Missouri's Department of Education Approves Curriculum Associates' i-Ready® Assessment to Help Educators Understand K-3 Students' Reading Levels or Reading Readiness

Districts across the state can now use the i-Ready Assessment for Reading for Grades K–5 to meet requirements of the Missouri Read, Lead, Exceed K–3 literacy initiative

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) has named Curriculum Associates' i-Ready Assessment for Reading an approved assessment for the state's Missouri Read, Lead, Exceed literacy initiative. Starting in the 2023–2024 school year, the initiative requires all school districts and charter schools in the state to assess students in Grades K–3 at the beginning and the end of each school year to determine their level of reading or reading readiness. The approval means Missouri districts can now use i-Ready to meet those requirements.

Today, i-Ready serves more than 11 million students and approximately one-third of all students in Grades K–8 in the United States. In Missouri it is already used by 196 school districts – 20 percent of the districts in the state. i-Ready assessments are also aligned to the Missouri Learning Standards and include items similar to those students experience on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP).

"Having the right data enables teachers to provide personalized, targeted support for their students in reading," said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "Data from our i-Ready Assessment will help teachers and administrators in Missouri understand where K-3 students are in their readiness or ability to read so they can develop evidence-based literacy plans and provide effective instruction for their students."

The Missouri Read, Lead, Exceed literacy initiative is the state's comprehensive plan to dedicate $25 million in state funding and just over $35 million in federal relief funding to support student literacy. It was signed into law in June 2022 and includes several literacy requirements for districts, including the beginning- and end-of-year assessments.

More about i-Ready

i-Ready makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for teachers and students. It combines powerful assessments and rich insights with effective and engaging instruction in reading and mathematics to address students' individual needs.

The program's Diagnostic provides educators with actionable criterion-referenced and normative data to deliver impactful, equitable learning experiences. Teachers administer the Diagnostic at the beginning of the school year to chart a course for their instruction and to personalize i-Ready instructional paths. A midyear and end-of-year Diagnostic help students and teachers measure growth and engage together in data chats. Teacher-led and personalized instruction continues throughout the year to help students address unfinished learning and access grade-level content.

All i-Ready district partners have ongoing access to Curriculum Associates' award-winning customer service. This includes dedicated support via the company's Customer Service team, professional development experts, account managers, sales representatives, and Technical Support team, as well as access to the free customer service portal.

To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/i-Ready.

About Curriculum Associates

Founded in 1969, 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.

SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC