The Best Math Resources Approved or Used by States
Last updated: March 2, 2026
Parents do not need more hype. They need a clean filter. If a math resource shows up in official state documents, that tells you something important. It may mean a state formally adopted it, funded it statewide, approved it for a school-choice program, built it into an assessment system, or shared it on an official state resource page. Those are not identical forms of recognition, so this guide keeps those distinctions clear. Every resource below comes from the original list, and every one made the cut because there is current public state-level documentation behind it.
Important note about Texas: Texas keeps its Instructional Materials Review and Approval list of SBOE-approved materials separate from its broader Certification of Provision of Instructional Materials Resource List. When a product appears only on the certification list, this article describes it as state-listed in Texas, not as a Texas SBOE-approved core adoption. That distinction matters for tools like DeltaMath, Prodigy, IXL, and XtraMath. Official references: TEA Certification of Provision page | TEA Certification resource list | TEA IMRA list of SBOE-approved materials.
What made the list
- Formal adoption, statewide funding, or assessment use: Zearn, Math Nation, IXL, Desmos
- State-listed or state-approved for school-choice funding: DeltaMath, Prodigy, RightStart Math, Thinkwell, Art of Problem Solving, Math Dad by Science Mom, Wild Math Curriculum, MEL Science Math Subscription Box
- State-listed or state-shared supplemental tools: XtraMath, Math Playground, 99math
The best math resources approved or used by states
Zearn
Zearn has some of the deepest state backing anywhere in this roundup. Louisiana not only points families and schools to Zearn, it also gives public schools serving grades 4 through 8 free access and rated Zearn Tier 1, Exemplifies quality, in state curriculum reviews for grades 1 through 5 and grades 6 through 8. Ohio funded Zearn access for the 2025 through 2026 school year, Virginia continues to use Zearn in its statewide ALL In tutoring work, and Colorado launched statewide no-cost access for opt-in schools and districts. For parents, that combination matters. Zearn is not simply popular. It has been reviewed, funded, and used at scale, which makes it one of the safest picks for K through 8 families who want structured lessons and consistent daily practice.
Math Nation
Math Nation is one of the clearest true adoption stories on the list. Florida’s adopted mathematics materials include Math Nation in middle school and high school courses such as Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2, and Texas now shows Math Nation+ Texas Grade 6 and the broader series as SBOE-approved supplemental math through IMRA. That is unusually strong state evidence. For parents, Math Nation works best when you want standards-aligned instruction, strong video support, and a program that feels close to what many public-school students actually use.
IXL
IXL has unusually strong state use evidence. Kansas budget documents spell out a statewide contract with IXL Learning to make a virtual math program available to public and private schools across the state, and IXL also appears on Alabama’s CHOOSE Act provider list and Texas’s certification resource list. That gives IXL more official state footprint than most skill-practice platforms ever get. Parents who want one account that can cover everything from fact fluency to Algebra 2 usually find IXL easy to keep using because it combines broad coverage with clear skill-by-skill practice.
Desmos
Desmos deserves a place here even though it is not a full curriculum. Smarter Balanced and Desmos provide the embedded calculators used in Grade 6, Grades 7 and 8, and high school math assessments, so students in Smarter Balanced member jurisdictions practice on the same style of tool they see on test day. Desmos also appears on Texas’s certification resource list. For families, that makes Desmos especially valuable for middle and high school students who need graphing calculator fluency, visual exploration, and low-friction practice with algebra and functions.
DeltaMath
DeltaMath is best described as a state-recognized supplemental platform rather than a state-adopted core program. Texas includes DeltaMath on its certification resource list, New York State Education Department includes Delta Math on its mathematics digital content page, and D.C. OSSE lists Delta Math for grades 6 through 12 in its remote math guide. That is enough to put DeltaMath firmly in the state-used conversation without pretending it is a classic textbook adoption. For parents with a middle school or high school student, DeltaMath is one of the better picks for targeted skill practice, fast feedback, and keeping algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus skills from going soft.
Prodigy
Prodigy earns its place for a different reason. It shows up again and again in official state access and resource documents. Texas lists Prodigy Math Resources on its certification resource list, Wyoming includes Prodigy Education on its ESA vendor list, Tennessee includes Prodigy Education on its 2025 through 2026 ESA service provider list, and Connecticut and Oregon have both published Prodigy on official math resource guides. For parents of upper elementary and middle school students, Prodigy is often the easiest way to turn routine practice into something a child will actually return to without a fight.
