Educators Raise Concerns Over i-Ready Software
In interviews with ten current and former teachers from states including New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and California, significant concerns were voiced regarding the time lost and increased administrative burdens associated with the i-Ready software. Many educators reported that the platform quizzes students on material they have not yet encountered, with instances such as kindergarteners being asked, “What is 98 minus 17?” Others pointed out that questions repeat annually, without any option to bypass content students already understand. Additionally, some teachers noted that many students do not take the i-Ready assessments seriously, intentionally answering questions incorrectly to receive easier queries.
Teachers Feel Like Supervisors Rather Than Instructors
Altaïr Main, a high school math and science teacher in North Hollywood, expressed frustration, stating that i-Ready has reduced him to a “glorified babysitter” supervising “kids staring at their Chromebooks.” To accommodate the testing demands, he felt compelled to cut back on hands-on lab activities.
Criticism of Cost and Effectiveness
In Anchorage, where Mr. Petersen tutors math, the school district committed $6.75 million to i-Ready over seven years, a decision that left him unimpressed. He criticized the software for not allowing students to publish their work and deemed the data generated as largely irrelevant, given that many students do not engage with the program seriously. “They turn the volume all the way down and hold the button until the screen changes,” Petersen said. “They haven’t learned anything.”
Mixed Reviews on Student Performance
Despite these criticisms, Anchorage School District spokesperson Corey Allen Young contended that administrators have observed “positive trends” in students’ math proficiency on standardized tests since i-Ready’s implementation. He asserted that, based on these results, the district intends to maintain its use of the software as part of its math instruction program.
Efforts to Improve i-Ready Experience
Ty Holmes, Chief Impact Officer at Curriculum Associates, acknowledged the complaints about i-Ready and mentioned that the company is actively soliciting feedback to implement improvements. He announced that the i-Ready benchmark test will be shortened and that upcoming weekly lessons will be more interactive.
Transforming the Business Model
In 2008, Curriculum Associates faced a financial crisis, with sufficient cash to operate for only 82 days. Under the leadership of then-CEO Rob Waldron, the company pivoted to technology, launching i-Ready during a period when educational standards, such as the Common Core, were being adopted nationwide. Investment firm Berkshire Partners subsequently acquired the company in 2017, praising its “remarkable growth.”
Growing Concerns Over Educational Technology
As criticism of educational technology increases, some teachers have voiced feelings of being “handcuffed” by mandated programs like i-Ready. Jonathan Click, a Florida teacher, shared that despite initial recognition for his use of the software, he found it lacking in predictive validity for student success. He noted that students who succeed in i-Ready often struggle on state tests, prompting his decision to incorporate alternative instructional methods that have proven more effective.
