-led approach to math learning into classrooms and communities nationwide. YPP has been selected as an IM Certified pPartner, a designation granted to organizations that meet IM’s rigorous standards for quality and mission alignment. This certification means YPP can combine its proven near-peer mentorship model with IM’s renowned K–12 math curriculum, amplifying the impact on students and educators and marking a significant milestone in YPP’s mission to engage young people furthest from opportunity in efforts to increase math literacy for all.

In this collaboration, YPP’s high school and college Math Literacy Workers (MLWs) – students trained and employed as peer mentors – will work hand-in-hand with schools using IM’s problem-based curriculum. IM’s curriculum, used by over three million students nationwide, provides a strong foundation in mathematical thinking. By joining IM’s network, YPP gains a platform to expand its reach and scale up its efforts to cultivate the next generation of math leaders. YPP’s goal over the next 10 years is to train, employ, and support 1,000 high school students as MLWs, and this partnership accelerates that vision by opening doors to more than 2,500 school districts eager to engage student leaders in math classrooms and out of school programs. 

As one of only a few organizations to earn IM Certified partner status (and the first with a youth-driven model), YPP is now strategically positioned to embed its program in IM classrooms and communities from coast to coast. The YPP–IM partnership is centered on kids teaching kids, creating a powerful cycle of learning and leadership. Together, the organizations will deliver tangible benefits for key stakeholders:

• Elementary & Middle School Students: younger learners engage in peer-led math experiences that boost confidence and enjoyment. In doing so they gain an appreciation for their ability to develop math games to help each other learn.
  
  
• Math Literacy Workers (8th graders, High School/College Mentors): YPP mentors gain paid experience (or course credit) teaching math with access to IM’s high-quality materials, deepening their understanding and building leadership skills for college and career success.
  
  
• Educators & Schools: Schools implementing this program after-school or as an in-school elective class benefit from a collaborative culture and stronger relationships between older and younger students.
  
  

“This partnership represents a pivotal step for YPP in fulfilling our mission,” said Maisha Moses, Executive Director of The Young People’s Project. “For nearly three decades, we’ve believed that young people – given the opportunity and support – can transform how math is taught and learned in their communities. By becoming an IM Certified partner, we’re able to amplify that vision on a national scale. Imagine a classroom where a student struggling with math suddenly gets guidance from an older peer who grew up in the same neighborhood – the impact is profound.”

“Partnering with YPP allows us to bring an innovative, student-led approach to IM classrooms, strengthening our ability to reach all learners,” said Dr. Kristin Umland, CEO and co-founder of Illustrative Mathematics. “By empowering Math Literacy Workers, we’re helping students not only succeed in math but also develop leadership skills and confidence that extend far beyond the classroom. YPP’s model aligns perfectly with IM’s goal to create a world where all learners see themselves as capable mathematicians.”

Through the YPP–IM partnership, high-quality curriculum and youth leadership will go hand-in-hand to enrich math education. By training local youth to lead math activities, the program not only boosts math skills for all participants, but also addresses opportunity gaps by developing young leaders in under-resourced communities. This innovative collaboration turns classrooms into incubators for confidence, leadership, and scholastic achievement.

Initial pilots will focus in Greater Boston with the goal of expanding to additional schools in the coming years as the program scales.

About The Young People’s Project (YPP)

Founded in 1996 in Jackson, Mississippi, The Young People’s Project uses “Math Literacy Work” as a vehicle to develop young leaders and learners. YPP trains and employs high school and college students as Math Literacy Workers, who then teach and mentor younger students in mathematics. Through this near-peer mentorship model, MLWs help make math engaging, joyful, and meaningful for elementary and middle school children while developing their own skills as educators, leaders, and engaged citizens. Over the past two decades, YPP has grown from its roots in the Algebra Project (started by civil rights icon Bob Moses) into a national movement that places students at the center of education reform. YPP works for the day when every young person – regardless of ethnicity, gender, or class – has access to a high-quality math education and the support they need to succeed. YPP envisions all young people as capable math learners who shape their communities and inspire each other to reach their full potential.  Learn more at typp.org.

About Illustrative Mathematics (IM)

Illustrative Mathematics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where all learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics. IM develops high-quality, research-based curricula for grades TK–12, and over three million students nationwide use IM’s problem-based math programs. IM Certified curricula invites students to discuss, experiment, and truly understand math concepts, fostering a classroom environment where every student can shine. In addition to curricula, IM provides professional learning for educators and a community to help ensure all students’ mathematical growth. IM’s work is driven by a commitment to rigor and accessibility in math education. Learn more at IllustrativeMathematics.org.

For More Information (Contact & Call to Action)

Cliff Freeman, Director of STEM Programs, The Young Peoples Project, [email protected]