diff --git a/.changeset/lovely-bugs-divide.md b/.changeset/lovely-bugs-divide.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df74d575dbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lovely-bugs-divide.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@khanacademy/perseus": minor
+---
+
+Remove unused code and usages of findDOMNode
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer-api.test.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer-api.test.tsx
index daa0667cfe1..3aa71af73cf 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer-api.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer-api.test.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 import {describe, beforeEach, it} from "@jest/globals";
 import {act, render, screen} from "@testing-library/react";
 import {userEvent as userEventLib} from "@testing-library/user-event";
-import $ from "jquery";
 import * as React from "react";
-import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 import _ from "underscore";
 
 import {testDependencies} from "../../../../testing/test-dependencies";
@@ -52,34 +50,6 @@ describe("Perseus API", function () {
         });
     });
 
-    describe("getDOMNodeForPath", function () {
-        it("should find one DOM node per <input>", function () {
-            const {renderer} = renderQuestion(mockWidget2Item.question);
-            const inputPaths = renderer.getInputPaths();
-
-            const allInputs = screen.queryAllByRole("textbox");
-
-            expect(inputPaths).toHaveLength(allInputs.length);
-        });
-
-        it("should find the right DOM nodes for the <input>s", function () {
-            const {renderer} = renderQuestion(mockWidget2Item.question);
-            const inputPaths = renderer.getInputPaths();
-
-            const allInputs = screen.queryAllByRole("textbox");
-
-            inputPaths.forEach((inputPath, i) => {
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2769 - No overload matches this call.
-                const $node = $(renderer.getDOMNodeForPath(inputPath));
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2769 - No overload matches this call.
-                const $input = $(ReactDOM.findDOMNode(allInputs[i]));
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'closest' does not exist on type 'JQueryStatic'.
-                // eslint-disable-next-line testing-library/no-node-access
-                expect($input.closest($node).length).toBeTruthy();
-            });
-        });
-    });
-
     describe("CSS ClassNames", function () {
         describe("perseus-focused", function () {
             it("should be on a mock-widget exactly when focused", async function () {
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer.test.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer.test.tsx
index 429aa41eafc..7ec2a6e1ef0 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/renderer.test.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {
     generateTestPerseusItem,
     splitPerseusItem,
 } from "@khanacademy/perseus-core";
-import {act, screen, waitFor, within} from "@testing-library/react";
+import {act, screen, waitFor} from "@testing-library/react";
 import {userEvent as userEventLib} from "@testing-library/user-event";
 import * as React from "react";
 
@@ -1478,34 +1478,6 @@ describe("renderer", () => {
         });
     });
 
-    describe("getDOMNodeForPath", () => {
-        it("should return the DOM node for the widget at requested FocusPath", () => {
-            // Arrange
-            const {renderer} = renderQuestion(question1);
-
-            // Act
-            const node = renderer.getDOMNodeForPath(["dropdown 1"]);
-
-            // Assert
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type 'Element | Text | null | undefined' is not assignable to parameter of type 'HTMLElement'.
-            expect(within(node).queryAllByRole("combobox")).toHaveLength(1);
-        });
-
-        it("should return the widget's getDOMNodeForPath() result for the widget at requested FocusPath", () => {
-            // Arrange
-            const {renderer} = renderQuestion(definitionItem);
-            const widget2DOMNode = <span />;
-            const [widget2] = renderer.findWidgets("definition 2");
-            widget2.getDOMNodeForPath = jest.fn(() => widget2DOMNode);
-
-            // Act
-            const node = renderer.getDOMNodeForPath(["definition 2"]);
-
-            // Assert
-            expect(node).toBe(widget2DOMNode);
-        });
-    });
-
     describe("getInputPaths", () => {
         it("should return all input paths for all rendererd widgets", () => {
             // Arrange
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/server-item-renderer.test.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/server-item-renderer.test.tsx
index 6fa3d8f16bc..ae4ac198c89 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/server-item-renderer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/__tests__/server-item-renderer.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {RenderStateRoot} from "@khanacademy/wonder-blocks-core";
-import {within, render, screen, act} from "@testing-library/react";
+import {render, screen, act} from "@testing-library/react";
 import {userEvent as userEventLib} from "@testing-library/user-event";
 import * as React from "react";
 
