Did TEA Develop Bluebonnet Learning™ Math Curriculum for Grades 6–8 and Algebra I
No. TEA did not “create” the Bluebonnet Learning Math curriculums for any grade level. HB 1605 directed TEA to make high-quality instructional materials available to Texas schools via open educational resources. TEA contracted with curriculum providers to fulfill the requirements of the law.
What Publisher Wrote the Bluebonnet Math Curriculum for Middle Schools and High Schools?
In November of 2024, the Texas State Board of Education approved Bluebonnet Learning™, a fully TEKS-aligned Open Educational Resource (OER) curriculum licensed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Bluebonnet Math spans K–5, 6–8, and Algebra I. While the elementary grades were created by Great Minds®, the middle school program was made by Carnegie Learning, a company known nationally for its research-based approach to math instruction and adaptive technology.
Who is Carnegie Learning, the Publisher of Bluebonnet™ Math?
Who exactly is Carnegie Learning, and how did their workbooks and instructional model become the blueprint for Texas’ middle school OER math curriculum? The answers lie in a long legacy of AI-powered learning, a commitment to rigorous pedagogy, and strategic partnerships with states like Texas.
Carnegie Learning grew out of research projects that were taking place at Carnegie Mellon University in the late 1990s. The team of co-founders were researchers and professors at the esteemed institution; the University even invested in the company to help them get started in 1998. Their vision was to combine cognitive science and educational research to radically improve how students learn mathematics.
Their earliest innovation was the Cognitive Tutor. Led by Dr. Kenneth Koedinger, the Cognitive Tutor was a pioneering AI platform that modeled student problem-solving behaviors and provided real-time personalized feedback. Over time, this software evolved into MATHia®, a modern intelligent tutoring system that remains central to Carnegie Learning’s blended instructional model.
The company was sold in 2011 and continued to grow under new leadership provided by the Apollo Education Group. Recognizing that technology alone wasn’t enough of a product offering, the company expanded into curriculum publishing. They began creating comprehensive print and digital programs for middle and high school math, integrating their adaptive software with high-quality, concept-driven instruction.
This hybrid model quickly gained a foothold in school districts seeking rigorous alternatives to traditional math textbooks. With the substantial increase in revenue, the company was acquired by private equity in 2018.
Is Carnegie Learning A National Leader in Middle School Math?
Carnegie Learning has always prioritized the middle grades, a critical developmental stage when students move from arithmetic to more abstract mathematical reasoning. Their Middle School Math Solution emphasizes:
- Conceptual understanding through inquiry and modeling,
- Student discourse and collaboration,
- Multiple representations** of mathematical ideas, and
- Real-world application aligned with state standards.
Their programs are known for providing structured lessons with rich mathematical tasks, embedded assessments, and consistent opportunities for students to justify and communicate their thinking.
How Did Carnegie Learning Math Curriculum Become Bluebonnet Learning™ Math OER?
In 2023, the Texas Education Agency launched an initiative to provide high-quality OER materials aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Carnegie Learning submitted its proposal and was awarded the opportunity to author the Bluebonnet Learning™ Math curriculum for Grades 6–8 and Algebra I.
Rather than creating something entirely new, Carnegie Learning adapted its Middle School Math Solution, restructured it to align directly with the TEKS, and rebranded it as part of the Bluebonnet Learning™ suite. The result is a fully TEKS- and ELPS-aligned curriculum that provides:
- Daily, print-based instructional materials with consumables for students,
- Deeply embedded TEKS Mathematical Process Standards, including justification, modeling, and problem-solving strategies,
- Rich supports for emergent bilinguals, students with disabilities, and accelerated learners,
- Seamless integration with Carnegie Learning’s MATHia adaptive practice platform, which is sold separately. $$$
Texas districts receive the base curriculum at no cost as per HB 1605 and its directive for the TEA to provide Open Educational Resources (OER) free of charge to Texans. However, districts may purchase supplemental items such as print workbooks, additional assessments, access to MATHia®, and professional development services. By selling these products to Texas ISDs, Carnegie Learning, a for-profit corporation, can continue to generate revenue within the state.
Strong TEKS Alignment and Localized Support
The Bluebonnet Learning™ Middle Grades Math curriculum was assembled from existing products to meet the specific content, process, and pacing demands of the TEKS. Texas educators reviewing the materials during the Instructional Materials Review and Adoption (IMRA) process highlighted several strengths:
- 100% TEKS alignment, with every standard explicitly addressed,
- Lessons that foster collaborative exploration and conceptual connections,
- Built-in pacing guides, scaffolds, and STAAR-style assessments.
- Support for data-driven instruction, including real-time reporting tools like the Clear Learning Center, is available for an additional licensing fee.
How Does Carnegie Learning Generate Revenue in Texas If Their Curriculum is Free?
Though it began as an academic research project and was founded as a company with a strong social mission, Carnegie Learning now operates as a for-profit education company.
Its product line for Texas ISDs includes:
- The Bluebonnet Learning™ Math curriculum (TEKS-aligned OER),
- Proprietary versions of its Middle School and High School Math Solutions,
- The MATHia® platform,
- MATHstream, an adaptive video learning tool,
- Professional development packages for educators, and
- Custom district coaching services.
This blended revenue model of licensing a free, high-quality core curriculum to the State of Texas once and forever while offering additional products and services on an annual basis is a win-win. Texas educators have access to free HQIM under the Bluebonnet moniker while Carnegie Learning can continue to generate revenue within the second largest state in the country.
Conclusion: A Partnership Rooted in Research, Aligned to Texas
Carnegie Learning’s selection as the developer of Bluebonnet Learning™ Math Grades 6–8** reflects Texas’ confidence in research-backed instructional models that prioritize rigor, equity, and adaptability. Just as Great Minds® brought Eureka Math to Texas elementary schools under the Bluebonnet name, Carnegie Learning has brought its middle school expertise to bear for Texas students.
The result is a modern, TEKS-aligned curriculum grounded in 25 years of learning science—free to all Texas districts, but with pathways to enhance implementation through digital tools, assessment systems, and professional learning.
As the state moves forward with Bluebonnet Learning™, its partnership with Carnegie Learning sets a powerful precedent for how public education systems and for-profit curriculum developers can collaborate to meet the needs of both the public and private sectors.