WCSD trustees to vote on $2M i-Ready evaluation plan amid intense parent pushback

WCSD trustees to vote on $2M i-Ready evaluation plan amid intense parent pushback

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - The Washoe County School District (WCSD) Board of Trustees is set to vote Tuesday on a comprehensive evaluation plan for its controversial “i-Ready” software.

While district officials frame the plan (Agenda Item 3.06) as a tool to measure academic progress, parent advocates argue the study comes “too little, too late” after years of district spending.

In May, trustees approved a $2.02 million site-license extension for the Kindergarten through 8th-grade reading and math software. Since its initial district-wide rollout in 2023, WCSD has spent more than $8 million on the program.

Brandi Vesco, parent of a WCSD fourth-grader and Executive Director of the Washoe Parents Coalition, argues the timeline is backward.

“Any time you choose to mandate screen time at school, it’s crucial that the benefits of that screen time be proven—via independent, peer-reviewed research,” Vesco said. “And that proof should come before the purchase.”

Vesco noted that there is no independent, peer-reviewed evidence proving the automated lessons offer meaningful academic benefits. Instead, she says, the computerized lessons displace “kid-centered” programs.

The coalition is calling on trustees to amend the evaluation plan to measure these “opportunity costs” of screen time.

The Washoe County School District did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this story.

The coalition is also questioning how i-Ready’s frequent assessments will comply with NRS 390.807, an upcoming Nevada Department of Education regulation taking effect in July 2027.

The regulation will:

- Limit districts to administering no more than five assessments per pupil each school year.

- Cap testing and test prep at 2% of annual instructional minutes.

Parents want clarity on how i-Ready’s testing load—which includes assessments up to six times a year—will fit on top of existing state and federal test mandates.

If approved Tuesday, the year-long evaluation will include classroom observations, focus groups, and academic achievement analyses conducted with Northwestern University.

Interim findings are scheduled for presentation in November 2026, with a final report and recommendation on whether to renew the i-Ready contract expected in February 2027.

The board meeting is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Tuesday September 8th, at the Washoe County School District administrative building, located at 425 E. Ninth St. in Reno.

Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.