@@ -108,18 +108,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
         });
     });
 
-    it("should return the DOM node for the requested focus path", async () => {
-        // Arrange
-        const {renderer} = renderQuestion(itemWithMockWidget);
-
-        // Act
-        const node = renderer.getDOMNodeForPath(["mock-widget 1"]);
-
-        // Assert
-        // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type 'Element | Text | null | undefined' is not assignable to parameter of type 'HTMLElement'.
-        expect(await within(node).findAllByRole("textbox")).toHaveLength(1);
-    });
-
     it("should return the number of hints available", () => {
         // Arrange
         const {renderer} = renderQuestion({
@@ -304,7 +292,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
                 ["mock-widget 1"],
                 null,
                 0,
-                expect.any(Object),
             );
         });
 
@@ -349,7 +336,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
                 ["numeric-input 1"],
                 null,
                 250,
-                expect.any(Object),
             );
         });
 
@@ -373,7 +359,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
                 null,
                 ["mock-widget 1"],
                 0,
-                null,
             );
         });
 
@@ -419,7 +404,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
                 null,
                 ["numeric-input 1"],
                 0,
-                null,
             );
         });
 
@@ -441,7 +425,6 @@ describe("server item renderer", () => {
                 ["mock-widget 1"],
                 null,
                 0,
-                expect.any(Object),
             );
         });
     });
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/article-renderer.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/article-renderer.tsx
index 30d9197bf5f..9b93967e911 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/article-renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/article-renderer.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ class ArticleRenderer
         // paths, so as to check whether the focused path represents an
         // input.
         let didFocusInput = false;
-        let focusedInput;
 
         if (this._currentFocus) {
             const [sectionIndex, ...focusPath] = this._currentFocus;
@@ -105,10 +104,6 @@ class ArticleRenderer
             didFocusInput = inputPaths.some((inputPath) => {
                 return Util.inputPathsEqual(inputPath, focusPath);
             });
-            focusedInput =
-                this.sectionRenderers[sectionIndex].getDOMNodeForPath(
-                    focusPath,
-                );
         }
 
         const {onFocusChange} = this.props.apiOptions;
@@ -123,12 +118,7 @@ class ArticleRenderer
                         ? keypadDomNode.getBoundingClientRect().height
                         : 0;
 
-                onFocusChange(
-                    this._currentFocus,
-                    prevFocusPath,
-                    keypadHeight,
-                    didFocusInput ? focusedInput : null,
-                );
+                onFocusChange(this._currentFocus, prevFocusPath, keypadHeight);
             }, 0);
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/components/simple-keypad-input.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/components/simple-keypad-input.tsx
index 3b109a04c93..073cb9e55b2 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/components/simple-keypad-input.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/components/simple-keypad-input.tsx
@@ -15,78 +15,78 @@ import * as React from "react";
 
 import type {Focusable} from "../types";
 
-export default class SimpleKeypadInput
-    extends React.Component<any>
-    implements Focusable
-{
-    static contextType = KeypadContext;
-    declare context: React.ContextType<typeof KeypadContext>;
-    _isMounted = false;
-    inputRef = React.createRef<KeypadInput>();
+type SimpleKeypadInputProps = {
+    keypadElement?: any;
+    onFocus: () => void;
+    onBlur: () => void;
+    onChange: (value: string, callback: any) => void;
+    value?: string | number | null;
+    ariaLabel?: string;
+    style?: React.CSSProperties;
+};
 
-    componentDidMount() {
-        // TODO(scottgrant): This is a hack to remove the deprecated call to
-        // this.isMounted() but is still considered an anti-pattern.
-        this._isMounted = true;
-    }
+const SimpleKeypadInput = React.forwardRef<Focusable, SimpleKeypadInputProps>(
+    function SimpleKeypadInput(props, ref) {
+        const keypadInputRef = React.useRef<any>(null);
+        const context = React.useContext(KeypadContext);
 
