Math Matters case study — Peaceful Media
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Math Matters

A data-visualization platform humanizing education policy in 50 states

  • 51state & D.C. policy pages, launched on schedule
  • 15education policies tracked per state
  • 2clicks from national trends to state detail
Math Matters site design by Peaceful Media
The story

ExcelinEd’s Math Matters initiative needed a high-performance advocacy tool, not a static website. With the designers at Tremendousness, we engineered a custom WordPress platform that turns a massive matrix of legislative data (15 policies across 50 states) into a clear visual narrative, delivered exactly on schedule for ExcelinEd’s annual National Summit.

Results: a color-coded SVG heat map takes users from national trends to state-level specifics in two clicks; 51 custom-templated pages pull in policy grades and recommendations; the platform is tested for color-blind accessibility, screen readers, and every major browser; and the ExcelinEd team manages the backend themselves.

The interactive state map filtered to a single principle (Elementary Math Coaches), colour-coding all fifty states and D.C. by how fully each has implemented it
California's state page: policy scorecard chips summarising how many tracked principles the state fully meets, partially meets, or misses, above links to the full report and NAEP data
The Policy page ("Principles that are greater than the sum of their parts") introducing the eleven math principles the platform tracks
A few pieces from the work
The full story

Case study details

The plan, the build, and the stack behind the platform.

The plan

Our job was to turn Tremendousness’s sophisticated designs into a high-performance advocacy engine built on three pillars: data integrity, user intuition, and client autonomy.

In a tight window, we mapped a custom WordPress architecture for a massive data matrix: 15 policies across 50 states. Interactive elements were planned mobile-first for legislators on the go, and the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) backend lets the ExcelinEd team manage their own data rubrics without ongoing technical support.

Results

We delivered a fast, data-rich experience exactly on schedule for ExcelinEd’s annual National Summit:

  • Interactive cartography: a color-coded SVG heat map is the site’s main navigation, taking users from national trends to state-level specifics in two clicks
  • State-level precision: 51 custom-templated pages (50 states + D.C.) automatically pull policy grades and implementation recommendations into a clean, readable layout
  • Accessibility: rigorously tested for color blindness and screen readers, so the mission reaches every advocate and policymaker
  • Performance: QA passed across all major browsers (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox) and mobile operating systems
Tech & tools
  • CMS: WordPress
  • Customization: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) Pro
  • Interactivity: custom JavaScript & SVG mapping
  • Forms: Gravity Forms
  • Email marketing: MailChimp integration
  • Hosting & deployment: Nexcess & WP Migrate
  • QA: cross-browser and cross-device manual testing
Conclusion

The Math Matters site is more than a portfolio piece; it’s a working tool for legislative change. By humanizing complex policy data, it clarifies best practices and highlights critical gaps in American education.

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