IReady

Curriculum Associates, LLC operates as a prominent educational technology and publishing firm, providing learning resources and assessments for the K-12 market. Founded in 1969 by a group of five educators, including Frank Ferguson, the company initially established itself as a publisher of print workbooks and instructional materials. Ferguson, who served as president from 1976 to 2008 and subsequently as chairman, guided the company's growth from a small operation to a significant player in the educational resources sector. His background includes a journalism degree from Iowa State University, an MBA from MIT, and a tenure as president of the Bose Corporation before dedicating his focus to Curriculum Associates.

The company underwent a significant transformation in 2008 with the appointment of Rob Waldron as CEO. Waldron, with a Harvard MBA and prior leadership roles at Kaplan Education and the nonprofit Jumpstart, was brought on to navigate the shift from a traditional print publisher to a digital-first entity. This strategic pivot was centered around addressing a key challenge for educators: teaching students at multiple different grade levels within a single classroom. Under Waldron's leadership, the company has experienced substantial revenue growth, expanding from $26 million in 2008 to over $469 million annually. The firm operates on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, selling licenses for its digital programs directly to school districts and state departments of education on a subscription basis.

The company's flagship product, i-Ready, is an online platform for reading and mathematics that serves over 14 million K-8 students in the US. i-Ready consists of two main components: the Diagnostic and Personalized Instruction. The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts the difficulty of questions based on a student's previous answers, pinpointing their specific learning needs without generating a traditional score or grade. Based on the diagnostic results, the system creates a personalized learning path of interactive and engaging online lessons for each student. This data-driven approach provides teachers with actionable insights to tailor their instruction, monitor student progress, and provide targeted support. In addition to its digital offerings, the company continues to provide print materials and has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions like Stile Education for science instruction and SoapBox Labs for AI-driven learning tools.

Keywords: educational technology, K-12 education, adaptive learning, personalized instruction, reading assessment, math assessment, diagnostic assessment, student data, teacher resources, classroom tools, digital curriculum, blended learning, Frank Ferguson, Rob Waldron, SaaS, education publishing, instructional materials, student progress monitoring, data-driven instruction, personalized learning paths