The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) was grappling with several issues including: (1) A respectable rate of growth in student achievement for both fourth- and eighth-grade math in the state of Alabama, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), but below the national average; and (2) A growing concern about the state's ability to produce graduates capable of competing successfully in fields associated with economic development--science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). To address the above challenge, Alabama collaborated with the Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC) to examine instruction and achievement in mathematics using evidence-based research. Development of this report was part of SECC's Alabama Professional Learning Commission project work, which concluded September 2019.