Date of Conferral

8-6-2025

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Tiffany Cameron

Abstract

The problem addressed through this study was that a significant number of 3rd to 5th grade students score below grade level on the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment within a Georgia School District, despite the training and implementation of iReady. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore 3rd to 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggestions for implementing iReady in their mathematics instruction. The study was grounded in Chomsky’s concept of competency-based education, which asserts that as long as students can progress at their own pace, the majority of students will achieve competency in a specific content area. For this basic qualitative study, eight 3rd to 5th grade math teachers participated in semistructured interviews. Responses were analyzed using thematic coding with the following themes emerging: teachers use iReady to supplement and extend student learning, iReady success hinges on intentional effort, time constraints and program remediation can be challenging for teachers, students are hesitant to assume responsibility for their learning, iReady resources and supports aid in teacher effectiveness, iReady should be strategically used to support local and state initiatives, and student progress with iReady should be actively monitored. Findings revealed teachers’ need for more guidance in using iReady for differentiated instruction. In response, professional development sessions were developed to support math teachers in the practical use of iReady resources. These findings may foster positive social change by supporting professional development that includes teacher input and promotes consistent, coherent math instruction for diverse learners.

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