Dearborn Heights D7 math pilot recommends Envision for kindergarten, i‑Ready for grades 1–5

Valerie, the district’s elementary math instructional coach, told the Dearborn Heights School District #7 board that a two‑year pilot comparing Envision and i‑Ready produced a split preference: Envision performed strongest in kindergarten while i‑Ready showed greater consistency and teacher satisfaction in grades 1–5.

"Our final recommendation based on pilot data is i‑Ready demonstrates stronger overall satisfaction and instructional consistency across grade 1 through 5, while Envision is better aligned to kindergarten," Valerie said, summarizing survey results collected from 35 teacher responses. Teachers piloted both curricula at each grade level and then completed surveys; 18 responses favored i‑Ready and 17 favored Envision, the presenter said.

The recommendation calls for a split adoption so kindergarten would use Envision while grades 1–5 adopt i‑Ready. Valerie said the model aligns each program’s strengths to grade‑level needs and reduces the need for heavy supplementation in kindergarten. She also urged the board to act quickly so materials arrive before the school year: "I'm hoping that this can get pushed through as quickly as possible so that we will have the materials to start the year," she said.

During board questions, a trustee asked whether kindergarteners would face a transition cost if they began with Envision and moved to i‑Ready in first grade. A kindergarten teacher who participated in the pilot responded that Envision produced noticeably higher student engagement and made classroom routines easier to manage for five‑year‑olds: "As soon as I pulled the workbooks out, the kids are like, 'yes. We're going back to this one.'" The teacher said i‑Ready required more prep time and, for some kindergarten students, less‑developmentally appropriate pacing.

Staff clarified that the district would continue to use the i‑Ready diagnostic as a three‑times‑a‑year assessment regardless of the daily curriculum choice; diagnostics are adaptive tests intended to place students at the instructional level for progress monitoring. The presenter and trustees agreed to postpone any final adoption vote until the next board meeting so budget implications and contract language can be reviewed and incorporated into an action item.

The pilot team’s recommendation will appear as a superintendent’s recommendation at the next board meeting, at which trustees are expected to vote on the adoption and associated purchase schedule.

What’s next: The board will receive budget details and a formal action item at the next meeting before any contract is approved.