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Math Fact Automaticity: Students Can’t Think Deeply If They’re Still Counting
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT
Math Fact Automaticity: Students Can’t Think Deeply If They’re Still Counting
Presented by Dr. Brian Poncy, Professor and Director for the School Psychology Program, Oklahoma State University; Susan Baker, Director, Mathematics, Fulton County Schools (GA); and Sean Healey, NSSI Mentor Teacher, Director of Schools, KIPP SoCal
Sponsored by The National Summer School Initiative (NSSI)
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Districts have invested heavily in stronger math curricula and instruction. Yet student math outcomes remain stubbornly low. What are we missing?
One overlooked piece may be fact automaticity. When students must devote significant mental effort to basic calculations, they have less capacity available for the complex reasoning and problem solving we expect in grade-level mathematics. And while conceptual understanding matters deeply, understanding a strategy is not the end goal—students must ultimately be able to access foundational knowledge accurately and efficiently when they need it.
In this edLeader Panel, watch NSSI, leading researcher Dr. Brian Poncy, and district mathematics leader Susan Baker in a conversation about what the research tells us about automaticity, where common approaches to fact fluency may fall short, and what district leaders can do differently.
Whether you're shaping curricula, leading instructional improvement, or making district-level investment decisions, gain a clearer understanding of why automaticity matters, practical routines and tools you can put to work right away, and a simple way to tell whether your own system is building the foundations students need. This recorded edLeader Panel will be of interest to elementary through high school teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Dr. Brian Poncy is a Professor and Director for the School Psychology Program at Oklahoma State University. His research focuses on academic interventions and behavioral principles of learning, specifically in the area of mathematics. He received his doctorate at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (2006) and is a co-author of the book Effective Math Interventions: A Guide to Improving Whole Number Knowledge. Dr. Poncy also created Facts on Fire, a set of open-source materials to support teachers in the assessment and implementation of empirically validated interventions to increase early numeracy and computation skills (www.factsonfire.com). He is a recipient of the 2005 Outstanding Dissertation Award from Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association and the School Psychology Review 2015 Honorable Mention Article of the Year.
Susan Baker is celebrating her 29th year serving Fulton County Schools and her 11th year as Director of Mathematics. Throughout her distinguished career, she has served as an AP Calculus teacher, mathematics department chair, and district STEM program specialist. Susan has presented nationally for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and partnered with RMC Research to develop a comprehensive Numeracy Framework for Fulton County Schools. Her contributions extend statewide through her service on Georgia’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Accountability Committee and as a member of the state mathematics working committee that helped create the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). Susan remains deeply committed to advancing mathematics education and supporting high-quality learning experiences for every student.
A returning Mentor Teacher with NSSI, Sean Healey is a Director of Schools at KIPP SoCal Public Schools, where he coaches and manages school leaders across a portfolio of elementary and middle schools in Los Angeles and San Diego. His work focuses on strengthening instructional quality, developing leadership teams, and improving academic outcomes and overall school health. Previously, Sean spent ten years at Uncommon Schools, serving as a founding math teacher, instructional leader, principal, and Director of Strategy and Operations for High School Curriculum and Assessment. He began his career teaching ninth- and eleventh-grade math with Teach For America in Philadelphia and later managed the organization’s recruitment team. Sean is an alumnus of the All Means All Inclusive School Leadership Program and earned his B.A. in international relations and M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania.
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