Q: What do you mean by taking a test to fidelity?
A: This refers to students taking the diagnostic test seriously, not rushing through responses and not randomly clicking answers.
Q: Do you evaluate how quickly a child takes the test to know if they were clicking to get through it - or if they never finished the test?
A: We can tell if a student is rushing through the test. Their test will get flagged.
Q: Do we know when the next assessment will be?
A: The next assessment will begin the week of 13 January. The dates of the assessments were shared in a ParentSquare post at the beginning of September (https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/36390662)
Q: Is it possible to see a demonstration of the adaptive test?
A: There is a simulator to allow you to see the nature of the test but not the actual test itself. You can access this simulator here: Diagnostic Simulator.
Q: For areas that need growth, do you provide recommended resources we can leverage at home?
A: The Parent Report provides skill areas that should be addressed based on the assessment responses. The reports provided to teachers provide specific problems and exercises for the students to complete to improve the area in need of growth.
Q: Should the family report look like the sample ones you shared? I don't see growth goals on my report (or specific grade placements).
A: The reports provided to families have differences than those accessible by teachers. The teacher reports have far more detail regarding recommended activities and exercises the student should complete.
Q: For the recent Fall assessment, does “approaching grade level” mean they are currently below their current grade level or that they understand material from the grade they just completed, but not material from the grade they just entered?
A: Students are not expected to demonstrate mastery of the grade-level standards of the grade they just entered in September. Approaching the grade level that they just started is within a normal range expected for students. So for example, if your child started second grade in September 2024, their report may say approaching second grade for the fall 2024 diagnostic.
Q: Is “at grade level” meaning the end of the year expectations or the expectations at the time they took the test during that year
Q: After the first diagnostic, should the child be at their current grade level or at the previous grade level?
A: “At grade level” looks different in September than it does in June, and the assessment results take into account the difference in time. The diagnostic results provide a snapshot of where the student is at that moment of time. It is not uncommon to have some components be ahead of grade level, others at grade level, and others behind grade level. i-Ready provides specific feedback to educators to help the student get all skills to at least their current grade level.
Q: What if the NWEA score and i-Ready scores are different?
A: i-Ready utilizes criterion and normative referenced reporting. Criterion-referenced scale scores and grade-level placements compare a student’s performance to a predetermined set of skills at each grade level based on New York State standards. Each student’s performance is compared directly to these skills. This data connects to specific skills and resources to inform instruction specifically for that student. NWEA utilizes only normative-reference reporting. Normative-referenced scores (i.e., national norms) indicate how a student performed compared to a nationally representative sample of grade-level peers testing at the same time of the year. Also, please keep in mind that NWEA was last administered at the end of a school year, which will affect the normative referenced score students obtained compared to the i-Ready fall administration, which is pre grade-level learning.
Q: If we see on the score report there is a specific area (e.g., Fractions) in math that did not as well, is there a way for the child to practice just fractions in iReady?
A: The child will have additional practice in all areas of need based on the diagnostic via My Path. This speaks to the importance of students working on their My Path based on the recommendation, which is 30-40 minutes total per subject per week. There is also the availability for educators to assign lessons based on areas of need based on the diagnostic. Additionally, teachers will work with students in the classroom based on their areas of growth.
Q: Is there still an evaluation of kids in the classroom with paper and pencil or is this the only way? Are there any workbooks as well?
Q: How are the children assessed in math for report cards etc? Are there unit tests? And are these paper based or also digital?
Q: Are worktexts available for all grades?
A: Although i-Ready has a strong online component, much of our use of the program involves the physical student workbooks, physical mathematics manipulatives in class, and paper-and-pencil quizzes and tests. All students have their own grade-level workbooks. Teachers have digital access to all levels. The online component that is essential to student progress is the My Path aspect of the program. This “learning path” is customized for each student based on their assessment results. Students should spend upwards of 40-45 minutes per week on this online work.
Q: If I can access my kid’s i-Ready, do the kids know their ID and PW? And can I do this via their Chromebook?
Q: Will we need to sign in via the child’s school computer or can we sign in from any computer
Q: Do parents get an ID/Password to sign in to see their dashboard, or do we use their login credentials?
A: Students access i-Ready via the single-sign on (Clever) that is on their district issued device. Parents should use these same login credentials to access the i-Ready online platform. Parents can access this platform from any device; it does not have to be on the district Chromebook.
Q: How could we check if the i-Ready assessment was an accurate reflection of knowledge versus familiarity or lack of familiarity with the program?
A: The questions on the screener are linked to New York State standards and are looking to gauge a student's understanding of grade-level standards. The questions are not program specific, they are New York State standards specific. It is a diagnostic assessment that is adaptive based on how students respond.
Q: If the end of year diagnostics states they are not at Grade Level, will the student be at risk for re-taking the grade?
A: No, that in itself will not put them at risk for repeating the grade. The diagnostic information provides important details for the teacher next year. Additionally, the students My Path will be available during the summer for practice of weak skills.
