Instruction report: district reports retest gains and adopts I-Ready for K–2 math screening

Dr. Murray presented the instruction report and said early remediation efforts produced measurable gains: "We had 15 3rd grade students that passed on their 2nd attempt and 47 2nd grade students who passed on their 2nd attempt," he said, adding that additional students remain in summer school and will have another testing opportunity at the end of the week.

Dr. Murray told trustees that grades 3–8 participated in the first administration of the state’s new summative iLearn assessment; most results are not scheduled for public release until September, though preliminary science results for 4th and 6th grades are above state averages. He said participation in the three-year checkpoint process means the state’s summative window is new for Indiana schools this cycle.

On assessment policy, Dr. Murray said kindergarten through 2nd-grade students will be required to take a universal math screener three times per year (beginning, middle and end of year). The district reviewed two state-approved options — I-Ready (Curriculum Associates) and Forefront Education’s number-sense screener — and chose I-Ready for the 2026–27 pilot year, with a plan to reevaluate after one year.

Dr. Murray framed the change as an early-identification tool: with the state signaling concerns about math achievement, the screener is intended to help teachers intervene earlier rather than to serve as a punitive measure against any school. He said detailed iLearn results will be available in September.

The board received the report as information; no action was required.