IREAD-3

What is IREAD-3?

The “Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination," or IREAD-3 is a state-required assessment aligned with the Indiana Academic Standards, developed to meet the state law requirement (HEA 1367 and SEA 1) that students be able to read by the end of third grade. This test measures foundational reading skills, focusing on the ability to read words and understand the basic meaning of what is read.

What kinds of questions are on IREAD-3?

The test consists entirely of multiple-choice questions. Students are required to select the correct answer from a list of provided options. There are no questions that require written or verbal responses.

Is IREAD-3 timed?

No, IREAD-3 is untimed, allowing students to progress through each segment at their own pace.

What skills are tested on IREAD-3

IREAD-3 consists of three sections that take about 90 minutes in total and are spread over 2-3 days. The skills assessed include:

• Foundations and Vocabulary (Word Recognition, Fluency, and Vocabulary Development): Questions may include identifying beginning, middle, and ending sounds, identifying synonyms, antonyms, homographs, suffixes, and using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words in a text.

• Nonfiction (Comprehension and Analysis of Nonfiction and Informational Text): Questions may include comparing and responding to grade-level informational text by making connections and/or predictions while reading, and identifying important information within text (e.g., problem and solution, cause and effect, main idea).

• Literature (Comprehension and Analysis of Literary Text): Questions may include comparing and responding to grade-level literary text by recalling and/or describing story elements (e.g., plot, character traits and development, problem and solution), and identifying the theme and narrator of different literary genres.

How does the adaptive format of IREAD-3 work?

IREAD-3 is a computer-adaptive test, meaning it adjusts based on how the student answers each question. This helps provide a more precise estimate of the student’s current reading skills. After testing, families receive a report detailing performance within each category (Foundations and Vocabulary, Nonfiction, and Literature), including a proficiency cut score indicating whether the student is performing above, at/near, or below the expected level.

What is the passing score for IREAD-3

A score of 446 or above is considered passing for both second and third graders. Students who “pass” IREAD-3, have demonstrated mastery of the foundational reading skills expected by the end of third grade and will no longer need to take the test in the future. In third grade, a score below 446 is considered a “Did Not Pass.” Since students are not expected to master all reading skills assessed by IREAD-3 until the end of third grade, a score below 446 results in an “On Track” or “At Risk” proficiency level rather than a “Did Not Pass” for second grade students.

What are the expectations of IREAD-3 in second grade?

Starting in Spring 2025, all second grade students will be required to take IREAD-3. This requirement applies to all second grade students, regardless of their special education status or English language proficiency, in accordance with state law. The test given to second graders is the same test given to third graders.

Most of the reading skills tested on IREAD-3 are designed for students to master by the end of third grade. While some second graders may already be able to demonstrate these skills, it's not expected for all second graders to do so. In second grade, the focus is on building strong reading skills appropriate for their grade level and reinforcing what they've learned in previous years.

The goal is to provide a nurturing environment that focuses on building reading skills, rather than emphasizing extensive test preparation with the goal of minimizing anxiety around testing for 2nd grade students.

What happens if my second grader doesn’t pass IREAD-3?

Second grade students can be promoted to third grade without passing IREAD-3. Since IREAD-3 assesses third grade foundational skills, there is not a “Did Not Pass” proficiency level, instead second grade students can receive the following indicators:

• On Track - Students scoring “on track” are meeting current foundational reading expectations and are expected to pass IREAD-3 in third grade. No additional remediation is necessary before they test in third grade.

• At Risk - Students scoring “at risk” are not meeting current foundational reading expectations and are not predicted to pass IREAD-3 in third grade. These students will receive additional reading support, will be offered summer program opportunities, and will retake the test in third grade. The student will also need to achieve a passing score on IREAD-3 in the spring administration during their third grade year. 

There are no Good Cause Exemptions (GCE) granted to second grade students.

What are the expectations of IREAD-3 in third grade?

All third grade students are required to take IREAD-3 unless they have already passed it. This requirement applies to all third graders, regardless of their Special Education or Language Status.

What if my third grader doesn’t pass IREAD-3 in the spring?

Students who do not pass IREAD-3 the spring test have not met the necessary reading expectations for third grade. These students will receive additional reading support including summer program opportunities and will participate in the summer IREAD-3 retest.

What if my student doesn’t pass the IREAD-3 summer retest?

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, third grade students must pass IREAD-3 by the end of third grade (including the summer retest) to be promoted to fourth grade unless they qualify for an exemption, as required by state law.

If a student doesn’t pass the summer retest and...

• Qualifies for one of the exemptions below, they will be promoted to fourth grade but must continue retesting until they pass or complete sixth grade.

• Does not qualify for an exemption, they will repeat third grade to continue improving their reading skills and will retake IREAD-3 until they pass. Even if a student does not pass IREAD-3 after repeating third grade, they will still move on to fourth grade. However, they will continue retaking IREAD-3 each year until they either pass or finish sixth grade.

What exemptions are available for students to be promoted to fourth grade?

If one of these “Good Cause Exemption” situations applies to your student, they are legally allowed to move on to fourth grade, even if they do not pass IREAD-3.

• The student has an intellectual disability or the student's Individualized Education Program specifies that retention is not appropriate, as determined by the case conference committee

• The student is identified as a Multilingual/English Learner and has received services for fewer than two years, with the ILP committee determining that promotion is appropriate.

• The student passes the ILEARN Math assessment

• The student has been retained twice in Kindergarten through 2nd grade and has received intensive intervention for at least two years.

• The student has already been retained once in third grade.

Later this spring, we will provide information on how parents can appeal the decision to retain their student if they believe their child qualifies for one of the exceptions listed above.

Are students required to retest even if they are promoted to fourth grade?

Yes, students are required to participate in both the Spring and Summer IREAD-3 retests until they pass or complete 6th grade to ensure students master foundational reading skills, starting with the 2024-2025 third grade cohort. Even if a student qualifies for a Good Cause Exemption and is promoted to fourth grade, they must continue to retest until they pass or complete sixth grade.

How can I help my student prepare for IREAD-3?

• Read with your child daily; ask them questions about what they are reading.

• IREAD-3 can contain longer reading passages; encourage your child to occasionally read for longer periods of time with books that aren’t too hard that it’s frustrating for them to read, but are at a level that they might need your support to read.

• IREAD-3 Released Items Repository (RIR) - This site provides previously released IREAD-3  items that you can view.

Where can I see a sample report?

For more information about the specific sections on the IREAD-3 report, see the following Sample Reports:

• Grade Two (English | Spanish)

• Grade Three (English | Spanish)