Curriculum Associates' i-Ready® Assessment Named to the Georgia Department of Education Approved List of Gifted Identification Screeners

Districts across the state can now use data from the i-Ready Assessment for Mathematics and Reading to help identify students eligible for gifted education programs

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has added Curriculum Associates' i-Ready Assessment for Grades K–12 to its approved list of Gifted Education Assessment Measures to identify students' eligibility for gifted education programs in the achievement domain. With this approval, districts throughout the state can now use their existing reading and mathematics data from the i-Ready Assessment as a source of evidence to support a referral for gifted education programs. The i-Ready normative scores can be used to determine if students meet the criteria in the achievement category of the evaluation and eligibility process, eliminating the need for a separate achievement assessment.

"The i-Ready Assessment data is powerful in helping teachers identify students' strengths and needs so they can provide more personalized instruction," said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "The Georgia Department of Education's approval of i-Ready to support gifted identification will help districts throughout the state save valuable time and resources by eliminating the need for another achievement assessment. A more efficient screening process will also help schools connect students more quickly with services that help them reach their full potential."

The GaDOE gifted education screening process requires information be gathered about a student in four categories: mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation. In order to be eligible to receive gifted programming, students must qualify in three of the four categories, or they must have a qualifying score in both the mental ability and achievement categories. i-Ready data is used in the achievement category.

Today, the award-winning i-Ready program serves more than 40 percent (i.e., 485,000) of students in Grades K–8 across almost 100 districts in Georgia.

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 assessment provides educators with actionable criterion-referenced and normative data to deliver impactful, equitable learning experiences. Teachers administer the assessment at the beginning of the school year to chart a course for their instruction and to personalize i-Ready instructional paths. Midyear and end-of-year assessments help students and teachers measure growth and engage together in data chats. Teacher-led and personalized instruction continues 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, account managers, sales representatives, and Technical Support team, as well as access to the free customer service portal.

To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/i-Ready.

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.

Contact:     Kati Elliott                        Charlotte Fixler
                   KEH Communications     Curriculum Associates
                  (410) 975-9638                (978) 901-6066
                  [email protected]        [email protected]

SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC