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EdReady as Skills Assessment

Pinpointing Gaps, Personalizing Growth

Program Summary

EdReady as Skills Assessment is the foundational use of the EdReady Montana platform in grade 6-12 settings. It is a powerful, free, and adaptive diagnostic tool that empowers students and teachers by providing a precise, real-time snapshot of academic readiness in middle and high school Math.

Student smiles at laptop while she studies.

The core of the program is the Knowledge Inventory (Diagnostic Assessment). Unlike standardized tests, this diagnostic is a low-stakes, instructional tool that:

  1. Pinpoints Knowledge Gaps: It identifies exactly which foundational concepts a student has mastered and which they have not.
  2. Generates a Personalized Study Path: Based on the results, EdReady builds a custom learning itinerary, filled with engaging multimedia resources, that focuses only on the unmastered concepts.
  3. Facilitates Targeted Instruction: Educators gain access to robust, real-time data to inform classroom instruction, intervention, and differentiation.

How Schools Use EdReady to Build the Pathway to College

Montana K-12 schools leverage EdReady to assess and drive student readiness at critical educational junctions:

  • Diagnostic testing: Teachers use the diagnostic at the beginning of the year or semester to identify specific skills gaps from previous grades. The personalized study path then becomes a student-led, self-paced remediation tool.
  • Skills Check: Schools then use periodic skills check diagnostics to test comprehension and retention of skills throughout the semester or school year and to see where additional study time might be needed for individual students.
  • Standardized Test Preparation (ACT/SAT/MAST): EdReady goals are often customized to align with the core competencies tested on exams like the ACT or SAT. Students can focus their study on the exact topics they need to master to improve their test scores.
  • Curriculum Supplement and Differentiation: In a classroom setting, a teacher can assign EdReady to provide individualized practice for students who are either struggling (intervention) or ready to accelerate (enrichment), ensuring every student works on content targeted to their unique needs.
  • Transition Readiness: Schools use the assessment to ensure students are ready for key transitions, such as the move from Middle School Math to High School Algebra or from High School to College-Level English.

Example Use Cases

Scenario

Challenge

EdReady Solution

Outcome

Middle School Intervention

A group of 8th graders has foundational math gaps that will prevent success in Algebra I.

The teacher assigns a targeted “Algebra Readiness” EdReady goal.  Teachers use results from the diagnostic to customize the study plans for each student.

Students work independently on their personalized paths to master specific pre-algebra concepts before beginning the course, leading to higher confidence and success in Algebra I.

Middle School Intervention

Challenge: A group of 8th graders has foundational math gaps that will prevent success in Algebra I.

EdReady Solution: The teacher assigns a targeted “Algebra Readiness” EdReady goal.  Teachers use results from the diagnostic to customize the study plans for each student.

Outcome: Students work independently on their personalized paths to master specific pre-algebra concepts before beginning the course, leading to higher confidence and success in Algebra I.

High School Test Prep

A department chair leading his PLC team wants to focus effort on the junior class at a school to make sure they are college/career ready before their senior year.

The students take the EdReady “Pathway to College” diagnostic. The PLC team meets to review results and plan for varied levels of intervention and enrichment based on student scores.

The personalized study paths are assigned to students.  The PLC team conducts and mid and end of the year skills assessment to track growth.  Results show 10% of the junior class still needs more math in 12th grade to attain college/career readiness.

High School Test Prep

Challenge: A department chair leading his PLC team wants to focus effort on the junior class at a school to make sure they are college/career ready before their senior year.

EdReady Solution: The students take the EdReady “Pathway to College” diagnostic. The PLC team meets to review results and plan for varied levels of intervention and enrichment based on student scores.

Outcome: The personalized study paths are assigned to students.  The PLC team conducts and mid and end of the year skills assessment to track growth.  Results show 10% of the junior class still needs more math in 12th grade to attain college/career readiness.

Teacher-Led Differentiation

A large class has students at five different levels of proficiency in the current unit.

The teacher uses EdReady reports to quickly identify the specific topic needs of small student groups.

The teacher is able to pull small groups for targeted, direct instruction on a single skill, while other students work in EdReady on their individualized goals.

Teacher-Led Differentiation

Learner Goal: A large class has students at five different levels of proficiency in the current unit.

EdReady Solution: The teacher uses EdReady reports to quickly identify the specific topic needs of small student groups.

Outcome: The teacher is able to pull small groups for targeted, direct instruction on a single skill, while other students work in EdReady on their individualized goals.

Data & Impact: A Teacher’s Best Friend

EdReady offers powerful, actionable data designed to inform instruction and improve student outcomes:

  • Real-Time Progress Monitoring: Educators get access to a robust reporting suite that tracks individual student growth, time-on-task, diagnostic results, and progress toward mastery of each topic.
  • Informing the ‘Blended Learning Loop’: Teachers utilize EdReady data to make decisions about what to teach the whole class, what to address in small groups, and what to leave for individual practice, creating a truly data-driven and personalized learning environment.
  • Evidence of Growth: Case studies from Montana schools have shown significant progress. For instance, in one high school use case, students who utilized EdReady were able to remediate skill gaps and better prepare for the transition to college or career, which is the ultimate measure of success for this program.

Ready to Get Started?

EdReady Montana is available at no cost to any learner, school, or organization in the state, thanks to a generous gift from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation.

For Educators and Administrators:

  • We will partner with you to customize EdReady to align with your local curriculum and specific student needs.

Contact the EdReady Montana Team today to schedule a Needs Assessment discussion and launch your customized program!

Get Started Today

For Students and Parents:

  • Ask Your School: Check with your current math or English teacher, school counselor, or principal to see if your school is already utilizing EdReady. Your school may have specific goals set up just for you!
  • Sign Up Individually: If your school does not have a formal program, you can still sign up and use the individual goals available on the EdReady Montana public portal to brush up on skills or prepare for an upcoming test.
A mother and daughter smile while they work near a laptop.