-    componentWillUnmount() {
-        this._isMounted = false;
-    }
+        // Use imperative handle to expose the DOM node properties and custom methods
+        // required for consuming Perseus widgets to handle focus/blur events.
+        React.useImperativeHandle(ref, () => {
+            const keypadInstance = keypadInputRef.current;
+            if (!keypadInstance) {
+                return null;
+            }
 
-    focus() {
-        // The inputRef is a ref to a MathInput, which
-        // also controls the keypad state during focus events.
-        this.inputRef.current?.focus(this.context.setKeypadActive);
-    }
+            // Get the actual DOM node from the KeypadInput (MathInput) component's
+            // internal inputRef.
+            const inputElement = keypadInstance.inputRef;
 
-    blur() {
-        this.inputRef.current?.blur();
-    }
+            if (!inputElement) {
+                return null;
+            }
 
-    getValue(): string | number {
-        return this.props.value;
-    }
+            // Return the DOM node with focus/blur methods attached.
+            return {
+                ...inputElement,
+                focus: () => {
+                    keypadInstance.focus(context.setKeypadActive);
+                },
+                blur: () => {
+                    keypadInstance.blur();
+                },
+                getValue: () => {
+                    return props.value;
+                },
+            };
+        });
 
-    render(): React.ReactNode {
-        const _this = this;
-        // Intercept the `onFocus` prop, as we need to configure the keypad
-        // before continuing with the default focus logic for Perseus inputs.
-        // Intercept the `value` prop so as to map `null` to the empty string,
-        // as the `KeypadInput` does not support `null` values.
-        const {keypadElement, onFocus, value, ...rest} = _this.props;
+        const {keypadElement, onFocus, value, ...rest} = props;
 
         return (
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2769 - No overload matches this call.
             <KeypadInput
-                ref={this.inputRef}
+                ref={keypadInputRef}
                 keypadElement={keypadElement}
                 onFocus={() => {
                     if (keypadElement) {
-                        keypadElement.configure(
-                            {
-                                keypadType: "FRACTION",
-                            },
-                            () => {
-                                if (_this._isMounted) {
-                                    onFocus?.();
-                                }
-                            },
-                        );
-                    } else {
-                        onFocus?.();
+                        keypadElement.configure({
+                            keypadType: "FRACTION",
+                        });
                     }
+                    onFocus?.();
                 }}
                 value={value == null ? "" : "" + value}
+                ariaLabel={props.ariaLabel || ""}
                 {...rest}
             />
         );
-    }
-}
+    },
+);
 
-// @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'propTypes' does not exist on type 'typeof SimpleKeypadInput'.
 SimpleKeypadInput.propTypes = {
     keypadElement: keypadElementPropType,
     onFocus: PropTypes.func,
     value: PropTypes.oneOfType([PropTypes.string, PropTypes.number]),
 };
+
+export default SimpleKeypadInput;
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/renderer.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/renderer.tsx
index b2f450c3cbd..fe2dbb32069 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/renderer.tsx
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@ import {
 } from "@khanacademy/perseus-score";
 import {entries} from "@khanacademy/wonder-stuff-core";
 import classNames from "classnames";
-import $ from "jquery";
 import * as React from "react";
-import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 import _ from "underscore";
 
 import AssetContext from "./asset-context";
@@ -311,9 +309,7 @@ class Renderer
     componentDidMount() {
         this._isMounted = true;
 
-        // figure out why we're passing an empty object
-        // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type '{}' is not assignable to parameter of type 'Props'.
-        this.handleRender({});
+        this.props.onRender();
         this._currentFocus = null;
 
         this.props.initializeUserInput?.(
@@ -423,7 +419,6 @@ class Renderer
     }
 
     componentDidUpdate(prevProps: Props, prevState: State) {
-        this.handleRender(prevProps);
         // We even do this if we did reuse the markdown because
         // we might need to update the widget props on this render,
         // even though we have the same widgets.
@@ -1421,29 +1416,6 @@ class Renderer
         );
     };
 
