Principal Investigator
Kirk Walters – WestEd
Project Description
This study evaluates the impact of NBA Math Hoops, a game-based supplemental math program designed to build students’ fluency with fractions, decimals, and percentages while increasing engagement. The study uses a randomized controlled trial design with middle school students assigned to either participate in the NBA Math Hoops program during a summer program or serve as a comparison group receiving business-as-usual summer learning instruction. Outcomes include math achievement, student engagement, and attitudes toward math, measured through assessments, surveys, and implementation data.
Research Questions
- What is the impact of NBA Math Hoops on students’ math achievement and social-emotional skills?
- To what extent was the NBA Math Hoops program implemented with fidelity (including dosage, adherence, and quality)?
- To what extent do student characteristics moderate the impact of NBA Math Hoops on math and social-emotional outcomes?
- What is the per-pupil cost of implementing the program and its overall cost-effectiveness?
Key Findings
- The program meaningfully improved math learning. Students who participated in NBA Math Hoops scored about eight percentile points higher in math than peers in typical STEM enrichment—moving roughly from the 50th to the 58th percentile after only about 15 days of instruction.
- The program appears to be a cost-effective learning strategy. Because materials are provided free and training requirements are modest, the program produced measurable math gains for less than $20 per student beyond normal summer programming costs, suggesting strong potential for cost-effective scaling.
- Implementation is feasible for educators. Teachers were able to implement the lessons and gameplay with only a few hours of training, indicating the program can be integrated into summer or out-of-school learning programs without major additional capacity or support.
- Students were highly engaged in the learning experience. Qualitative data suggest students enjoyed the basketball-based gameplay and remained actively involved in mathematical problem-solving, highlighting the potential of well-designed, game-based learning to combine engagement with academic learning.
- SEL results were unexpectedly negative and warrant further research. Students in the program reported slightly lower social-emotional outcomes than those in the comparison group; researchers caution this may reflect measurement or implementation factors and recommend additional research to better understand how game-based math programs influence SEL and how program design could strengthen these outcomes.
Study Citation
McKinney, D., Walters, K., Powell, K., Sabalburo, E., & Morton, C. (2026). The impact of NBA Math Hoops on students’ math achievement: A randomized controlled trial. WestEd.
The Key Findings above were reproduced from the published report and do not necessarily reflect interpretation of Overdeck Family Foundation staff.
