Where scores improved and then declined again last school year

Most Idaho students in grades 1 through 3 improved their reading from the beginning to the end of last school year, according to recently released results from the state’s biennial reading exam.

At the state level, literacy has improved for students in grades 1 and 3, with approximately 58% of students reading at grade level last fall up to more than 66% this spring.

Typically, students show reading growth from fall to spring, then a slight decline in the summer, followed by another spurt — a sort of two steps forward, one step back progression. Over time, there should be a trend of steady reading progress.

Although the reading skills of Idaho’s first- and third-grade students have steadily improved from fall to spring, that growth has slowed over the past three school years and overall progress on the spring reading test has declined slightly.

Proficiency levels are not at pre-pandemic levels; nearly 70% of students were reading at grade level in the spring of 2019. The pandemic and changes on the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) exam are cited as contributing factors to the lower than expected scores.

When spring reading results are broken down by district and charter level, nearly all schools show some growth, but the degree of growth varies widely.

In the rural Cambridge School District, for example, students’ reading proficiency rose 38.6 percentage points. Post Falls stood out among the large districts, with a 20-percentage-point increase. Boise stood out among the large districts for another reason: minimal growth. It increased by just 0.2 percentage points from fall to spring.

In some cases, literacy levels declined during the school year.

Oneida County School District had the worst regression in the state, with a 10 percentage point drop in students’ reading proficiency. About 8,000 students attend Oneida, and about 7,000 of them attend the district’s online school and live in various parts of the state.

The release of the spring reading results comes as Idaho Department of Education officials consider revision the IRI. They expect to announce in mid-August whether the exam will change, when a potential new vendor will be awarded the exam contract. The current supplier to the state is iStation.

Check out the lists below to see where students’ reading progress is best and worst.

Search here for your local district or charter growth.

Biggest growth from charter schools/non-traditional schools

A diverse group of charters claimed the state’s largest reading growth. They include schools from eastern and central Idaho, and from the Treasure Valley. They also include a few online schools, some in rural areas, and others in urban centers. Most are relatively small.

Charter (location)	Growth from fall to spring, in percentage points	# Testers
Syringa Mountain Charter (Hailey)	+21.8	57*
Public Charter of Taylor’s Crossing (Idaho Falls)	>20	120*
Monticello Montessori Charter (Ammon)	19.3	92
Gemstone Preparation: Meridian	18.4	174
White Pine Charter (Ammon)	18.1	286
Blackfoot Charter Community Learning Center	17.7	189
Forge International (Sage International, Middleton)	15.8	161
Gemstone Preparation: Nampa	14.8	201
Gemstone preparation: online	14.7	83*
Idaho Virtual College	14.2	94

*# number of test candidates estimated based on K-3 enrollment

Biggest growth in traditional school districts

Most of the counties on this list are relatively small and urban, representing geographically diverse parts of the state.

Neighbourhood	Growth from fall to spring, in percentage points	# Testers
Cambridge	38.6	43*
Bliss	30.7	50
Highland	28.2	48
Culdesac	26.8	48
Invisible	26	51
Soda sources	24.7	244
Garden Valley	22.9	50*
Valley	22.6	137
Border County	22.6	332
Firth	21.7	204

*# number of test candidates estimated based on K-3 enrollment

Biggest growth in large traditional school districts

Two North Idaho districts showed the greatest reading growth among peers of their size (among the 25 highest-enrolling districts). And North Idaho districts claimed five of the top 10 spots.

Neighbourhood	Growth from fall to spring, in percentage points	# Testers
Post waterfalls	20.6	1833
Lake District	17.2	1232
Caldwell	13.9	1677
More Pend Oreille	13.9	1033
Jefferson County	12.6	1861
Kuna	12.6	1641
Bonneville	12.5	3790
Lewiston	12.3	1277
Heart of Alene	12.2	2704
Name	11.8	3907

Most regression/least growth in charter schools/non-traditional schools

Half a dozen Treasure Valley charters fall into the category of declining or minimal growth charters.

Charter (location)	Regression from fall to spring, in percentage points	# Testers
Pinecrest Academy of Lewiston	-23.3	74
McCall Community School	-19.3	44
Public Charter of Upper Carmen	-14.3	56
Idaho Virtual Academy	-13.8	345
Peace Valley Charter (Boise)	-13.6	126
Treasure Valley Classical Academy (Fruitland)	-7.8	211
Inspire Academics (Boise)	-4.6	129
Anser of Idaho (Garden City)	0	253
The Sage International School of Boise	0.4	309
North Valley Academy (Gooding)	0.6	70

Most regression/least growth in traditional school districts

The traditional districts with the least growth in reading proficiency are found across the state and include both small, rural districts and large, urban districts.

Neighbourhood	Regression from fall to spring, in percentage points	# Testers
Oneida County	-10	3698
Council	-8	95
Snake River	-5.3	1101
South Lemhi	-2.3	44
Mountain view	-0.8	315
Boise	0.2	5845
Sugar Salem	2	583
Orofino	2.1	285
Blaine County	2.5	838
Hagerman	2.8	112