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East Haven curriculum review recommends i‑Ready for middle‑school math
Summary
A district review team recommended adopting i‑Ready Classroom Mathematics for grades 6–8 after year‑long pilots and rubric‑based evaluation; the team cited balance of conceptual work and built‑in supports for students with learning gaps.
A year‑long district review has produced a unanimous recommendation to adopt i‑Ready Classroom Mathematics as the core middle‑school math program, Assistant Superintendent Lisa Veleas and Instructional Leader Jennifer Bauer told the East Haven Board of Education at its March 24 meeting.
The committee examined three programs — i‑Ready Classroom Mathematics, Illustrative Mathematics and Envision — using publisher presentations, classroom piloting (sixth grade piloted i‑Ready), and rubric‑based scoring with the Achieve the Core EQuIP tool. The team also consulted EdReports and solicited input from special education and multilingual learner staff to assess supports for students with learning gaps.
According to the presenters, Illustrative Mathematics offered high rigor and strong opportunities for mathematical discourse but required substantial teacher expertise and limited scaffolding for students who need more support. Envision, the district’s current program, was characterized as accessible and easy to implement but more procedural and less consistent in supporting higher‑level thinking. Presenters described i‑Ready as the most balanced option — combining conceptual understanding and procedural fluency while providing integrated instructional supports and accessibility for a wide range of learners.
"Based on the comprehensive review, the team unanimously recommends adopting i‑Ready Classroom Mathematics as the district’s core middle school math program," Lisa Veleas said. The presenters noted that supplemental resources and targeted professional development would be required to raise task rigor and sustain student discourse.
Next steps spelled out by the presenters include developing implementation "look‑fors" for classroom walkthroughs, continuing targeted professional learning focused on increasing cognitive demand, refining common assessments and supporting teachers with strategies to enhance mathematical tasks. The recommendation aligned with ongoing district professional learning, including the application of NCTM’s Principles to Action.
The board heard the recommendation as part of the Assistant Superintendent's report; the transcript shows no formal board vote on program adoption at this meeting. Implementation planning and additional committee presentations were listed as next steps.
