Idaho Reading Scores Rise to Seven-Year High
About 60% of Idaho students in grades K-3 read at grade level on the fall 2025 Idaho Reading Indicator, the highest fall rate in at least seven years.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Primary Education
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The Idaho Department of Education released fall 2025 Idaho Reading Indicator scores on Monday, showing about 60% of K-3 students reading at or above grade level. That is an increase of about 3 percentage points from last fall.
Why it matters
The gains come as Idaho has sharply expanded literacy funding, which grew from $13.1 million in 2019 to $72.8 million in 2025. Kindergarten results, however, dipped slightly, which may indicate children are arriving at school less prepared than in the past.
Third-grade proficiency reached nearly 70%, while economically disadvantaged students were 51.8% proficient, up four points from last fall. English language learners (33.8%) and special education students (32.8%) remained well below the statewide rate.
The players
Idaho Department of Education
The state agency responsible for public K-12 education in Idaho, which administers the Idaho Reading Indicator and publishes statewide results.
Amira
An AI-powered reading assessment company that developed the new version of the Idaho Reading Indicator in which students read aloud to a computer.
The details
The scores come from a new version of the Idaho Reading Indicator developed by Amira, an AI-powered reading assessment company, in which students read aloud to a computer. Last fall the test was given in October to give schools more time to resolve technology issues; this year's baseline was administered in September.
Timeline
September 2025: Fall baseline Idaho Reading Indicator administered.
October 2025: Prior year's assessment given in October due to technology issues.
September 2026: Fall 2026 assessment administered using the new Amira version.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Idaho Department of Education released the scores.
Big Picture
Idaho's literacy funding rose from $13.1 million in 2019 to $72.8 million in 2025, and this fall's reading scores are the first major measurable check on that investment. Whether the gains hold will depend on whether kindergarten readiness, which slipped this year, recovers.
Parents of K-3 students can use the statewide and subgroup results to gauge how their child's school compares with state averages. Families with kindergarten-age children may want to focus on early literacy habits, since this year's kindergarten baseline was slightly lower than last year.
The takeaway
Reading gains this year show what sustained literacy investment can accomplish, but the kindergarten dip is a reminder that early readiness still needs attention. Families can support progress by reading aloud and talking with children every day.
What happens next
Fall 2026 Idaho Reading Indicator results, administered in September 2026 using the new Amira version, will show whether the gains continue.
Further reading
Explore more on Primary Education to see how early reading benchmarks are shaping classrooms across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Idaho Education News.
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