NYSED names Curriculum Associates' i-Ready® Diagnostic for Grades 9-12 as an Approved Measure of Student Growth

Online diagnostic for reading and math to help New York State school districts and BOCES define student growth for teacher and principal evaluations

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Curriculum Associates' i-Ready Diagnostic for Reading and Math for Grades 9-12 has been approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as a measure of student achievement or growth. As a result, i-Ready Diagnostic will subsequently contribute to teachers' and principals' annual performance appraisals per the state's teacher evaluation requirements.

i-Ready Diagnostic for Grades 9-12, as well as the previously-approved i-Ready Diagnostic for Grades K-8, is on the List of Approved Student Assessments for Use by School Districts and BOCES in Teacher and Principal Evaluations. A statewide BOCES contract makes a portion of local districts' purchases of i-Ready Diagnostic eligible for state aid reimbursement.

To be approved by the NYSED, Curriculum Associates had to follow a very strict and thorough process, demonstrating an exemplary standard of validity and reliability, as well as the ability to support local districts' implementation of the product.

"i-Ready Diagnostic provides a valid and reliable online assessment that schools and districts throughout the state of New York – and across the country – can use to not only meet evaluation requirements, but to accurately identify students' strengths and weaknesses," said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "The diagnostic is powerful in helping to deliver data-driven instruction to increase student outcomes, and in providing a measure to gauge teachers' and principals' effectiveness."

About i-Ready Diagnostic for Grades 9-12

This August, Curriculum Associates expanded its diagnostic assessment to include Grades 9-12 for both reading and math. With the expansion into high school, i-Ready Diagnostic creates a seamless K–12 experience and provides educators with a single measure to track student growth over time and throughout a student's K–12 career.

The assessment items feature an extensive use of compare and contrast, as well as multimedia items to reflect the increased rigor of the Common Core standards at the high school level.

More About i-Ready

Built for the Common Core, i-Ready Diagnostic & Instruction helps students make real gains. It combines a valid and reliable measure and personalized instruction into a single online product that saves teachers time at a fraction of the cost of similar products.

The adaptive diagnostic pinpoints student needs down to the sub-skill level and generates a combination of online instruction and downloadable teacher-led lessons that are unique to each student's diagnostic result. These individualized learning plans are easy to understand and implement. 

Recently, i-Ready was named the winner in the Best Student Assessment Solution category of the 2013 Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) CODiE Awards. The SIIA CODiE Awards are the premier award for the software and information industries and have been recognizing product excellence for 27 years.

For more information, please visit www.i-Ready.com/empower, and visit Curriculum Associates' YouTube channel to watch video testimonials from teachers and administrators using i-Ready: http://youtu.be/98IU2V9XGDM.

About Curriculum Associates

Founded in 1969, privately owned Curriculum Associates, LLC, designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students. For company and product information, visit Curriculum Associates on the Web at http://www.CurriculumAssociates.com or call 800-225-0248.

SOURCE Curriculum Associates