-    handleRender: (prevProps: Props) => void = (prevProps: Props) => {
-        const onRender = this.props.onRender;
-        const oldOnRender = prevProps.onRender;
-
-        // In the common case of no callback specified, avoid this work.
-        if (onRender !== noopOnRender || oldOnRender !== noopOnRender) {
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2769 - No overload matches this call. | TS2339 - Property 'find' does not exist on type 'JQueryStatic'.
-            const $images = $(ReactDOM.findDOMNode(this)).find("img");
-
-            // Fire callback on image load...
-            if (oldOnRender !== noopOnRender) {
-                $images.off("load", oldOnRender);
-            }
-
-            if (onRender !== noopOnRender) {
-                $images.on("load", onRender);
-            }
-        }
-
-        // ...as well as right now (non-image, non-TeX or image from cache)
-        onRender();
-    };
-
     // Sets the current focus path
     // If the new focus path is not a prefix of the old focus path,
     // we send an onChangeFocus event back to our parent.
@@ -1519,26 +1491,6 @@ class Renderer
         }
     };
 
-    getDOMNodeForPath: (path: FocusPath) => Element | Text | null | undefined =
-        (path: FocusPath) => {
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type 'FocusPath' is not assignable to parameter of type 'List<any>'.
-            const widgetId = _.first(path);
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type 'FocusPath' is not assignable to parameter of type 'List<any>'.
-            const interWidgetPath = _.rest(path);
-
-            // Widget handles parsing of the interWidgetPath. If the path is empty
-            // beyond the widgetID, as a special case we just return the widget's
-            // DOM node.
-            const widget = this.getWidgetInstance(widgetId);
-            if (widget?.getDOMNodeForPath) {
-                return widget.getDOMNodeForPath(interWidgetPath);
-            }
-            if (interWidgetPath.length === 0) {
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2345 - Argument of type 'Widget | null | undefined' is not assignable to parameter of type 'ReactInstance | null | undefined'.
-                return ReactDOM.findDOMNode(widget);
-            }
-        };
-
     getInputPaths: () => ReadonlyArray<FocusPath> = () => {
         const inputPaths: Array<FocusPath> = [];
         this.widgetIds.forEach((widgetId: string) => {
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/server-item-renderer.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/server-item-renderer.tsx
index 87422d83a07..2076e7ba4dc 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/server-item-renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/server-item-renderer.tsx
@@ -243,14 +243,7 @@ export class ServerItemRenderer
                         : 0;
 
                 // Then call the callback
-                onFocusChange(
-                    this._currentFocus,
-                    prevFocus,
-                    keypadHeight,
-                    // @ts-expect-error [FEI-5003] - TS2345 - Argument of type 'false | Element | Text | null | undefined' is not assignable to parameter of type 'HTMLElement | undefined'.
-                    didFocusInput &&
-                        this.questionRenderer.getDOMNodeForPath(newFocus),
-                );
+                onFocusChange(this._currentFocus, prevFocus, keypadHeight);
             }, 0);
         }
 
@@ -304,10 +297,6 @@ export class ServerItemRenderer
         return this.questionRenderer.blurPath(path);
     }
 
-    getDOMNodeForPath(path: FocusPath): Element | Text | null | undefined {
-        return this.questionRenderer.getDOMNodeForPath(path);
-    }
-
     getInputPaths(): ReadonlyArray<FocusPath> {
         const questionAreaInputPaths = this.questionRenderer.getInputPaths();
         return questionAreaInputPaths;
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/types.ts b/packages/perseus/src/types.ts
index b79cfc09118..78e160aaa72 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/types.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ export interface Widget {
               path: FocusPath;
           }
         | boolean;
-    getDOMNodeForPath?: (path: FocusPath) => Element | Text | null;
 
