A Kentucky Principal’s Perspective on Using Data to Inform Instruction—Not Just Assess It

Words matter in education. They shape how we think, how we express ourselves, and most importantly, how we communicate with our students and their families. So, when I learned that i-Ready Diagnostic would soon be renamed i-Ready Inform™, my reaction was simple: That makes sense.

After three years of using i-Ready in our school, I can say with confidence that the assessment does far more than assess. It informs teachers about where students are. It informs teachers’ next steps for instruction. It informs students to better understand their goals and their progress. It informs conversations with families. And ultimately, it informs better outcomes for students. Though the new name won’t officially take effect until the 2026 school year, the work i-Ready supports has always gone beyond testing.

Our First Encounter with i-Ready

Our journey with i-Ready started when another principal and I visited a top-performing district here in Kentucky. We wanted to understand what they were doing differently. As we sat with their leadership team and teachers, we watched how they used i-Ready reports to determine what students could do, what they couldn’t yet do, and how teachers received specific guidance to address the gaps each student faced. Parent reports were clear and easy to understand. The conversations were focused on action. And the data aligned closely with what students were demonstrating in class and on the state assessment. We realized pretty quickly what we were missing.

From Data on a Shelf to Data in Action

When we returned to our district, we spearheaded an i-Ready pilot. Before i-Ready, we were using another assessment program—and honestly, it wasn’t working. We were testing students constantly, but we still couldn’t clearly identify learning gaps or the prerequisite skills they were missing. The data didn’t guide teachers in what to do next, and the parent reports were difficult for families to interpret. 

i-Ready was different. What sold us wasn’t just the assessment—it was what happened after the assessment. The data didn’t sit on a shelf. Teachers used it. Leaders used it. Students benefited from it. i-Ready provided reliable, precise data that helped teachers personalize instruction in meaningful ways. We knew we could trust the data and that it could be used to inform meaningful instructional practices, including grouping, lesson planning, goal setting, and targeted support as well as impactful lessons for students. 

Three Years in—and the Results Speak for Themselves

We’re now in year three with i-Ready. Our large K–6 school serves a high ESL population, and our community has welcomed families through refugee relocation since the 1990s. We serve nearly 1,000 students, and every single one of them has demonstrated growth, with steady improvement in both reading and math. Last year, our school moved from a green designation to a blue designation, the highest label in Kentucky, and landed in the top 100 elementary schools in the state.

Those results didn’t happen by chance. They happened because teachers had access to accurate, actionable data—and because that data informed their instruction every step of the way. Tools like Teacher Toolbox and Personalized Instruction helped us raise rigor and ensure alignment with grade-level expectations.

Another major shift for us has been family communication. With our previous program, parent reports were a struggle. With i-Ready, reports are clear, accessible, and meaningful. Families can see where their child is, understand progress, and know how to support learning at home. 

Informing Motivation Too

We also work hard to motivate students around assessment, especially since i-Ready is administered three times a year. That first assessment is critical—it sets the benchmark for the entire year—and our administrative team goes all in. We create themes, like rock n’ roll day, celebrate effort, and make the schoolwide experience positive. We pair that with ongoing incentives tied to Personalized Instruction progress, reinforcing that this work matters because it helps students grow. That’s part of informing, too—letting students know why they’re doing the work and how it connects to their own success.

Changing the Conversation around Assessment

At the end of the day, I don't make a big deal about names. But i-Ready Inform is a name that makes sense. It’s not just “one more test.” It’s a tool for lesson planning, collaboration, and growth that pinpoints what we want educators to do with the information. It more closely reflects what the program has helped us do from the beginning: use accurate, trustworthy data to drive better instruction and better outcomes. That’s a name I can stand behind.

Learn more about i-Ready Inform.

More Resources for You:
What Really Matters When Choosing an Assessment
Why Experts Say Assessment Closely Tied to Instruction Is What Students Need
Interim Assessments: Striking the Balance between Insight and Instruction
Why Pairing Assessment and Instruction from Different Companies Generally Doesn’t Work Well
Motivate and Engage Students with Student Data Trackers, Pledge Sheets, and Learning Reflections (Grades K–5 | Grades 6+)