Idaho Department of Education

The Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) is a kindergarten - grade 3 assessment. Idaho State Statute section 33-1806 requires that all public school students in kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3 have their early literacy skills assessed.

The IRI is administered twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. School Districts/schools have the discretion to administer a winter IRI assessment; however, this assessment is optional.

A student’s score on the IRI is reported in one of three achievement levels: Tier 1 (At Grade Level), Tier 2 (Near/Below Grade Level),Tier 3 (Well Below Grade Level).

Fall IRI results are reviewed by school personnel for the purpose of providing necessary interventions to sustain or improve a student’s reading skills:

• Tier 1 (At Grade Level): The student has the foundational reading skills appropriate for their grade level. This student should access regular grade level content and instruction. The student should be monitored to ensure adequate progress is sustained.
• Tier 2 (Near/Below Grade Level): The student has some foundational reading skills appropriate for their grade level. This student requires strategic support in specific skills. The student should be regularly monitored and interventions should be provided to ensure the student makes adequate progress.
• Tier 3 (Well Below Grade Level): The student lacks the foundational reading skills appropriate for their grade level. This student requires targeted support in multiple skills. The student should be routinely monitored and interventions should be provided with increased intensity and duration to ensure the student makes adequate progress.

In the accountability framework, early literacy achievement is measured by students in Kindergarten and grades 1-3 who demonstrate mastery of foundational reading skills by meeting grade development benchmarks on the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) administered in the spring.

For the mandatory fall and spring administration, a trained individual other than the student’s regular classroom teacher must administer the IRI. This requirement was introduced in section 33-1806 in May of 2021. Teachers can administer the IRI to classes other than their own. Please refer to the IRI Test Administration Manual, page 8, for further guidance.