     /**
      * Returns widget state that can be passed back to `restoreSerializedState`
@@ -179,7 +178,6 @@ export type APIOptions = Readonly<{
         newFocusPath: FocusPath,
         oldFocusPath: FocusPath,
         keypadHeight?: number,
-        focusedElement?: HTMLElement,
     ) => unknown;
     /**
      * @deprecated - metadata is no longer used by the Group widget
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/matrix/matrix.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/matrix/matrix.tsx
index d38e7886ae4..e294f1967af 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/matrix/matrix.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/matrix/matrix.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import {linterContextDefault} from "@khanacademy/perseus-linter";
 import {StyleSheet} from "aphrodite";
 import classNames from "classnames";
 import * as React from "react";
-import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 import _ from "underscore";
 
 import {PerseusI18nContext} from "../../components/i18n-context";
@@ -115,6 +114,7 @@ type State = {
 class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
     static contextType = PerseusI18nContext;
     declare context: React.ContextType<typeof PerseusI18nContext>;
+    answerRefs: Record<string, HTMLInputElement> = {};
 
     // @ts-expect-error - TS2564 - Property 'cursorPosition' has no initializer and is not definitely assigned in the constructor.
     cursorPosition: [number, number];
@@ -170,9 +170,8 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
 
     focusInputPath: (arg1: any) => void = (path) => {
         const inputID = getRefForPath(path);
-        // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-        // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'focus' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
-        this.refs[inputID].focus();
+        const inputComponent = this.answerRefs[inputID];
+        inputComponent.focus();
     };
 
     blurInputPath: (arg1: any) => void = (path) => {
@@ -181,17 +180,10 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
         }
 
         const inputID = getRefForPath(path);
-        // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-        // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'blur' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
-        this.refs[inputID].blur();
+        const inputComponent = this.answerRefs[inputID];
+        inputComponent.blur();
     };
 
-    getDOMNodeForPath(path: FocusPath) {
-        const inputID = getRefForPath(path);
-        // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-        return ReactDOM.findDOMNode(this.refs[inputID]);
-    }
-
     handleKeyDown: (arg1: any, arg2: any, arg3: any) => void = (
         row,
         col,
@@ -201,8 +193,8 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
         const maxCol = this.props.matrixBoardSize[1];
         let enterTheMatrix = null;
 
-        // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-        const curInput = this.refs[getRefForPath(getInputPath(row, col))];
+        const inputID = getRefForPath(getInputPath(row, col));
+        const curInput = this.answerRefs[inputID];
         // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'getStringValue' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
         const curValueString = curInput.getStringValue();
         // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'getSelectionStart' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
@@ -243,8 +235,8 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
             e.preventDefault();
 
             // Focus the input and move the cursor to the end of it.
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-            const input = this.refs[getRefForPath(nextPath)];
+            const inputID = getRefForPath(nextPath);
+            const input = this.answerRefs[inputID];
 
             // Multiply by 2 to ensure the cursor always ends up at the end;
             // Opera sometimes sees a carriage return as 2 characters.
@@ -252,13 +244,10 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
             const inputValString = input.getStringValue();
             const valueLength = inputValString.length * 2;
 
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'focus' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
             input.focus();
             if (e.key === "ArrowRight") {
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'setSelectionRange' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
                 input.setSelectionRange(0, 0);
             } else {
-                // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'setSelectionRange' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
                 input.setSelectionRange(valueLength, valueLength);
             }
         }
@@ -377,9 +366,13 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
                                         className: outside
                                             ? "outside"
                                             : "inside",
-                                        ref: getRefForPath(
-                                            getInputPath(row, col),
-                                        ),
+                                        ref: (ref) => {
+                                            this.answerRefs[
+                                                getRefForPath(
+                                                    getInputPath(row, col),
+                                                )
+                                            ] = ref;
+                                        },
                                         // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/strict-boolean-expressions
                                         value: rowVals ? rowVals[col] : null,
                                         style: {
@@ -462,7 +455,6 @@ class Matrix extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
                                             <SimpleKeypadInput
                                                 {...inputProps}
                                                 style={style}
-                                                scrollable={true}
                                                 keypadElement={
                                                     this.props.keypadElement
                                                 }
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/number-line/number-line.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/number-line/number-line.tsx
index 4f15876e85b..7cd9b115cdd 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/number-line/number-line.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/number-line/number-line.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import {number as knumber, KhanMath} from "@khanacademy/kmath";
 import * as React from "react";
-import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 import _ from "underscore";
 
