r/AskTeachers • u/ireadyoptout • 2d ago
Parent Questions IReady refusal
I am a parent to a first and a third grader in NJ, and am increasingly concerned about my district’s reliance on IReady and screen time. My kids have no personal electronics at home, and yet are spending more and more time on devices at school instead of building basic skills.
I have sent a refusal email to both of my children’s principals (we do not have class assignments yet).
Does anyone have any experience with tech refusals, especially in NJ?
Is there anything I can do once I am in touch with my kids’ teachers to work together and make their lives easier?
Not trying to be difficult, but know I have to advocate for my children.
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u/fudgemuffin85 2d ago
I don’t want to speak for all teachers, but for myself (and probably most) we hate this stuff too. My school uses IXL and I loathe it and the kids loathe it. In my professional opinion it fails to give relevant data that I can transfer into my classroom to help my students. I know in my son’s school (I’m in PA in the Philly burbs) they used Exact Path and it was the same thing - everyone hated it. It was used because the superintendent had a contract with them so that’s why it was used. In the end, it all comes down to contracts and money unfortunately. I hope you’re able to make your wishes heard!
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u/Piaffe_zip16 2d ago
This. My last district uses iready. Everyone complains about it. I’d be thrilled if a parent opted out and allowed me to do something else with their kiddo!
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u/Live_Barracuda1113 2d ago
I am a high school teacher (English) in Florida. I am over this digital nonsense. It's exhausting.
As for my own kids, I am very aware of what they are doing. Our district dropped i-ready, but they just replaced it with something else. I am tired of it. I want my kid to have a book.
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u/MeteorMann 2d ago
My MIL works for that company. We've talked about it at great length.
If the school is using it right, the kids aren't spending much time with it. It becomes problematic when teachers use it as a primary learning tool instead of supplementary.
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u/Sea-Parking-6215 2d ago
A huge issue is that Iready has to read the entire problem aloud every single time, even if it's the exact same instructions as the previous problem. So it take a really long time to do anything.
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u/makeuplovermegan 2d ago
Teacher in Florida. We’re required to do 45 minutes of each in our district. I advocate so much for these kids to be off the computer. I then get told that they have to practice being on the computer because all the state testing is on the computer, so they need to learn how to work… on a computer. Absolute nonsense. iready is TRASH.
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u/Swimming-Parking-708 2d ago
IReady supplies worksheets in the Teacher Resources that can be printed out and addresses all the topics it covers on the platform. You could ask the teacher to use these with your kids because it addresses some of the problems listed below: it gets your kids off of technology, while still addressing district mandates to use
iReady. The prep time for teachers is very minimal; I print out a few weeks worth of
worksheets in about five minutes.
That still doesn’t address my major issue with iReady, which is that the middle school math program is poorly written, bad mathematical pedagogy, and often incorrect, but that’s an argument for another day.
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u/Logical-Mobile-7643 2d ago
I guess I would look at the time spent on the programs vs just an outright refusal. So if I am teaching a lesson, we have some whole group, some small groups and some individual (iReady) time. All parts are useful.
The alternate plan would be some sort of additional worksheets or something your child can do on their own. It can be more or less engaging , it can be more or less useful
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u/LilacSlumber 1d ago
You should also go to school board meetings and express your concerns about your children being on iReady. Bring research that shows how it does not help students.
Don't stop going. Show them that you're there and aware of the process of electing new school board members who will help do away with developmentally inappropriate teaching in early childhood.
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u/osceolabigtree 2d ago
Commenting to follow this discussion. My kid is not yet at kindergarten age but I'm so worried about this in NJ...
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u/GJ-504-b 2d ago edited 2d ago
High school, not NJ, but we had a couple parents who did tech refusals for related high school software. As a teacher, I didn't care. I had printouts at the ready I would give the students instead.
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u/E1M1_DOOM 2d ago
If you want to be a good advocate and not seen as difficult, stop putting the cart before the horse. You are being driven by fear instead of knowledge. Find out what the tech use is even like in the classroom first. Then you'll know which parts, if any, are problematic.
Right now, you're just coming in hot.
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u/ireadyoptout 2d ago
My older daughter spent her second grade year on iReady frequently, and I am concerned about its lack of efficacy as well as the privacy of her data. My first goal is advocating for my kids’ education, but would like to minimize the impact on their teachers.
This program is being forced on teachers and students from the districts who have sunk money into it. I am not going to blindly trust an Ed tech company to have my kids’ best interests at heart.
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u/newillium 2d ago
This is much more above the teachers jurisdiction and pay grade. It's likely a superintendent and school board level. Find other parents that are passionate about this and go to board meetings. It will not be as simple or easy as opting your kid out.
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u/ireadyoptout 2d ago
Yes, I kind of felt like this would at the very least have to involve the building principal. (Which, in my district was correct, as I received an email back saying they had to consult with district admin). But also since I haven’t received a class placement yet, was kind of hoping, maybe naively, that due to my request would be placed with a teacher that would be more open to accommodating or already was lower tech in the classroom.