RightStart Math
RightStart Math is a strong example of a hands-on homeschool program that still has real state-level recognition. It appears on Alabama’s CHOOSE Act provider list and Arkansas’s EFA approved provider list, which matters for families using school-choice funds and looking for a program built around number sense, mental math, visuals, and manipulatives. RightStart is usually a better fit for families who want conceptual depth and are willing to teach alongside the program rather than outsource all instruction to a screen.
Thinkwell
Thinkwell is a very practical choice for families who want a complete course with direct teaching built in. It appears on Alabama’s CHOOSE Act provider list and Arkansas’s EFA provider list, and its course lineup covers middle school math through high school pathways like Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Precalculus, and Calculus. For parents, Thinkwell is especially appealing when you want clear explanations, built-in grading, and a program that can stand on its own as a full course rather than as extra practice.
Art of Problem Solving
Art of Problem Solving is the standout option on this list for advanced students. Alabama includes Art of Problem Solving on its CHOOSE Act provider list, and Wyoming includes AoPS on its ESA vendor list. That state recognition matters because AoPS is very different from standard grade-level practice tools. It is designed for students who like hard problems, deep explanations, proof-style thinking, and real mathematical challenge. Parents usually get the most out of AoPS when a child is already strong in math and ready to move faster or think more deeply than a standard school sequence allows.
Math Dad by Science Mom
Math Dad, sold through Science Mom, is a smart inclusion for families that need clear teaching more than slick packaging. Science Mom appears on Alabama’s CHOOSE Act provider list, Arkansas’s EFA provider list, and Wyoming’s ESA vendor list. That gives parents a solid paper trail if they are using state choice funds, and it also gives this program more weight than a typical small online course brand. Math Dad resources are especially useful for students who need straightforward help with grade-level math, fractions, pre-algebra, or Algebra 1 without a giant platform learning curve.
Wild Math Curriculum
Wild Math Curriculum stands out because it takes a very different route into mathematics. Alabama lists Wild Learning on its CHOOSE Act provider list, and Wyoming lists Wild Learning on its ESA vendor list. That is enough state-level recognition to put it firmly on the radar for families who want math to feel active, outdoorsy, and connected to real life instead of living only in a workbook. It is best for parents who want a flexible, hands-on supplement or a gentle curriculum spine in the elementary years.
MEL Science Math Subscription Box
MEL Science makes the list through school-choice provider approval rather than classic state adoption. Arkansas lists MEL Science US LLC on its EFA provider list, and Wyoming includes MEL Science US LLC on its ESA vendor list. For parents, the attraction is easy to understand. A subscription box can make abstract ideas feel more concrete, especially for kids who do better when they can touch, build, and experiment. I would treat MEL Science as an engaging companion to a core math program rather than as a full stand-alone sequence.
Also worth knowing
XtraMath
XtraMath has lighter evidence than the programs above, but it still deserves a mention. Texas includes XtraMath on its certification resource list, and New Jersey includes XtraMath on a math supports page for educators and families, while also noting that its resource page is a collection of suggestions rather than formal endorsements. So XtraMath is best described as a state-listed or state-shared fluency tool. For parents who simply want a clean way to build automaticity with basic facts, it remains one of the easiest low-friction options.
Math Playground
Math Playground is another lighter-evidence case, though the state footprint is real. Pennsylvania’s Department of Education includes Math Playground on its mathematics page for teachers and students, and California’s Mathematics Framework resource appendix also links to Math Playground. I would not describe Math Playground as a state-adopted program. I would describe it as a state-shared resource that has enough official visibility to be worth taking seriously, especially for younger students who learn well through logic puzzles and short games.
99math
99math lands in the final section for the same reason. New Jersey includes 99math on its math resources and interventions page for families and educators, but that page also says the links are suggestions, not endorsements or approvals. So 99math is not a formal state-approved curriculum. It is a state-shared practice tool. For parents, that still matters. It shows that an education agency thought the tool was useful enough to put in front of teachers and caregivers, and 99math remains a strong option for quick, social fact practice in upper elementary and middle school.
Final takeaway
If you want the safest bets with the strongest state footprint, start with Zearn, Math Nation, IXL, and Desmos. If you are using school-choice funds and need materials you can realistically buy for home use, RightStart Math, Thinkwell, Art of Problem Solving, Math Dad by Science Mom, Wild Math, and MEL Science are the names from this list with the clearest provider-list evidence. If your goal is steady skill practice, DeltaMath, Prodigy, XtraMath, Math Playground, and 99math are the strongest supplemental picks that show up in state documentation.
