As the parent of a South Madison student, the following information is designed to outline for you what Indiana law states about reading requirements for third graders. Reading is the core of the school day for young students. If you visit our elementary classroom, you will find children learning to read. They may be talking about the sounds letters make, listening to the teacher read a story, reading aloud together, working on a computer reading activity, talking/writing about what they have read, reading individually or in small groups, and other activities to support reading and reading comprehension.
The purpose of IREAD-3 assessment is to measure foundational reading standards through grade three. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 is a summative assessment that was developed in accordance with PL 109 which "requires the evaluation of reading skills for students who are in grade three beginning in the Spring of 2012 to ensure that all students can read proficiently before moving on to grade four."
Public Law 109 requires the evaluation of reading skills for students who are in grade three beginning in the Spring of 2012. This legislation was created to ensure that all students can read proficiently before moving on to grade four.
In 2010, educators from across the state worked with the Indiana Department of Education to develop a test blueprint and to review items that have now become the Indiana Reading Evaluation And Determination (IREAD) Assessment. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 (designated for grade three students) is a summative assessment that measures foundational reading standards through grade three.
At South Madison, we regularly assess reading abilities within the classroom. Beyond the assessment tools used within the classroom, the district has established systematic assessments for all elementary grades.
Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI)
Beginning late fall, we will use Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) for all first through sixth grade students. This tool provides us with a Lexile score to help guide our instruction with each student. A Lexile measure is a piece of information about an individual's reading ability or a measure of the difficulty of a text, like a book or magazine. The Lexile measure is shown as a number with an "L" after it - 250L is a Lexile of 250. A Lexile measure can range from below 200L for beginning readers to above 1700: for advanced readers. Readers who score at or below 0L receive a BR for Beginning Reader. A book gets a Lexile text measure based on the text complexity - word frequency and sentence length. These measures are two strong predictors of how difficult a text is to comprehend. Lexile measures can assist students in finding books at an appropriate level of difficulty and determine how well that reader will likely comprehend the text. In addition, Lexile measures help monitor reader's growth in reading ability over time. (For more information on Lexile measures, watch the video at www.lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-video/ )
IREAD-3 Information from IDOE:
What is IREAD-3? IREAD-3 will be administered to students enrolled in grade 3. Achieving proficiency on this assessment fulfills the requirements of Public Law 109 (H.B. 1637), designed to ensure that students can read before accessing fourth grade curriculum. This assessment was piloted in Spring 2011. Following a standard setting process in the Summer of 2011 to set proficiency levels, the assessment will be operationalized in Spring 2012.
When is IREAD-3 administered? IREAD-3 will be administered following the ISTEP+ Applied Skills assessment window in mid-March.
What is assessed on IREAD-3? Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 specifically assesses foundational reading standards through grade three.
What is the structure of IREAD-3? IREAD-3 includes three test sessions, which are comprised of multiple-choice questions only.
What results should I expect to receive? Since this assessment is administered as a pilot during Spring 2011, data was not be released formally for detailed instructional analysis. Cut scores were established from the pilot data. More detailed reports will be available once the assessment is operationalized in Spring 2012. Results from the pilot administration in Spring 2011 will not impact the promotion of current grade three students to grade four.
Is there another opportunty to take IREAD-3? Students who do not pass IREAD-3 in teh spring have an opportunity to retest in the summer. Students who do not pass the spring or summer administrations of IREAD-3 will continue to receive instruction in Grade 3 Reading, will be officially reported as a third grader, and will fully participate in the Grade 3 ISTEP+ assessment. Retention requires schools to provide students who do not pass IREAD-3 with Grade 3 reading/literacy instruction. Literacy instruction may also include other content areas, such as science and social studies. The methods of organizing students for differentiated instruction are determined locally. The administration and teachers of South Madison are working on instructional options and seeking guidance from the Indiana Department of Education on approved methods of differentiating. More information will be shared with parents as discussions continue.
MORE INFORMATION AT THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (IDOE):
Click link below:
Item sampler for IREAD-3
IREAD K-2
IREAD-3 Cut Score and Performance Level Descriptions
Are there exemptions for students who do not pass the IREAD-3 assessment? Good Cause Exemptions that allow for flexibility in determining access to grade four curriculum include:
1. Students who have previously been retained two times prior to 4th grade.
2. Students with disabilities whose Case Conference Committee has determined that promotion is appropriate.
3. English Learner students whose Individual Learning Plan (ILP) Committee has determined that promotion is appropriate.
About the Assessment: IREAD-3 Test Specifics
IREAD-3 is comprised of three test sessions, all of which are administered in one day.
The number of items per test session and the approximate time of each session are indicated below:
Session |
# Items |
Working Time |
1 |
13 |
15 |
2 |
14 |
25 |
3 |
13 |
22 |
Total |
40 |
62 min. |
|