Austin Math Alliance places volunteer coaches alongside math teachers at five AISD middle schools. 45 minutes at a time. All you need is patience, warmth, and the willingness to sit down next to a kid who’s stuck.
Austin Math Alliance carries forward the math classroom coaching program that Austin Partners in Education ran in AISD middle schools for two decades. APIE’s programs have transitioned to the district and Austin Ed Fund. We’re a volunteer-led effort keeping the math coaching part of that work alive: same classrooms, same idea, just a simpler way in.
Middle school math is where a lot of kids quietly check out. Fractions, ratios, negative numbers, and the abstractions pile up fast. In a class of 28 it’s easy for a student to put their head down and disappear.
A classroom coach changes that arithmetic. The teacher can actually reach the students who are stuck, because you’re sitting with the students who’ve almost got it. You ask them to explain their thinking. You’re patient when they’re wrong. You tell them, out loud, that math isn’t about being fast; it’s about being willing to try a second approach.
Every school has a coordinator and a set of weekly slots. When you sign up, we’ll match you with the school whose schedule and location fits yours best.
Volunteer registration and background checks all live on Voly, the district’s volunteer platform. AMA just helps you navigate it and gets you paired with the right classroom.
Fill out the short form below. A coordinator will reply with what to expect and the school(s) that best match your schedule.
Voly is AISD's district-wide volunteer platform. It handles background checks and day-of check-ins.
Required by AISD. It takes about 15 minutes to submit and a few days to clear. We'll let you know when you're approved.
Once cleared, you'll sign up for a weekly Voly "opportunity" at your school. An experienced coach will pair with you for the first session.
Sitting in the classroom is by far the fastest and most enjoyable 45 minutes of my week. It is important that students see people (other than parents and teachers) care about them, and perhaps it may also inspire them to volunteer in the future.
This is the easiest part, and it puts the rest in motion. You’re signing up for the 2026–2027 school year; mid-year starts are welcome through the second semester. A coordinator will reply personally, usually within a few days, with which schools fit your schedule and exactly what to do on Voly.
Adapted from two decades of APIE’s math coaching FAQ. If your question isn’t here, just email us. We reply.
Middle-school math. If you’re comfortable with fractions, ratios, and beginning algebra, you’re more than qualified. You’re not teaching; you’re sitting with 2–4 students, asking “show me how you got that,” and being the patient adult at their table.
45 minutes per visit, during a math class period. Some coaches come once a week, some more often. Consistency matters more than hours. Students benefit most when it’s the same coach showing up each time.
For 2026–2027: Kealing, Covington, Webb, Dobie, and Burnet. Times vary by school; we’ll match you with one that fits your schedule when you sign up.
APIE ran this program for 20 years, then transitioned its programs to Austin ISD and Austin Ed Fund. Austin Math Alliance is a volunteer-led effort to keep the math coaching piece running and give new volunteers a clear “start here.” We’re not affiliated with APIE or AISD, just trying to fill the onboarding gap the transition left behind.
Yes. Email austinmathalliance@gmail.com and we’ll get you connected with the coordinator working with your school.
AMA is volunteer-run and doesn’t accept donations right now. If you’d like to support the broader education ecosystem in Austin, Austin Ed Fund is the nonprofit that now stewards the programs APIE used to run.