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District review recommends ending long-running iReady contract, adopting SBA interim blocks and new K–8 screeners
Summary
The Vancouver School District presented a staff recommendation to stop using the iReady benchmark/screener and replace it with a package of Smarter Balanced interim assessment blocks at secondary and new K–8 screeners (mCLASS DIBELS/Amplify math) after a multi‑month assessment review.
The Vancouver School District presented a staff recommendation to stop using the iReady benchmark/screener and move to a different assessment package, citing time, instructional impact and alignment concerns.
The recommendation comes after a multi‑month assessment review convened by district leaders and teacher representatives. Staff proposed three main elements: use Smarter Balanced interim assessment blocks (IABs) three times a year for secondary courses; adopt mCLASS DIBELS/AMPLIFY as the universal literacy screener (k–5); and use an Amplify math screener for elementary grades, with pilot sites for interim blocks in grades 3–5.
Board members pressed for more operational detail about reporting, historical comparability and costs. Staff said the district’s current iReady contract is about $700,000 and represents a large share of the Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment (CIA) budget and that iReady administrations increasingly consumed instructional time and produced data many teachers did not find actionable. Staff also emphasized that the alternative screeners and interim blocks take substantially less time to administer and produce item‑level, standards‑aligned reports teachers can use next day for reteaching.
Staff said the literacy screener (mCLASS DIBELS/LECTURA) uses short timed subtests (individual subtest timings are brief) and that the Amplify elementary math screener completes within a single 30‑minute window per student. The district proposes screening three times per year (fall, winter, spring) and using teacher work groups to select which interim blocks to administer in each school and course. Staff reported strong classroom participation in the first round of high‑school IAB pilots, and teacher feedback that IAB items map more closely to Smarter Balanced standards than iReady did.
Board members asked for several follow‑ups before any final decision: sample teacher and parent reports showing how the new tools will present student, grade‑level and subgroup data; a side‑by‑side comparison of features and time requirements (iReady vs. mCLASS/Amplify/IABs); net fiscal impact of replacing iReady with the proposed set of tools; and a plan to preserve longitudinal comparisons or otherwise explain differences to the community. Staff committed to provide example teacher reports, parent‑facing summaries, cost comparisons, and dashboard mockups for board review.
No formal policy change or purchase was adopted at the meeting; staff said they will gather the requested materials and return with a recommended implementation timeline and training plan.
Board reaction was mixed: some members said they had long concerns about iReady’s validity and welcomed the change; others urged caution, noting the impact on system‑level reporting and the need for a clear rollout and training plan so teachers and families are not left without comparable trend data.
If the board ultimately approves the recommendation, staff said the change would be phased with training for coaches and teachers, a train‑the‑trainer program in August, and continued principal and PLC support during the 60‑minute weekly teacher collaboration time proposed for next year.