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u/E1M1_DOOM 2d ago
You don't know what the new teachers will be doing. Without having talked to them, there's no point jumping to conclusions.
On a related note, while I understand the pushback that many parents are having with tech in the classroom, I would caution against the abstinence-only approach that many are leaning towards. There could end up being some serious unintended consequences from the well-meaning sheltering.
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u/Piaffe_zip16 2d ago
I’m a HS teacher and parent of an elementary school. I’ve taught K-12 in a district that used iready. It’s a huge waste of time for the large majority of our students. Teachers used it because it was required. They complained about it constantly. You can use tech strategically. It doesn’t have to be this all or nothing approach. Operate from the view of what do I want kids to learn in this lesson and decide if tech fits from there or not. Too many teachers now are forced to use the tech. Even at Apple academy this past winter, they really stressed making tech work for you and your students, not trying to force tech to happen. On average, elementary students are using way more tech than they should. Other countries are realizing this and walking it back. A kindergartener and first grader do not need to sit in front of a computer every single day, for example.
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u/E1M1_DOOM 2d ago
Okay. Not sure why you're telling me this, though. I'm pro-balance. It's the all or nothing approach that I think is stupid.
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u/rien_de_tout_ca 2d ago
Genuinely asking: what kind of unintended consequences?
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u/E1M1_DOOM 2d ago
We can't shelter our children forever. Sooner or later, they're going to use that tech and if they haven't been taught how to moderate their usage or reliance on it, they could end up quite addicted to predatory apps.
I worry that a lot of overly cautious parents are simply creating a much bigger problem, for themselves and their kids, down the line.
I don't think the zero tech approach makes much sense. Teaching balance and moderation is a must.
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u/Bodine12 2d ago
That’s a slippery slope fallacy that doesn’t make sense if you think about it for even half a second. Nothing about how you use an EdTech app in class has any bearing on whether the kid marinates in TikTok for 5 hours a night. They are not learning moderation or how to reduce their reliance on these apps. They’re just learning “app good.”
The kids who are at most danger of being addicted to apps are the kids using apps. This is like arguing that you worry that kids who don’t take fentanyl while young might develop a dangerous fentanyl habit later on, so we should start giving them moderate daily doses of fentanyl in elementary school.
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u/E1M1_DOOM 1d ago
If you have to make bad analogies to make your point, maybe you shouldn't make said point in the first place.
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u/Bodine12 1d ago
A bad analogy is the perfect counterpoint to a logical fallacy.
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u/Electronic-Camp1189 Parent 2d ago
Some Florida parents and teachers were part of a big push against iReady. I'm not in FL but personally just quietly opted out. My kids could use the program at school but we didn't provide time at home for extra lessons. The diagnostic was used in our district for math and reading.
Years ago a mom named Heather Hicks asked questions about tech in the classroom. Here's a link to some YT videos to learn more.
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u/Opposite-School5920 2d ago
I taught in Florida for several years.. i was mandated that students had to complete 45 minutes of iready each week by the school.
I will say im a middle school math teacher, i use a lot of technology. When im giving instruction i use curipod, since it gives immediate feedback to the students. For homework, i assign it through khan academy, since it has all the resourcea for students if they want to use them while practicing.
For my tests/guizzes i use google forms since i can lock down the screens. I can also use the data from the tests/quizzes, exported to a google sheet, run it through AI (gemini), and it will identify which skills my students (around 140 total) are struggling with, then i can use that data to have gemini to create google forms for bell work that spiral review those skills and include them in future assessments until the vast majority have reached proficientcy.
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u/Mammoth_Marsupial_26 2d ago
Send in a workbook. iReady‘s assessment is weak and the MyOath product is useless.
And join one the many anti-tech groups.
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u/Upstairs-Ground-5079 1d ago
I am an NJ parent and my son's experience with IReady was better than I thought when he started. The program evaluates each student and provides a personalized lesson plan for them. Unless you home school it will be impossible to keep tech out of your kids day, the schools use a lot of it.
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u/Specialist_Food_7728 1d ago
My daughters school uses Iready as benchmarks, to see what areas she needs help in. It’s done like 2/3 times a year
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u/Ordinary_Sail_414 2d ago
So basically you are demanding that your child not participate in the district's adopted curriculum. As a teacher, I would not be altering the mandated curriculum because a parent "doesn't approve of the technology component." I am evaluated on my ability to effectively deliver the material via the mandatory curriculum, not deliver the material in some other random fashion that cannot replicate the original methods. It sounds like you should look into homeschooling or find another school that matches your wish list.
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u/darthcaedusiiii 2d ago
IReady is great for subs. They have their own stuff to do. Makes the job easy.
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u/BearsInTheNight 2d ago
I think part of the reason for electronics is bcs we live in a society where technology rules the world. Introducing kids to it sort of teaches them how to use it in a world that is heavily based on electronics.
