Minnesota Department of Education Names Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® Assessment an Approved Literacy Screening Tool

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Assessment as an approved Literacy Screening Tool for Grades K–3. Starting in the 2023–2024 school year, districts across the state can use i-Ready’s online Diagnostic and offline literacy assessment tasks to screen students for risk factors of dyslexia in order to provide data-driven instructional support as part of MDE’s Read Well by Third Grade initiative. 

According to its website, the MDE has identified the end of Grade 3 as an expectation for proficient beginning reading for all students and believes providing quality instruction, assessments, interventions, and curriculum is the foundation for developing comprehensive systems of support for all learners. As part of this commitment to reading proficiency, each school district must screen students identified as not reading at grade level for characteristics of dyslexia as well as annually report a summary of the district’s efforts to screen and identify students with characteristics of dyslexia.

“i-Ready provides teachers with a single, comprehensive assessment to help them deliver data-driven and personalized support to all students,” said Elizabeth Bassford, vice president of content and implementation at Curriculum Associates. “Our platform and offline literacy assessment tasks will help teachers across the state understand if a student is—or is not—on track to grade-level reading proficiency, as well as early-identified students who may be at risk for dyslexia, so they can quickly and efficiently provide specialized supports as needed.”  

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. 

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 continue 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, partner success managers, sales representatives, and Technical Support team, as well as access to the free customer service portal.

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.

To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/i-Ready. To learn more about the recent MDE approval, visit Education.MN.gov/MDE/DSE/Prof. 

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. 

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