IREAD
The Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) is a reading assessment developed in accordance with state legislation. IREAD is designed to measure foundational reading skills based on Indiana Academic Standards through grade three. Students begin participation in IREAD at grade 2 and continue to participate until they pass the assessment or are promoted to grade 7. Students who do not pass IREAD receive appropriate reading remediation and interventions to encourage their development of those essential reading skills. Grade 3 students who do not pass IREAD and do not qualify for a Good Cause Exemption (GCE) are retained (IC) 20-32-8.5-2.
- Frequently Asked Questions
When is the IREAD assessment administered?
The spring IREAD assessment window is held annually in March. The summer retest opportunity is available annually in May and June. View this year’s assessment windows on the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Assessment webpage.
What is the test design for IREAD?
IREAD is an online, untimed assessment consisting of three separate test segments. The first segment measures phonics and early vocabulary skills. The remaining two segments assess students’ ability to silently read and comprehend nonfiction and literary texts.
Students will encounter only multiple-choice questions on IREAD. Segment 1 includes only discrete questions (that stand on their own without any passages). Segments 2 and 3 include only passage-based questions (where students must read a passage and answer questions related to that passage). The Test Delivery System (TDS) will automatically generate unique forms for each student with different items measuring the same level of rigor.
Indiana educator committees collaborated with content experts to create the IREAD Assessment Frameworks and Item Specifications to ensure all test items align to Indiana Academic Standards.
For detailed information about the IREAD assessment, visit the Indiana Assessment Framework: IREAD.
Who participates in IREAD?
All grade 2 students and students in grades 3 through 6 are required to participate in IREAD each spring and summer administration until they pass or are promoted to grade 7.
How will students receive scores?
Educators access scores through Cambium’s Centralized Reporting System (CRS).
Families access scores through Cambium’s Family Portal. Access codes are provided by the child’s school.
- Additional IREAD Resources and Guidance
General Guidance:
- IREAD Assessment Portal
- IREAD Milestones: 2025-2026
- IREAD Frequently Asked Questions - Updated August 2025
- IREAD Invalid & Undetermined Results: Parent Letter Template
- Communication Guidance for Incoming Kindergarten Students: IREAD Assessment Outcomes
- Parent IREAD slides 2025-2026
Remediation Guidance:
- IREAD Remediation Guidance
- Memo: Summer School Guidance: November 8, 2024
- Memo: Summer School Reading Support: March 22, 2024
- Memo: Individual Reading Plan Guidance and Template
Good Cause Exemption Guidance:
- Process & Considerations for Issuing a Good Cause Exemption - Updated August 2025
- After the Good Cause Exemption: Students with Disabilities
- After the Good Cause Exemption: English Learners
- Good Cause Exemption Parent Letter Template (English | Spanish)
- Memo: Third Grade Good Cause Exemption & Retention Guidance: June 21, 2024
- Sample Items, Scoring, and Reporting Resources
IDOE has released several items from the IREAD assessment. These items may be used as sample assessments to familiarize students with test content and format.
These statements provide a broad description of the knowledge and skills that students demonstrate on the assessment for each performance level. The document also records the cut scores for each performance level.
- IREAD Assessment Framework
The IREAD Assessment Framework provides a cohesive place for information and instructional resources related to assessments, including the test blueprint, item specifications, and performance level descriptors. Although the test blueprint is the same for grades 2 and 3, a separate tab on the framework allows access to performance level descriptors that are specific to each grade level’s performance expectations.
For general assistance regarding statewide assessments, please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment via email at INassessments@doe.in.gov or phone at (317) 232-9050.