Oklahoma State Department of Education Names Curriculum Associates' i-Ready® Assessment an Approved Dyslexia Screener for Grades K-3

Now districts can use the award-winning online program to fulfill both the universal and dyslexia screening requirements outlined by the state's Reading Sufficiency Act

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OKSDE) recently named Curriculum Associates' i-Ready Assessment as an approved dyslexia screener for students in Grades K–3. Now districts across the state can use the award-winning program as both a universal and dyslexia screening assessment tool to meet the state's Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA) requirements. Today, the i-Ready program serves more than 11.5 million students and approximately one-third of all Grades K–8 students in the United States.

"As a single assessment for both universal and dyslexia screening, i-Ready will provide teachers with the rich data they need to drive individualized instruction while saving them time by eliminating the need to administer multiple—and, oftentimes, redundant—assessments," said Elizabeth Bassford, vice president of content and implementation at Curriculum Associates. "With this recent approval, we look forward to supporting even more educators across the state with their screening needs as they work to drive reading achievement for all students."

As detailed in the RSA, each student enrolled in Grades K–3 in a public school in Oklahoma will be screened at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year for grade level–specific reading skills, as identified in the subject-matter standards adopted by the OKSDE. Schools must use a State Board–approved instrument for this screening.

After first being approved as a universal screener in 2021, i-Ready met all the required elements for a dyslexia screening assessment in this latest review by OKSDE. To receive approval, universal and dyslexia screening assessments must provide sufficient evidence in 10 categories, including purpose of screener, evidence of reliability, evidence of validity, required skills assessed, administration requirements, accommodations identified, data management, family resources, support for administration, and professional learning. 

i-Ready makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for Grades K–12 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 teacher-led instruction, set an i-Ready Personalized Instruction path individualized for each student, and identify students' differentiated growth goals for the year. A midyear and end-of-year Diagnostic help students and teachers measure growth and have data chats. Teacher-led and personalized instruction continue throughout the year to help students address their learning gaps and access grade-level learning.

For screening for potential risk factors of dyslexia, i-Ready blends its Diagnostic with additional assessment tasks. This leverages the most current research on dyslexia screening and adheres to the recommendations of the International Dyslexia Association. Districts can use the program as a screening tool to help educators determine if further assessment and specialized reading intervention may be appropriate for individual students. 

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 learning experts, partner success managers, educational sales consultants, and Technical Support team, as well as access to the free customer service portal.

To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/Reviews/State-of-Oklahoma.

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