The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Assessment as an approved Comparable Assessment to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee with Dyslexia Screening (K–3 Diagnostic/Dyslexia Screener) and Tier 1 Dyslexia Screening Measure (Dyslexia Screener). Starting in the 2023–2024 school year, districts across the state can now use i-Ready’s online Diagnostic and offline literacy assessment tasks to screen for risk factors of dyslexia and help provide data-driven instructional support to students. In addition, i-Ready can now be used for five additional assessment areas as outlined by the ODE this coming school year.
“Districts and schools throughout Ohio can now leverage the power of i-Ready for a number of their assessment needs, including screening students who many need specialized supports to excel in reading,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “Having a single, comprehensive assessment solution such as i-Ready is so important because it eliminates the need for districts to administer multiple, redundant assessments. This gives teachers more time back in their schedules so they can deliver impactful and personalized instruction, which is critical for the achievement of all students.”
According to the ODE, approved assessments on the Comparable Assessment to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee with Dyslexia Screening (K–3 Diagnostic/Dyslexia Screener) list may be used by school districts to determine if a student is—or is not—on track in reading, as well as to identify students at risk for dyslexia based on direct assessment of performance in several key areas. The results from the approved assessments, such as i-Ready, may be used by school districts to guide instruction and intervention throughout the school year.
i-Ready supports educators in screening for potential risk factors of dyslexia. The combination of the Diagnostic with the additional assessment tasks 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.
In addition to the Comparable Assessments to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee with Dyslexia Screening (K–3 Diagnostic/Dyslexia Screener) and Tier 1 Dyslexia Screening Measure (Dyslexia Screener) approvals, the ODE has approved i-Ready for the following lists for the 2023–2024 school year:
- Comparable Assessments to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee (K–3 Diagnostic)
- Alternative Standardized Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee (Alternative Reading)
- Alternative Standardized Assessment for Grades 3–8 (Alternative 3–8) for Chartered Nonpublic Schools
- High-Quality Student Data
- Gifted Prescreening and Identification (Gifted Assessment)
The ODE creates these approved lists to “assist districts in selecting tools that will maximize their use of time and resources and provide high educational value.”
To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/i-Ready. To learn more about the recent ODE approval, visit Education.Ohio.gov/Topics/List-of-Approved-Assessments-2019-2020 List of Approved Assessments.
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.