Board hears presentation on proposed K-5 adoption of I-Ready classroom mathematics

The district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Jean Winkler, and Marissa Tute, math and science curriculum specialist at A.W. Becker, presented their review and recommended adoption plan for an elementary math curriculum, saying I-Ready Classroom Mathematics rose to the top of a multi-step vetting process.

Winkler described two main drivers of the review: inconsistent, locally developed materials across grades K'5 and a desire for a single, research-based curriculum. "We believe that by exploring a commercially developed product that had been reviewed and vetted would assure us that we would have a curriculum that was standards aligned, tightly aligned to standards, and research based," she said.

Tute and Winkler said the advisory team included a diverse group of teachers who reviewed print and digital resources, visited a nearby school using I-Ready and examined four candidate products before narrowing to I-Ready. The presenters highlighted features they said teachers valued: explicit alignment to grade-level standards, a diagnostic assessment that connects to individualized practice, embedded digital resources for remediation and enrichment, and professional learning support from Curriculum Associates and Capital Region BOCES.

Winkler described the classroom routine emphasized by the program: try-discuss-connect and extensive "math talk" where students attempt problems, turn-and-talk with partners, and present strategies to the class; she said this structure builds student agency and conceptual understanding. "It's based on a structure that relies on student engagement and learning through a lot of math talk, explaining their reasoning and learning from one another," she said.

Implementation details noted in the presentation: the elementary rollout is K'5; pre-K uses a separate curriculum and the middle school will remain on eMath for now. Staff said teachers and curriculum coaches have supported classrooms and that they are about six weeks into implementation with ongoing professional development and coaching. Board members asked about transition from grade 5 to middle school; staff said middle-school teachers have been using a similar student-centered approach and the district plans summer transition work for teachers and alignment planning.

Why it matters: The recommended adoption would standardize elementary instruction across the district, provide built-in diagnostics and differentiated supports, and change classroom routines to emphasize student discourse. Board members acknowledged the workload of switching curricula and asked about teacher training and vertical alignment to the middle school program.

Next steps: The presentation was informational; the board did not record a formal adoption vote during this meeting. Staff said they will continue professional learning and prepare materials for any subsequent formal adoption or first-reading action.