I‑Ready diagnostics show winter gains; John Knight Middle School credits classroom systems and student goals

Dixon Unified’s assistant superintendent for education services, Dr. Lisa Estupin, presented winter I‑Ready diagnostic results to the board, reporting districtwide progress from fall to winter in reading and math while also identifying persistent gaps in early elementary literacy.

Estupin said the data show “more greens than reds overall,” a shorthand trained staff use for students at or near grade level versus those well below. She highlighted first grade reading data that improved from an estimated 5 percent mid‑or‑above grade level in the fall to 15 percent in the winter, and she told trustees that across the district “a higher percentage of students this year are in the green, 33% compared to last year, which was 30%.”

Estupin emphasized early grades as a priority: diagnostic domains and grade‑level breakdowns indicate foundational literacy in TK–2 is likely limiting later growth. To address that, district staff described a contract with Core Literacy to implement supports at three elementary sites, classroom‑level professional development for teachers and principal‑level follow‑up with the educational services team.

John Knight Middle School teachers Sheila Heard and Mariana Oribe described site practices they say helped produce gains in math and reading. Heard described classroom routines and a campus culture that reinforce student ownership of scores: “We put it in a sheet protector, they stick it in their AVID binder... Every student knows their score, they know their grade level, they know how many points they need to raise to meet their stretch goal.” She summarized practical classroom steps: “We encourage students to show work, show work, show work.”

Teachers also outlined testing protocols (headphones, quiet testing conditions, paper for showing work), a weekly lesson day dedicated to I‑Ready, and celebrations for growth. Heard introduced student speakers including Gemma Christopher, who said her score rose two grade levels, and Alex White, who said of his three‑grade‑level jump: “When I saw I went up 3 levels, I was very proud of myself.”

Math showed smaller but positive gains; the district is piloting new math curriculum options and planning recommendations for next‑year adoption. Estupin reported that typical‑growth targets were met or exceeded for most grades but flagged first and fifth grades in reading and special education groups in math as areas needing more attention.

Next steps the board heard: school‑level professional development for elementary teachers, full rollout of Core Literacy support across three elementary sites, pilot adoption work for math curriculum K–8, and principal meetings with education services to identify and scale best practices.