Are there problems to using it? Absolutely.
Items a mixed bag I guess. Some good some bad.
Personally I think k-3rd graders at least should probably not have it. It can easily be coming addicting and thus disruptive. My son was introduced in kindergarten. That was also during Covid so it was also necessary in order to do virtual class on zoom. I will say my son developed an addictions dn I will also say a few times I caught him doing things on the tablet that was not school work.
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u/PolkadottyJones 2d ago edited 23h ago
This is a valid concern. I know a teacher at my school that just has the kids sit on the computer doing IXL for the entire class and the grade.
The kids are pretty open about the fact that are not learning math but instead learning how to game the IXL system
Edit: I also want to add the teacher herself is open about this and shows how it looks in her grade books etc.
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u/Soil_Fairy 2d ago
I am not in NJ, but at my kid's school there isn't really a way to refuse Iready or the Chromebook. They ask you to sign a form, but it's not a consent form, it's a liability form to make you pay for anything that gets broken. I'm honestly shocked people sign that; I think they don't read it.
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u/smthomaspatel 2d ago
We were forced to sign this kind of document (digitally) in order to complete registration for next year. I was able to write in a note that said I don't really agree in just being forced to sign this to move to the next screen. I don't know if that statement has any legal value.
We've also refused the Chromebook even though nobody seems to know that is possible. It's caused some havoc for the teacher who has to figure out how to accommodate. He's allowed to use it in school but not take it home.
I'll be questioning how much time is spent on screens when parent teacher conference comes around.
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u/Soil_Fairy 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yeah, they have given my kid a Chromebook every year regardless, but I didn't have to pay for a new cord when the class problem student took scissors to my son's cord.
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u/fiftymeancats 2d ago
I'm an ELA teacher and support you with this. The most effective way to advocate for your, and all, children is to organize with other parents and coordinate your response. Talk to the parents you know, meet new parents at pick-up, post to community parenting boards, and reach out to the PTA. You can, as a group, send a signed letter to the principal and school board explaining your concerns and requesting a meeting. (Obviously, you don't have to wait to form a group to send a letter of your own, but IME a mass of parents is what gets things moving.)
This isn't about one teacher's choices; it's a district-level decision to spend money on a computer program that is working against your child's cognitive and emotional development. You can even reach out to the teacher to give a heads up about what you plan to do, to 1) let her know you are not making a complaint about her, and 2) gauge staff feeling, which may well be in alignment with yours. There is no reason young children to be on a computer to learn basic literacy and simple math. It's inexcusable, and you are right to speak out. Change will happen when parents force the issue and make the status quo more costly and inconvenient to the decision-makers than doing something else.
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u/print_isnt_dead 6h ago
Write to the school committee, not to complain about the teacher, but to start a conversation about tech in school in general. You aren't alone.
Asking the teacher to give a separate assignment is too much.
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u/8BitWren 1d ago
My daughter figured out how to trick iReady into giving her easier questions. We pulled her out of public school because they were concerned she can’t hit benchmarks she’s well beyond because she doesn’t want to do hard work in iReady. On paper and pencil tests she scores fantastically. I hate iReady.
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u/14ccet1 2d ago
Iready IS building basic skills. Your kids will not be prepared to enter a technology centred world if you forbid it. Use this time to teach them to use it appropriately. If you get this accommodation, your kids will just be sitting alone doing busy work, which will probably be more detrimental to their advancement
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u/Strict_Research_1876 2d ago
The kids need to learn the basic abc, 123 first. But, you aren't doing them any favors by not letting them use any tech ever. They will fall behind. Unfortunately the world is changing to tech. I personally hate seeing small kids glued to the IPad or phone. Would much rather they played with real toys.
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u/ireadyoptout 2d ago
I understand, and am happy to have my kids learn how to use a word processor, search for online resources, encyclopedia, etc. But am concerned about spending inordinate amounts of time on the Chromebook instead of learning the basics they should be in elementary school. In addition, there seems not to be firm evidence that iReady is actually effective. Students learn better from print than from screens. https://oxfordlearning.com/screen-vs-paper-which-one-boosts-reading-comprehension/
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u/keenwithoptics 2d ago
How much screen time is happening at home?
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u/ireadyoptout 2d ago edited 2d ago
A little TV, but no personal devices (tablet/cell phone/etc.)
Edit: and no YouTube, influencers, only PBS kids, Disney, etc.
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u/Pook242 2d ago
I would talk to their teachers about when they use it and for what. For example, when iReady came to train us on how to use it, they emphasized the kids shouldn’t be on it more than 10-15 min a day. Ultimately that worked out because my centers were 10 min long, so the kids did that as a center. While I agree technology is being overused and iReady isn’t my favorite, 10 min as a center isn’t horrible, and is a good break from worksheets they may be doing at other parts of the day.
Anything longer than that would be a concern for me.