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Ferndale board treats fall i-Ready results as a new baseline and flags gaps in upper grades
Summary
After switching from NWEA to i-Ready, district leaders said fall 2024 will serve as a new baseline; results show pockets of strength K-3 but dips beginning around grade 5, and the district plans building-level growth plans, additional training and math support from Oakland Schools.
District leaders told the Ferndale School Board on Nov. 18 that the fall 2024 benchmark administration will be treated as a new baseline after transitioning assessment platforms from NWEA to i-Ready.
Administrators said they administered i-Ready Diagnostics (math K-10, reading grades 2-10) and DIBELS (reading K-5) and observed "pockets of success" in kindergarten through third grade, while reading and math performance dips were more notable in grades five and up. Presenters underscored that fall results represent a starting point for measuring year-over-year growth on the new platform.
The district has uploaded i-Ready scores into EXL so every student has a personalized "prescription" of skills. The board heard that the district has invested in multiple training rounds for administrators and teachers, with additional staff training scheduled in January so teachers can act on fall-to-winter growth data. Oakland Schools is providing math instructional support, shifting focus this year to fourth grade after supporting sixth grade last year.
Presenters showed subgroup breakdowns (gender, race, economically disadvantaged status and resident vs. school-of-choice enrollment) and cautioned that small cohort sizes can skew percentage-based comparisons. Board members asked for classroom-level questions that will help identify root causes behind students who are two or more grade levels below.
Administrators emphasized building ownership of data: buildings will present short (10'15 minute) data presentations and growth plans at a district MTSS/myIP session on Dec. 12; the district will monitor fall-to-winter and fall-to-fall growth and continue supports including Universal Design for Learning and disciplinary-literacy training.
Board members asked practical questions about testing windows, timing in middle-school schedules and how students experience adaptive testing; district staff said i-Ready offers recommended windows and the district follows vendor guidance while considering classroom logistics.
The presentation closed with a commitment to more granular building-level analysis and public spring growth presentations.
