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Douglas County reports midyear I‑Ready gains; ESOL and special‑education supports remain a focus
Summary
District staff reported midyear I‑Ready benchmark gains in elementary and middle school math and reading but identified slower growth among ESOL and students with disabilities and outlined targeted instructional steps.
Kasia Davis, superintendent of teaching and learning for Douglas County, told the school board that midyear I‑Ready diagnostic data show measurable growth but persistent gaps for English learners and students with disabilities.
"In January 2025, elementary and middle school students completed the I Ready diagnostic middle of the year benchmark," Davis said. She summarized that elementary reading proficiency at the start of the year was 23.81 percent, elementary math rose from 9.7 percent at the start of the year to 29.3 percent at midyear (an increase of 19.55 percentage points), and middle school math moved from 14.75 percent to 25 percent (an increase of 10.25 points).
Board members pressed staff for context on which students were not growing and what next steps staff plan. Davis said the district will continue to track progress using I‑Ready instructional learning paths and align daily instruction to pacing guides. For students who are growing more slowly, she said the district will increase supports from ESOL specialists and the teaching‑and‑learning team, emphasizing scaffolding, differentiated instruction, intentional interventions and small‑group instruction.
Board members asked about evidence that the strategies would work and about local variation in implementation. Davis cited schools that used the instructional learning paths for two years and reported strong growth compared with national benchmarks. Board members also noted that schools with low staff turnover and strong principal implementation—Fair Play Elementary was cited as an example—have produced faster gains, and staff said the district plans targeted coaching and professional development to replicate successful practice.
Board members and staff discussed how high‑performing schools can show less numeric growth because there is less room to improve, while lower‑performing schools can record larger percentage gains. The board was told the district added I‑Ready for middle schools after the budget process and also funded related professional development; staff said they will continue to evaluate whether additional tools or supports are needed in upcoming budget deliberations.
The presentation closed with staff noting targeted plans for ESOL and exceptional children programs and commitments to monitor implementation and report progress to the board.
