Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Systems Improvement Science

Committee Chair/Advisor

Noelle Paufler

Committee Member

Dr. Edwin Bonney

Committee Member

Dr. Phillip Grant

Committee Member

Dr. Edwina Perrin

Abstract

Over the past several years, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, middle school educators have wrestled with a persistent and troubling question: Why were African American students continuing to perform below their White peers on assessments despite access to the same curriculum, teachers, and digital learning tools? As many schools and districts have increasingly turned to technology and data-driven programs to support learning, many hoped these resources would help close longstanding achievement gaps. Despite these efforts, differences in academic performance have remained. This ongoing challenge prompted a closer examination of whether the i-Ready assessment program was helping schools move toward greater educational equity or whether other factors were limiting its impact. This study explored the role of i-Ready in understanding and addressing differences in academic performance between African American students and their White peers. The research focused on how teachers used i-Ready data, how the information influenced classroom instruction, and whether additional support for teachers could help improve learning outcomes for African American students. Five middle school teachers participated in a nine-week job -embedded coaching cycle, an improvement effort that included instructional coaching, collaborative discussions, reflection, and the use of student feedback. Teachers meet regularly to review student performance, discuss instructional challenges, and explore ways to make learning more meaningful and engaging for students. Information was gathered through teacher surveys, weekly reflections, coaching notes, classroom observations, and student feedback.

The findings showed that i-Ready data alone was not enough to improve student outcomes. While the i-Ready assessment provides useful information about student performance, teachers needed support in understanding the data and using it effectively in their classrooms. The study also found that students were more engaged when lessons reflected their experiences, interests, and cultural backgrounds. As teachers listened more closely to students and adjusted their instruction, they reported stronger classroom participation and more meaningful learning experiences. Another important finding was that teachers benefited from different types of support based on their personal experiences, their level of confidence, and readiness to use data. Coaching helped many teachers become more reflective about their practices and encouraged greater collaboration among colleagues. However, the challenges to the study were limited time, testing demands, and competing school priorities that often placed a strain on efforts to improve. Overall, the study suggests that digital assessment programs such as i-Ready can be valuable tools, but they should not be viewed as complete solutions for addressing achievement gaps. Therefore, for students to gain effective instruction and more meaningful progress, teachers should be receptive to supportive coaching, culturally responsive teaching, student voice, collaboration, and a commitment to understanding the root causes that influence student learning and success. Ultimately, the findings remind educators that improving outcomes for students is not simply about collecting data; it is about how information is used to create learning environments where all students feel valued, supported, and capable of success.

Author ORCID Identifier

0009-0002-0062-4828

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