 import Graphie from "../../components/graphie";
@@ -14,7 +13,6 @@ import {getPromptJSON as _getPromptJSON} from "../../widget-ai-utils/number-line
 
 import type {
     WidgetExports,
-    FocusPath,
     Widget,
     WidgetProps,
     UniversalWidgetProps,
@@ -247,6 +245,8 @@ class NumberLine extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
     static contextType = PerseusI18nContext;
     declare context: React.ContextType<typeof PerseusI18nContext>;
 
+    tickControlRef: HTMLInputElement | null = null;
+
     static defaultProps: DefaultProps = {
         range: [0, 10],
         labelStyle: "decimal",
@@ -346,9 +346,7 @@ class NumberLine extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
 
     focus() {
         if (this.props.isTickCtrl) {
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'focus' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
-            this.refs["tick-ctrl"].focus();
+            this.tickControlRef?.focus();
             return true;
         }
         return false;
@@ -356,20 +354,18 @@ class NumberLine extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
 
     focusInputPath: (arg1: any) => void = (path) => {
         if (path.length === 1) {
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'focus' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
-            this.refs[path[0]].focus();
+            this.tickControlRef?.focus();
         }
     };
 
     blurInputPath: (arg1: any) => void = (path) => {
         if (path.length === 1) {
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2339 - Property 'blur' does not exist on type 'ReactInstance'.
-            this.refs[path[0]].blur();
+            this.tickControlRef?.blur();
         }
     };
 
+    // There's only one input path for the tick control, but the renderer
+    // expects this method to be implemented.
     getInputPaths: () => ReadonlyArray<ReadonlyArray<string>> = () => {
         if (this.props.isTickCtrl) {
             return [["tick-ctrl"]];
@@ -377,14 +373,6 @@ class NumberLine extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
         return [];
     };
 
-    getDOMNodeForPath(inputPath: FocusPath) {
-        if (inputPath?.length === 1) {
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-            return ReactDOM.findDOMNode(this.refs[inputPath[0]]);
-        }
-        return null;
-    }
-
     _renderGraphie: () => React.ReactElement = () => {
         // Position variables
         const range = this.props.range;
@@ -675,12 +663,16 @@ class NumberLine extends React.Component<Props, State> implements Widget {
             } else {
                 Input = NumberInput;
             }
+            // TODO: keypadElement is only needed for SimpleKeypadInput and causes a React warning
+            // when passed to NumberInput. This should be refactored to only pass the prop when needed,
+            // but requires addressing type incompatibilities in the onChange handlers.
             tickCtrl = (
                 <label>
                     {strings.numDivisions}{" "}
                     <Input
-                        // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-string-refs
-                        ref="tick-ctrl"
+                        ref={(ref) => {
+                            this.tickControlRef = ref;
+                        }}
                         value={
                             this.state.numDivisionsEmpty
                                 ? null
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/numeric-input/numeric-input.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/numeric-input/numeric-input.tsx
index a6f2f4e3aa4..2b81143feb2 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/numeric-input/numeric-input.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/numeric-input/numeric-input.tsx
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ export const NumericInputComponent = forwardRef<Focusable, NumericInputProps>(
             return (
                 <div className={alignmentClass}>
                     <SimpleKeypadInput
-                        ref={inputRef as React.RefObject<SimpleKeypadInput>}
+                        ref={inputRef}
                         value={props.userInput.currentValue}
                         keypadElement={props.keypadElement}
                         onChange={handleChange}
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.stories.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.stories.tsx
index 62c9bfd58a0..9e7d610c5a4 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.stories.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import {generateTestPerseusItem} from "@khanacademy/perseus-core";
 
 import {ServerItemRendererWithDebugUI} from "../../../../../testing/server-item-renderer-with-debug-ui";
 
