logo.rsm.full-colorRussian School of Mathematics
Get Started
Founders of RSM Inessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson
Schedule an evaluation

A School Created For Our Children

Our program emerged as a partnership between a passionate parent and gifted teacher, and has since launched a movement.

Recently Featured
The Boston Globe Logo
The NPR logo
The TED logo
The Atlantic logo

Our school was conceived to serve our own children. Most of our teachers continue to send their children through our program today. As parents and educators, our work is our highest honor and responsibility.

Inessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson fled the Soviet Union in search of a better life for their children. Together, they created a math education that mirrored their own - one of quality and depth. They would spark a movement. 

It has been over twenty-five years since that first class was held at Ms. Rifkin's kitchen table outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Today, the grandchildren of RSM's founders and children of RSM alumni and teachers continue as students. Our commitment to the quality of our program means that RSM remains a family business. We do not franchise, and only open a new location once a gifted and experienced teacher becomes available to lead it. Today, RSM serves over 70,000 students across North America, and has been covered by the Boston Globe, TED, NPR, and the Atlantic.

October
1997
Inessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson, founders of Russian School of Math
Inessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson found RSM and teach classes at Ms. Rifkin’s kitchen table.
October
1999
Founders at first school building for RSM
Our first dedicated school building opens in Newton, MA, a Boston-area suburb.
May
2001
Boston Globe newspaper article featuring RSM on front page
The Boston Globe features RSM on its front page.
September
2003
Brick Russian school of Math building is
Our second location opens in MA in the Metrowest area.
September
2006
Birds eye view of San Jose, California
Ms. Khavinson travels to CA and opens the first branch outside of MA, in San Jose, CA.
October
2006
Three #2 Pencils
RSM enrolls 1,000 students.
May
2010
Female teacher in front of whiteboard speaking to room of adults
Our first principal training results in two RSM teachers opening additional locations in MA.
September
2011
pencils
RSM enrolls 5,000 students.
September
2012
Skyline of Seattle, Washington
RSM opens in three new metro areas (Chicago, Seattle, & LA).
October
2013
pencils
RSM enrolls 10,000 students.
October
2014
RSM NYC
RSM opens its first location in the New York City area.
December
2014
Group of people standing at the Armenia center for research and recruitment building
Our center for research and recruitment opens in Armenia.
January
2016
RSM Texas
RSM opens its first location in Texas.
July
2016
iPad featuring a Johns Hopkins article on Russian School of Math
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth names us “one of the top 10 schools” in the world.
July
2016
RSM Washington DC
RSM opens its first location in the Washington DC area.
October
2016
pencils
RSM enrolls 20,000 students.
September
2017
Skyline view of Toronto, Canada.
RSM opens its first location outside of the US in Toronto, Canada.
September
2018
pencils
RSM enrolls 30,000 students.
July
2019
RSM New Jersey
RSM opens its first location in New Jersey.
September
2019
RSM MCP
RSM launches Math Competition Preparation Program.
February
2020
pencils
RSM enrolls 40,000 students.
July
2021
RSM Bulgaria
RSM opens a Research and Development Center in Bulgaria.
September
2023
pencil
RSM enrolls 70,000 students.
May
2024
RSM Alumni
100k+ Alumni: RSM alumni have gone on to attend the best universities in the world.
September
2024
RSM Israel
RSM opens three branches in Israel, located in Jerusalem, Rishon LeZion, and Tel Aviv.
October
2024
pencil
RSM enrolls 80,000 students.
April
2025
RSM Dubai
RSM announces that the first RSM location in the United Arab Emirates will open in 2026.

Hear our story and the ideas that underpin our approach as delivered on the TED stage.

Our Results

Our students post remarkable scores on math competitions, in school, and see a greater confidence in their math and learning abilities overall. Our alumni go on to attend the best universities in the world.

A+
Our students experience soaring confidence and grades
6th
Team RSM places 6th out of 150 on the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament
4th
Every 4th RSM student who participated scored in the top 5% on the AMC8!
100k+
RSM alumni go on to attend the best universities in the world
Read More
Successful alumni Anna Auerbach
Our Alumni

Meet Anna Auerbach, changing the face of work.

Anna graduated from Harvard Business School and co-founded Werk, a people analytics platform for workplace flexibility. Read about her in the New York Times.

Learn about our program
SCHEDULE AN EVALUATION
Newsletter sign up

Stay up on the latest from RSM