MSD Steuben County outlines iRead schedule, retest rules and supports for 2nd–3rd graders

MSD Steuben County district staff summarized how the state iRead assessment will be administered this spring, outlined new retest and retention rules, and described district and community supports for students who do not meet the test benchmarks.

The district presenter said students will take the first iRead administration in early March, with a second opportunity in May for those who do not pass. "Students that pass iRead 3 are 35% more likely to graduate from high school," the presenter said, adding that students who do not pass by the end of 3rd grade will be required to attend summer school and—unless they qualify for a good-cause exemption—may be retained in 3rd grade.

The changes reflect the Indiana law that now requires all 2nd graders to take the iRead assessment; the district noted the legal requirement applies to administration in 2nd grade but that the statutory requirement to pass remains tied to 3rd grade. The presenter emphasized that the district’s goal remains for 95% of students to reach basic reading proficiency and pointed to recent gains: MSD’s 3rd-grade pass-or-on-track rate rose to 82.9% last year, which the presenter said is the highest in district history and above the state average.

District staff described the iRead’s structure—untimed, three parts assessing foundational skills, vocabulary and comprehension using multiple-choice items—and showed sample item types (matching ending sounds, vowel-sound choices, fill-in vocabulary, and passage-based main-idea and inference questions). The presenter explained score bands used by the district: third-grade passing begins at score 446 or higher, while the district showed second-grade categories as "at risk" (below 404), "on track" (405–445) and pass (446+). The presenter warned that some item types that require applying a word in two sentences tend to be the most difficult for students.

The district reviewed the statutory list of good-cause exemptions mentioned in the recording: students with an individualized education program (IEP); students who have received two years or less of English-language services; students who pass the third-grade iLearn math test; students who have been retained twice previously in kindergarten through second grade; and students who have previously been retained once in third grade. Students who qualify for a good-cause exemption continue to take iRead until they pass or complete 6th grade.

To support students, the district described multiple in-school and out-of-school strategies: ongoing teacher professional development, frequent progress monitoring (every other week), small-group instruction during English language arts blocks, interventionists (Title and special education staff, EL teachers), and targeted iRead preparation begun in September. The presenter said after-school readiness groups will run Feb. 11–27 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at all four district elementary schools; transportation is available and families sign up via a provided Bitly or QR code. The presenter recommended that all second through fifth graders who have not yet passed iRead attend the readiness groups.

The district also highlighted external resources and funding options: an "Indiana learns" grant (for eligible students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and scored below proficiency on iLearn) for outside tutoring; the Indiana Learning Lab (imlearninglab.com); the Florida Center for Reading Research; the University of Florida Literacy Institute (decodable passages and practice materials); and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for children ages 0–5. The presenter said after-school tutoring will begin in February.

No formal votes or board actions were recorded in the presentation. The recording concluded with reminders to sign up for readiness groups and to follow district social pages for updates.