i-Ready Report: Seeing the impact of intentional investment

Steady improvement in i-Ready test outcomes is a team effort led by our District Academic Team, which works closely with schools to support and advance our training initiatives. From left, Amber Murphy, Elizabeth Vallejo, Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Kelly Fithen, Tiffany Austin, and Alyson Hill.

Years of consistent,intentional investment in teacher support and instruction are showing measurable results for CCPS students.

Since 2023, the district has focused on providing premium instructional resources, professional learning, and targeted staff support, an investment that is paying off.

“When we invest in top-tier resources, we invest in our students,” said Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Kelly Fithen.

As district academic specialists reviewed end-of-year i-Ready data, they looked beyond single-year growth and examined trends over time to evaluate whether instructional priorities are making a lasting impact.

One area showing clear progress is early literacy.

Since 2023–2024, CCPS has strengthened foundational reading through explicit phonics instruction and IMSE Orton-Gillingham teacher training, building instructional expertise.

That work is now showing measurable results.

Kindergarten students showed a 10-point increase over three years in end-of-year phonics readiness, growing from 69% to 79%.

First grade students demonstrated an 11-point increase, growing from 49% to 60%.

“These gains represent more than improved scores,”Ms. Fithen said. “They reflect intentional support for teachers, consistent instructional practices, and sustained focus on foundational literacy.”

With that foundation taking hold, the district is preparing for its next phase of growth.

“After establishing a strong foundation and equipping teachers with the tools to teach students how to read, we are now focused on helping students read to learn,” Ms. Fithen said.

To support that work, CCPS will implement new literacy resources across grades 1–12 to strengthen comprehension, critical thinking, and engagement with grade-level texts.

In the area of mathematics, elementary math continues to show growth through instructional coaching, hands-on learning, and conceptual understanding.

Moving forward, CCPS will continue investing in elementary math while piloting additional supports and instructional resources at Baker, RDC, and GRC, where results show improvement is needed.

Ms. Fithen credited her District Academic Team for their hard work, and reinforced that meaningful growth takes time, intentionality, and continued investment.

“We are seeing significant gains in the areas where we have been putting our focus and our intentionality,” Ms. Fithen said. "Now we’re ready to expand our focus to other areas as well.”