Idaho

North Idaho students average higher than state on Idaho Reading Indicator

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2024

The majority of Idaho’s kindergarten-through-third graders hit the right metrics and many showed improvements in their reading abilities after taking Idaho’s early literacy test this spring.

Data from the Spring 2024 Idaho Reading Indicator shows score increases over Spring 2023 for kindergartners, first graders and third graders while Idaho second graders maintained their proficiency rates, the Idaho Department of Education reported in a Tuesday news release.

Each spring and fall, Idaho young students take the IRI as required by Idaho Code 33-1806. The assessment allows Idaho educators to better understand the needs of early learners in phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Overall, North Idaho’s students fared better than their counterparts across the state this spring.

In the Coeur d’Alene School District, the Spring 2024 IRI was taken by 2,704 students: 2,050 students, or 75.8%, tested at grade level; 373 students, or 13.8%, were near grade level; and 281 students, or 10.4%, tested below grade level, according to the composite scores presented by the Idaho State Department of Education.

Of the 1,833 Post Falls School District kindergarten-through-third graders who took the IRI, composite scores showed 1,450 (79.1%) tested at grade level, 212 (11.6%) were near grade level and 171 (9.3%) tested below grade level.

The Lakeland Joint School District’s composite scores showed that 1,232 students took the IRI: 925, or 75.1%, were at grade level; 176 students, or 14.3%, were near grade level, and 131 students, or 10.6%, were below grade level.

In the Kootenai School District, 61 students participated. Of those, 42 (68.9%) tested at grade level, 8 (13.1%) were near grade level and 11 (18%) tested below grade level, according to the IRI’s composite scores.

In spring 2023, 91,437 K-3 Idaho students participated in the IRI. Of those, 65.66% were at grade level, 17.65% were near grade level and 16.69% were below grade level. This spring, 89,446 students participated and of those, 66.5% tested at grade level, 16.8% were near grade level and 16.7% were below grade level.

“Though gains in the spring-to-spring IRI numbers are modest for kindergartners, first and third graders, data suggests that an increased emphasis on effective instruction in early literacy, including a focus on teaching the science of reading, is showing a return on investment,” Chief Deputy Superintendent Ryan Cantrell said in the news release. “I’m pleased to see these results from this assessment cycle.”

Statewide highlights from the spring-to-spring IRI data include:

• One percentage point increase for kindergartners reading at grade level, up to 66% from 65% in 2023
• Two percentage point increase for first graders reading at grade level, from 62% proficient in 2023 to 64% in 2024
• One percentage point increase for third graders reading at grade level, up to 67% in 2024 from 66% in 2023
• All grade levels held steady on the number of students reading below grade level

“Ensuring our students leave third grade prepared for ‘reading to learn’ is absolutely essential,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said in the news release. “We can expect to see steady improvements that our policy goals, like developing growth models that target our lowest performing readers, offering optional full-day kindergarten and emphasizing that our colleges prepare our educators to teach phonics were meant to bring. As these policies are further implemented, district and statewide, we expect to see continued growth.”

Critchfield

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Idaho

Local woman having ‘closet revival’ with new consignment store – East Idaho News

Published

1 hour ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Local woman having ‘closet revival’ with new consignment store – East Idaho News

Shanea Fulks is the owner of Seven Sisters Closet Revival, a new consignment store at 260 South Woodruff in Idaho Falls. Take a look inside in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.

BIZ BUZZ

IDAHO FALLS

New consignment shop in Idaho Falls offers vintage clothes for customers and booth space for sellers

Clothes on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – Curating vintage clothing is Shanea Fulks’s passion, and she’s sharing it with the community through a new business venture.

Seven Sisters Closet Revival opens Saturday at 260 South Woodruff inside Parkwood Plaza in Idaho Falls. It offers racks of vintage clothes for customers and booth space for others to sell their items.

“You get a rack with shelves, and you can come in throughout the week and sell things,” Fulks tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The things you’ll see in the middle of the store are pieces that I have curated. I hand-pick all the things I bring to the store.”

See some of the items in the video above.

Fulks says she’s had multiple people walk in already who are excited about the shop.

The store will have a grand opening this weekend. Fulks is partnering with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting and open house at noon on Friday. A local band will be performing during the event.

Then on Saturday, a grand opening celebration will begin at 2 p.m. Several vendors and live entertainment will be available. Fulks says she’s looking forward to interacting with the community.

Fulks has been selling items from her personal collection online for years. After helping a mother and daughter find a formal dress during an interaction at another shop in town several years ago, Fulks says she realized there was a need for a store like this.

After about a year of working with real estate agents, Fulks says the Parkwood Plaza space formerly occupied by a beauty salon called Blush became available, and it was an ideal fit.

“It’s just been a whirlwind and we’re just trying to get it going,” says Fulks.

A rack of sweaters at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Fulks’ interest in fashion stems back to childhood. She lost her dad and stepdad to suicide at a young age and grew up in a household that struggled to make ends meet. As a result, she says they bought clothes at Goodwill and other secondhand stores.

She remembers being made fun of because of the clothes she wore. In time, she learned to embrace her uniqueness and developed an interest in vintage clothes.

“I’ve just always been attracted to old sweaters, military jackets (her dad served in Vietnam),” Fulks says. “I like to help people feel confident wearing something unique, even if it’s not trendy. Be bold and wear whatever you want.”

The idea of making the most of your circumstances and embracing who you are is inspired by her experience with suicide, and it’s reflected in the art that’s on display in her store.

“Part of the theme in my store is ‘Stay. We need you,’” she says.

Art on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

The business name refers to her family. She comes from a blended family of six girls and four boys. When she and her husband were married, they had a daughter — the seventh sister.

Fulks says she’s looking forward to offering great deals to customers. She has two sons with autism who love art, and she wants to host art-themed events for people with special needs. She’d also like to host tea parties and other events in the future.

“I want people to come and feel like they belong,” she says. “I’m going to allow people to do karaoke. When you’re here, I want you to feel like you can have fun.”

Seven Sisters Closet Revival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.