Washoe trustees extend I-Ready contract for one year, require 3 progress reports

Washoe County School District trustees voted 5'to'2 on May 12 to approve a one-year extension of the district's I-Ready math and reading site licenses, while directing staff to return to the board at least three times during the 2026'7 school year with evaluation results and implementation updates.

The proposal, presented by Chief Academic Officer Don Enatti and Chief Information Officer Dr. Chris Turner, asked trustees to continue the district's existing subscription while a more formal, year-long evaluation is completed. Staff emphasized that the diagnostic portion of I-Ready is required for the state's Read by Grade Three law and that the district has budgeted for the vendor subscription in prior financial plans.

At the meeting, Dr. Turner said the platform '2 is a comprehensive assessment system that combines diagnostic assessments with personalized instruction and a robust data tool.'2 Enatti told trustees the publisher recommends a 'sweet spot' of around 30 to 45 minutes per week for student MyPath work. District staff said current average use at many grade levels is near the lower end of that range.

Opponents and many teachers who testified at public comment questioned whether the platform's instructional component should be used universally. Brandy Vesco, a parent and former ed-tech reporter, urged trustees to reject renewal: '2A product that has not already been proven to be both beneficial and safe for students should not have been purchased in the first place,'2 she said.

Kayn Evans, president of the Washoe Education Association, told trustees that a union survey of more than 900 educators showed strong support for retaining the diagnostic tool but widespread concern that the instructional use reduces teacher autonomy and instructional minutes.

District staff pledged to limit unintended effects and to monitor actual implementation. Dr. Turner noted existing contract language that prohibits selling student data and said Curriculum Associates asserts compliance with federal statutes; he also told trustees a federal class-action lawsuit alleging improper data sharing is pending in Massachusetts and that Curriculum Associates has filed a motion to dismiss.

The final motion carried with five trustees in favor and two opposed. The motion requires the district to provide at least three formal progress updates to the board during the 2026'7 school year covering program evaluation, fidelity of implementation, recommended adjustments to usage or licensing, and any material legal or privacy developments.

What happens next: staff said they will begin the evaluation work immediately, gathering student achievement and fidelity metrics, soliciting teacher, student and family feedback, and returning to the board on the schedule mandated in the motion.

Authorities and budget: presenters said the initial adoption was paid from ESSER funds and that the district had anticipated general-fund support. Staff noted earlier planning estimates of $2.2 million annually that had been reduced in subsequent updates to roughly $2.0 million and said partial state reimbursement for the K'03 reading screener is estimated at about $100,000'$140,000 per year. The contract line item shown in the meeting materials contained a formatting error in the printed agenda; trustees directed staff to publish corrected contract figures in follow-up materials.

Ending: Trustees said they took the vote reluctantly but believed a one-year extension with required reporting would allow the district to protect students, comply with state requirements and collect more local data to decide whether broader renewal is warranted.

Quote attribution: All quotes and attributions in this article come from meeting testimony and public comment and are attributed to the speakers who made them.