perennialmath.com

What It Is

Perennial Math is an education program centered on math competitions, primarily serving students in grades 3–8. It includes online competitions, in-person/school-based tournaments, and live virtual tournaments via WebEx. Its core offering is not a complete math curriculum, but rather a competition-based training system that uses periodic tests, team and individual events, and rewards to build students’ ability to solve multi-step word problems and mathematical reasoning tasks.

Core Features and Experience

The online competition has two seasons: November to February and January to April. Each season includes 4 tests, with 6 questions per test and a 30-minute time limit. The questions are fill-in-the-answer, multi-step application problems. Teachers can have students complete tests online with automatic scoring, or print PDF tests and manually enter results afterward, which is useful for schools with inconsistent computer access. The platform also provides PowerPoint practice materials, past tests, and sample questions, making it convenient for math coaches to run weekly training sessions. In-person tournaments include a 30-minute individual test and a 20-minute team test; virtual tournaments are conducted through WebEx, with live scoring and host interaction.

Pricing, Certificates, and Awards

For online competitions, U.S. teams pay $100 per season, covering up to 30 students and one test level. Individual students pay $25. International teams pay $100 and must use a credit card. In-person tournaments cost $15 per student, with additional medals priced at $7.50. Teams in the U.S. and Canada may receive certificates, medals, dog tags, team plaques, and other awards, while international teams mainly receive PDF certificates. Overall, for school teams, the per-student cost is relatively low and the value is solid.

Pros and Cons

The strengths are a clear competition format, transparent pricing, support for both online and paper-based testing, and motivational elements such as the Wall of Fame and awards. It is well suited to gifted education programs and long-term math club activities. Founder Dr. Sylvia Dean’s background in gifted education and competition organization also adds credibility. The limitations are that the content consists of English math word problems, which may create a language barrier for Chinese students; physical awards for international teams are limited; and virtual tournaments depend on WebEx, cameras, and a stable internet connection. In addition, it is more of a competition training platform and should not be treated as a replacement for a systematic math curriculum.

Who It’s For and Access from China

Perennial Math is suitable for schools, international schools, bilingual students, math clubs, homeschool families, and students in grades 3–8 who want to improve mathematical thinking through English-language competitions. The provided information does not state whether the service is reliably accessible from mainland China, so actual testing is needed. For payments, international teams need a credit card, which may be less convenient than local platforms. If your focus is local school advancement or Chinese-language math training, it is worth comparing it with AMC 8, Math Kangaroo, MOEMS, AoPS, and domestic Olympiad math training resources.