William Haver joined VCU’s faculty in the Department of Mathematics in 1982. Along with Reuben Farley, Haver is a founding director of the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition. The coalition is collaborative effort of leaders in education, business and public policy sectors that work to improve the quality of mathematics and science education.

Working with colleagues in mathematics departments and education departments at VCU, Norfolk State University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Richmond Public Schools, Hanover County Public Schools, five other universities and ten other partner school systems, Haver is a leader in a statewide effort to improve mathematics achievement in grades K-8 through the use of Mathematics Specialists. Mathematics Specialists are school-based instructional leaders who coach and provide resources and support for classroom teachers.

In conjunction with the VMSC, the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Virginia Department of Education, VCU has obtained two large National Science Foundation grants (the Teacher Professional Continuum, or TPC, and the Math and Science Partnership, or MSP) to develop and offer programs at six universities to prepare a total of more than 150 mathematics specialists. Additionally, the grants support research programs that are being conducted in Richmond City, Hanover County and 10 other school systems to determine the impact of Mathematics Specialists on the nature of instruction and student achievement.