-import {question1} from "./sorter.testdata";
+import {question1, question2} from "./sorter.testdata";
 
 import type {Meta, StoryObj} from "@storybook/react-vite";
 
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ export const Question1: Story = {
     },
 };
 
+export const Question2: Story = {
+    args: {
+        item: generateTestPerseusItem({question: question2}),
+    },
+};
+
 export const AnswerlessQuestion1: Story = {
     args: {
         item: generateTestPerseusItem({question: question1}),
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.testdata.ts b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.testdata.ts
index 87dd9434a16..cd4d159b3de 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.testdata.ts
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/sorter/sorter.testdata.ts
@@ -22,3 +22,26 @@ export const question1: PerseusRenderer = {
         },
     },
 };
+
+export const question2: PerseusRenderer = {
+    content:
+        "**Arrange the following measurements in order from smallest to largest.**\n\n[[\u2603 sorter 1]]",
+    images: {},
+    widgets: {
+        "sorter 1": {
+            version: {major: 0, minor: 0},
+            type: "sorter",
+            graded: true,
+            options: {
+                padding: true,
+                layout: "horizontal",
+                correct: [
+                    "![alttext](https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-content-images/9cb2cf618c16501d01abf97036deb355d9393949.png)",
+                    "![alttext](https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-content-images/9cb2cf618c16501d01abf97036deb355d9393949.png)",
+                    "![alttext](https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-content-images/9cb2cf618c16501d01abf97036deb355d9393949.png)",
+                    "![alttext](https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-content-images/9cb2cf618c16501d01abf97036deb355d9393949.png)![alttext](https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-content-images/9cb2cf618c16501d01abf97036deb355d9393949.png)",
+                ],
+            },
+        },
+    },
+};
diff --git a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/table/table.tsx b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/table/table.tsx
index b3b75f08a4f..cb201f5468b 100644
--- a/packages/perseus/src/widgets/table/table.tsx
+++ b/packages/perseus/src/widgets/table/table.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import {linterContextDefault} from "@khanacademy/perseus-linter";
 import * as React from "react";
-import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 
 import {PerseusI18nContext} from "../../components/i18n-context";
 import SimpleKeypadInput from "../../components/simple-keypad-input";
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ class Table extends React.Component<Props> implements Widget {
     static contextType = PerseusI18nContext;
     declare context: React.ContextType<typeof PerseusI18nContext>;
     headerRefs: Record<string, any> = {};
-    answerRefs: Record<string, any> = {};
+    answerRefs: Record<string, HTMLInputElement> = {};
 
     static defaultProps: DefaultProps = {
         apiOptions: ApiOptions.defaults,
@@ -138,31 +137,13 @@ class Table extends React.Component<Props> implements Widget {
     focusInputPath(path: FocusPath): void {
         const inputID = getRefForPath(path as Path);
         const inputComponent = this.answerRefs[inputID];
-        if (this.props.apiOptions.customKeypad) {
-            inputComponent.focus();
-        } else {
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2531 - Object is possibly 'null'. | TS2339 - Property 'focus' does not exist on type 'Element | Text'.
-            ReactDOM.findDOMNode(inputComponent).focus();
-        }
+        inputComponent.focus();
     }
 
     blurInputPath(path: FocusPath): void {
         const inputID = getRefForPath(path as Path);
         const inputComponent = this.answerRefs[inputID];
-        if (this.props.apiOptions.customKeypad) {
-            inputComponent.blur();
-        } else {
-            // @ts-expect-error - TS2531 - Object is possibly 'null'. | TS2339 - Property 'blur' does not exist on type 'Element | Text'.
-            ReactDOM.findDOMNode(inputComponent).blur();
-        }
-    }
-
-    getDOMNodeForPath(
-        path: FocusPath,
-    ): ReturnType<typeof ReactDOM.findDOMNode> {
-        const inputID = getRefForPath(path as Path);
-        const inputRef = this.answerRefs[inputID];
-        return ReactDOM.findDOMNode(inputRef);
+        inputComponent.blur();
     }
 
     getInputPaths(): string[][] {