Muscatine board adopts I-Ready K'5 math curriculum, approves $548,910.97 purchase

The Muscatine Community School District Board of Education voted May 11 to adopt the I-Ready K'5 math curriculum and approve a purchase of $548,910.97 to implement the program across elementary schools.

Joelle McConaughey, the district's director of curriculum, teaching and learning, summarized a yearlong adoption process that piloted two programs, Reveal (McGraw Hill) and I-Ready (Curriculum Associates), in three elementary schools. McConaughey said the selection team included classroom teachers, special-education and dual-language staff, coaches and administrators and used a consensus process to review research, vendor materials and pilot feedback.

"All grade levels at the end, after much discussion and deliberation, decided on I-Ready as their grade-level recommendation for the district math adoption," said Leslie Bennett, principal at Grant Elementary, who helped lead the consensus process.

Supporters said the pilot produced consistent teacher and student preference data favoring I-Ready and highlighted the platform's embedded diagnostic (MyPath) and tiered intervention tools. Pilot presenters reported that between roughly 71% and 92% of students and large majorities of staff in most grades preferred I-Ready; staff said the diagnostic can be administered up to three times a year and generates data for small-group intervention.

Teachers and principals also flagged implementation needs, including manipulatives and hands-on kits, additional professional development tailored by grade level, and guidance on using the diagnostic effectively. Several presenters described occasional "clunkiness" in both digital platforms and said those issues are inherent to learning new systems.

"There's a lot of differentiation embedded in the curriculum," Bennett said, adding that the diagnostic and teacher tools were a major selling feature for meeting students' varied needs.

Staff described supports for dual-language and English-learner students and said Curriculum Associates offers additional resources that the district will purchase as part of the program. The board's presentation included a preliminary materials quote and a final purchase figure of $548,910.97 that includes professional development, manipulatives and digital components.

The board moved and seconded the recommendation and approved the purchase by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. The motion to adopt I-Ready was moved by Speaker 2 and seconded by Speaker 8, and the board signaled approval with the customary "aye." (The transcript did not include a recorded roll-call vote listing members by name for this motion.)

The district plans a kickoff professional-development event in August and ongoing training through the next school year. Staff said they will phase implementation, provide grade-level training, and monitor the diagnostic data to support Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Board members asked staff to ensure strong vertical alignment with middle- and high-school math so that students transition smoothly after fifth grade.

Next steps: staff will finalize contracts and begin vendor-led training and materials distribution ahead of the 2026'27 school year.