Executive function (EF) skills emerge in infancy and typically become more effective and efficient throughout childhood and adolescence and into early adulthood. This article presents an overview of the development of EF skills from the perspective of developmental social–cognitive neuroscience, briefly reviewing the influence of experience on the typical and atypical development of neural systems supporting these skills. Research indicates that EF skills provide a foundation for academic achievement, playing a particularly important role in math learning and math problem solving. Research also indicates that EF skills can be cultivated through scaffolded training, and that intervention efficacy can be enhanced by mitigating disruptive bottom-up influences such as stress, training both hot (more emotional) and cool (more cognitive) EF skills, and adding a reflective, metacognitive component to promote far transfer of trained skills. This research has important practical implications for children at risk for school difficulty, raising the possibility that interventions targeting EF skills in the context of math education may help reduce socioeconomic gaps in school success.