The M-CTRAS (Mathematics Classroom Teaching Research for All Students) was first proposed by Dr. Shuhua An and initiated during the U.S.-Sino Workshop in June 2008. Originally named the Classroom Teaching for All Students Research (CTRAS) Working Group, it included the following 11 universities: six from the U.S. and five from China:

• U.S. – California State University, Long Beach, Grand Valley State University, Louisiana University, Montclair University, Indiana University, and National University.

• China – Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Hang Zhou Normal University, Nanjing Normal University, and Tianjing Normal University

Following the ICMI-11 conference in July 2008, CTRAS expanded to encompass 22 universities across five countries from East to West by 2010. Since them, Dr. Shuhua An has been at the forefront, leading and expending CTRAS. She has played a pivotal role in providing support to the research group and coordinating annual conferences with organizers and leaders from various countries. Notable conference organizers include Professors Yiming Cao and Xiqi Li in China, Professors Guido Ellert and Jürgen Bluhm in Germany, Professor Benedetto Di Paola in Italy, and Dr. Professor Shuhua An in the U.S.

Each annual CTRAS conference focuses on a specific, current, and important theme in mathematics education. From 2008 to 2023, CTRAS successfully held 15 annual conferences, each attracting an average of 300 participants. These participants range from scholars and higher education faculty members to graduate students and K-12 classroom teachers. The conferences have significantly contributed to the field, producing numerous research journal articles on classroom teaching research. Notable contributions include journal articles and special issues in the Journal of Mathematics Education, edited by Dr. Zhonghe Wu from 2008-2017, Dr. Guido Ellert in 2018, Drs Shuhua An and Hong Zhao in 2018, Drs. Robert M. Capraro Mary Margaret Capraro, and Julia E. Calabrese in 2019, Drs. Olive Chapman and Kim Koh in 2022, and Drs. Thomas E Ricks and Edel Reilly in 2023.

By 2023, mathematics educators and scholars from over 110 universities and schools in approximately 20 countries have participated in CTRAS research groups and annual conferences since. At the 2023 CTRAS annual conference, the transformation into the M-CTRAS organization was unanimously approved by all participants. The M-CTRAS is now evolving and striving to become a leading organization in the field, guided by its dedicated founding leadership team: President Dr. Shuhua An, Vice Presidents Olive Chapman and Benedetto Di Paola, along with its Board Members and Committee Chairs.