Many Horace Mann families are familiar with AIMSweb as the assessment tool the district has used for many years to benchmark students' reading skills, both decoding and comprehension. In recent years, we've also added the "running records" as part of Reading Workshop that tell us what level book (that is, letter) is appropriate for each student. Teachers use these assessments, in addition to daily observations of student work and other tests, such as the KRA for kindergarten and the AIR tests for grades 3-5, to guide their planning for reading instruction.
When Ohio adopted the Common Core State Standards several years ago, it necessitated a significant change to instruction for many subjects, especially math. Responsively, Lakewood adopted Eureka as our curriculum, and we've used the assessments for each module--as well as daily "exit tickets"-- to see how students are doing. While those tools have worked well, we've been lacking the overview of student skills that AIMSweb provides for reading.
After careful research, the district decided to try i-Ready, an adaptive diagnostic math assessment for students in grades 3-5. This online tool provides a custom assessment for each child by giving an easier or harder item based on student performance. Thus, no two students have the same test, and the experience yields highly individualized information. Since it is built on the Common Core, the test explores exactly what we need to know about student skills and is expected to provide a roadmap for planning instruction. If you are curious to learn more, here is a link to the iReady website: i-Ready.
While we still have plenty to learn about using i-Ready, I feel optimistic about its potential. After all, when we need to make changes, the worst thing to do is nothing at all. By adding this simple, kid-friendly assessment to our toolbox, we are making good on the district's commitment to actively engage students in their learning.
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