The Idaho Math Badging pilot program is a part of the Idaho Math Transitions Initiative. This initiative helps high schools build a variety of mathematics courses for juniors and seniors aligned to their post-high school college and career interests.

Math Badging is helping Idaho teachers use a project-based approach to high school mathematics instruction. It is also helping teachers re-imagine assessment through the use of portfolios that provide evidence of learning. Students love the math badges as visible symbols of success in mathematics. They also appreciate the opportunity to pass math classes in smaller chunks. If a badge needs to be relearned, they do not have to retake an entire course. Math Badging makes what students need to learn in mathematics more visible, and provides them with the vocabulary to talk about deep learning in math. Students in Idaho’s math badging classrooms are excited about learning the topic through real-world application.  

The Idaho Math Badging team (which includes representatives from the Idaho Department of Education and the state’s regional math specialists) continues to work on ways to integrate Math Badging into Career and Technical Education programs and to increase flexibility for students to work on multiple badges at one time in a class. Badging has the potential to provide a much-needed solution to remote rural high schools that have only one teacher for all mathematics courses.  

Participating Schools:

• Parma High School, Parma, ID
• Mt Harrison High School, Heyburn, ID
• Soda Springs High School, Soda Springs, ID
• Malad High School, Malad, ID
• Independence High School, Blackfoot, ID
• West Jefferson High School, Terreton, ID
• Rigby High School, Rigby, ID