NGO Funding Request


The recipient entity's full legal name:  Study Edge LLC (d/b/a Math Nation)

The recipient entity's physical address:
           104 N Main Street
2nd Floor
Gainesville, FL
32601


The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           104 N Main Street
2nd Floor
Gainesville, FL
32601


Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Limited Liability Company

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  4766

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $3,500,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Ethan Fieldman, CEO and Founder
2510 NW 16th Ave
Gainesville, FL 32605


Provide a summary of the project or program:
           Due to the extraordinary circumstances presented by COVID-19, teacher shortages, and use of long-term substitute teachers, the challenges in education are evident. Math Nation will provide K-12 Louisiana Student Standards for Mathematics-aligned, vetted, and research-proven supplemental resources to be part of the solution for middle and high school math. Students, families, and educators across the state will have access to videos created with patented technology for all math concepts students need, with multiple "Study Experts" to choose from, based on their individual learning needs. Videos are accompanied with standards-aligned study guides and consumable workbooks. Personalized online remediation tools and print and digital practice assessments that emulate state assessments, will also be available. With Math Nation's patented technology, students will have the ability to send their questions to a secure, monitored statewide collaboration forum where they can receive help in real-time from their peers and certified Louisiana teachers at night and on the weekends. Math Nation integrates with all district systems, all hardware (including mobile without internet connection) devices, and all major internet browsers. Math Nation will also hire 3 full time Louisiana-based staff members to support the implementation of the program and provide in-person and face-to-face training and professional development to teachers, schools, and districts.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,400,000
          Professional Services. . . $550,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $200,000
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $1,350,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          Math Nation seeks to build excitement and engagement in mathematics courses which has been shown to increase student learning outcomes and performance on statewide assessments. Given that Math Nation believes that every educator, student, and family deserves access to high-quality, standards-aligned resources, Math Nation’s program will be open to all public, private, charter, provincial, homeschools, and community organization.

With instructional videos and practice problems for every math topic, students and teachers will be able to access the resources they need from previous courses with ease, saving time for teachers needing to search for effective, standards-aligned resources across various platforms.

Math Nation promotes equity and accessibility. Instructional videos can be downloaded on any mobile device for offline viewing for students who may not have reliable internet access at home. Math Nation also provides real-time discussion forums, or Student Tutoring Walls, for students to get help on all questions from Louisiana teachers and other Louisiana students at night and on the weekends. Math Nation also supports family members assisting students at home with our Family Support videos.

Math Nation commits to providing teachers with the resources they need to prepare their students for success in math as they move to more advanced courses. Additional professional development for districts, schools, and individuals, supports teachers and school leaders with the resources needed to successfully implement Math Nation materials and see the most benefit for Louisiana students and schools.

Included with Math Nation’s digital and consumable resources is ongoing implementation training and support for educators. Math Nation-Louisiana will include three Louisiana-based team members to ensure Louisiana math teachers and community leaders are always supported in the incorporation and implementation of the resources.

Math Nation will ensure that each school district is able to effectively and seamlessly implement Math Nation resources through implementation sessions. With both in-person and virtual implementation and on-going support, Math Nation’s team of Louisiana staff will be ready to support districts and teachers with customized sessions to fit each district’s needs. Teachers will also connect with the Louisiana team at various conferences around the state each year.


What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          In the NWEA Study, “The COVID-19 slide: What summer learning loss can tell us”, researchers recommended to:
1. Provide support, especially in mathematics, to students while school is disrupted.
2. Use data to guide curriculum and instruction to support students.
3. Collaboration of researchers, policymakers, and schools to understand policies and practices for recovery.

Only 27% of students in Louisiana were meeting math standards according to the 2021 LEAP assessment. With 21% of math classes being taught by uncertified or out-of-field teachers and enrollment in teacher prep programs down by 30% in Louisiana, the need is great.

Our goal is to raise statewide test scores by supporting teachers and students both inside and outside of the classroom.

Math Nation is a research-backed supplemental tool that can provide the needed resources to support continued math learning in any environment. The University of Florida found that over 400 Title 1 schools frequently utilizing Math Nation had proficiency rates 17% higher on End-of-Course Exams than similar low-usage schools. Mississippi State University found that high-usage schools had an 8.6% higher pass rate than the state average on the MAAP test. See mathnation.com/data for more data.

In addition to the ample research already published, Math Nation will partner with a university in Louisiana to conduct an efficacy study on the program each year.


What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           Math Nation understands that an effective resource is one that can be backed by efficacy data and research. For that reason, we will partner with a Louisiana institution of higher learning to analyze the efficacy of the program at the end of each school year -- the first analysis of which to be conducted using the 2023 LEAP assessment results. The outcome of this annual review will be used to improve Math Nation resources for all Louisiana schools, teachers, and students.

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 N/A
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 N/A

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 N/A

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                  N/A

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               N/A

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
               N/A

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
                N/A

          What is the nature of the relationship?  N/A

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                 N/A

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               Digital access to a new Math Nation-Louisiana resource will be provided to every student and teacher across the state. Workbooks will be provided to students through their school districts.
Professional development for all interested school districts will be provided, as well.



Contact Information
name:  Morgan Chittum 
                                       address:  104 North Main Street
Gainesville, FL 32601

                                       phone:  304 634 7119
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  morgan@mathnation.com
                                       relationship to entity:  Vice President