Bibb county students from through 9th grade have lighter backpacks this year since they don't have to tote around math textbooks.
The district removed the books after Common Core Georgia performance standards were implemented across the state.
"We just don't physically have a textbook, but we still have the material to teach, how to teach it, and other resources," said Lane Elementary math teacher Leighanne Etheridge.
As her 4th-grade students learn about place value, they use markers, white boards, and number tiles-- hand-on tools that Etheridge says helps keep them engaged.
"The more that they do with their hands, the more that it sticks in their brains," she said.
"These new standards are more rigorous than what we've had," said Lynn Janes, the district's school improvement coordinator for math. She says students now have to show they understand concepts,
"Now they need to know where did this formula come from? Why does this work? And then, how can I use this to solve a problem?" she said.
And she says the old textbooks just don't fit the new standards.
"They really pretty much haven't changed from when my parent was in school," she said. "It's just a couple of practice problems, a couple of examples and then a page of 30 to 40 problems to do. We want students to understand, to construct their own meaning, and those books didn't support that kind of learning."