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District reports midyear literacy gains and flags limits of I-Ready
Summary
District staff reported midyear reading gains (red/dark-red rates down from 31% to 22%) and described use of multiple assessments (Dibels, BRI, Benchmark Advance); staff said I-Ready remains useful but "is not meeting the mark" as a sole metric and recommended relying on multiple data sources.
District staff presented midyear assessment data and described changes to how the district will use diagnostic tools.
A staff presenter identified in the meeting transcript as Jackie said the district's midyear reading data shows improvement: "we went from 31% in the red and dark red to 22%." Jackie explained that Dibels provides targeted, actionable next steps — especially in kindergarten and first grade — and recommended using Dibels with other measures rather than relying on I-Ready alone.
On mathematics, presenters said Eureka Math Squared benchmark assessments align more closely with state expectations than I-Ready, and that benchmark data have been more useful for guiding instruction. "I-Ready is not meeting the mark where it used to be," a staff presenter said after a month-long review, and Heather (staff) prepared a detailed summary of I-Ready's strengths and shortcomings for the board.
Staff also described implementation of the Basic Reading Inventory (BRI) for second and third grades and continued use of Hegarty phonemic-awareness checks in kindergarten and first grade; Benchmark Advance and Benchmark Phonics are being used at appropriate intermediate grades. Presenters noted a reported second-grade cohort that went from 23% in the red to higher performance bands by midyear, and emphasized continued focus on fluency, automaticity, and tier-one instruction.
Board members asked whether the district should reduce reliance on I-Ready; staff said the district will continue to use I-Ready for some instructional materials but will widen reliance on Dibels, BRI and benchmark assessments and report back as more full-year data are collected.
The board scheduled an upcoming meeting with an art department showcase and a grants update to follow district work; staff said a grants update by Jay Roscopf will include discussion of the Wallace Foundation grant and other award status.
