The Curriculum and Instruction Division is seeking  permission to purchase i-Ready K-8 Math and i-Ready K-3 Reading programs as a tool for differentiated and small group instruction as Tier II & III interventions for our students. These programs will provide valuable tools needed to assess, instruct and progress monitor every student. Using i-Ready for these proposed subject areas and grade levels will enable teachers, administrators, and support personnel to make data-driven decisions for diagnostic prescriptive instruction for all students using the product. i-Ready will provide uniform reports for parents and assist staff in providing ways families can enrich or remediate their children at home. In addition, a correlation study was conducted by a third party and the i-Ready diagnostic provided a strong correlation to the FSA (.79 or higher). The contract also provides professional development and print materials for struggling students in alignment to the RtI process.  

Based on a student’s results on the i-Ready Diagnostic, the program automatically assigns him or her online instructional modules within i-Ready Instruction. This differentiated instruction is presented in highly engaging instructional modules that can be accessed through any internet-enabled computer. Delivery is flexible: during school, before/after school, in-class/pull-out, summer school, at home, computer lab, and a host of other settings. Diverse, contemporary characters set in visually appealing, modern environments capture students’ attention and immediately engage them in the learning process. Lessons use real-world experiences and authentic situations to teach essential skills. Explicit instruction makes concepts concrete and addresses the root cause of any specific areas of student need. With the transition to Florida Standards, i-Ready has developed their materials to support students and teachers, by providing professional development, explicit instruction, a gradual release approach, and engaging online resources to differentiate instruction and teach prerequisite skills that are required for mastery in foundational and fundamental skills at each grade level. i-Ready monitors progress and personalizes instruction for each student, class, grade, and school in addition to providing progress monitoring for the district to measure student achievement. Opportunities for growth surround the need for teachers to deliver lessons to students with varying needs and remedial practices to assist students in achieving standard mastery. i-Ready provides a platform for teachers to provide individual student's skill remediation in reading for grades K-3 and mathematics grades K-8 based on individual student performance on the diagnostic assessments and monthly progress monitoring tasks. Remediation occurs through skill building lessons that align to standards and provide students the opportunity eliminate any deficits. The blended learning opportunities provided through i-Ready allow students to build their foundational skills which transfers into standards mastery. i-Ready will be utilized as the blended learning platform for K-3 reading and K-8 mathematics for the 2017-18 school year. i-Ready provides teachers with stronger, more relevant data to inform interventions at the Tier II and Tier III levels.

The i-Ready program will ensure that all students are assessed, instructed, and monitored using tools that are research-based, directly aligned to state standards and assessments, and provide prescriptive pathways for the success of every individual student.  Currently, there is not a universal tool administered across the county for these two areas in Tier II or Tier III instruction.

Previously, district staff and/or teachers created their own tests in Performance Matters for all teachers to use to assess, instruct, or monitor their students in Reading or Math. Teachers were not able to compare their students' progress to other students statewide. Our eight Title 1 schools have been implementing this product since January which has provided a common tool for predicting student achievement aligned with state standards.

Every school throughout the district will be using the same processes for assessing, instructing, and monitoring teaching and learning. This type of uniformity will provide us with a common and more efficient educational model in which to make more informed, intentional, data-driven decisions that benefit students. .

Improve the instructional framework, processes, and structures that enrich student achievement.

For the Clay County School Board to approve the purchase of i-Ready reading and mathematics in an amount not to exceed $764,460.00.