Iowa
State Information
The purpose of this document is to capture state-by-state information of policy and guidelines related to the science of reading / evidence-based reading instruction to be presented on The Reading League Compass, a website of reliable and reputable guidance and resources for targeted stakeholder groups.
Updated 2025
Local control?
Yes
Has your state passed legislation and/or non-legislated rule changes related to the SoR?
Yes, in higher education, HF 2545 and HF 2618 resulted in rule changes within Chapters 79 and 13.
Was evidence-aligned reading instruction a consideration for the curriculum review?
Evidence-based, aligned reading instruction served as the foundation for the review and revisions to the teacher preparation program curriculum review; a resource to support this process is the Iowa Literacy Educator Preparation Workbook.
Please describe any other instructional-materials work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
In response to requests from instructional leaders across Iowa and the needs of schools, the Department conducted a request for proposals to identify and establish statewide contracts with negotiated pricing for high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) aligned with Iowa’s academic standards for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. To learn more and access the contract numbers, see the High-Quality Instructional Materials Statewide Contracts for English Language Arts and Mathematics document. Note that this purchasing list is not an “approved list.”
In educator preparation, evidence-aligned reading instruction is a primary focus of the newly developed Iowa Literacy Educator Preparation Workbook. This comprehensive resource includes detailed competencies to include in the program’s literacy curriculum. The purpose of the Workbook is threefold. One, it serves as a resource for programs as they are revising their literacy curriculum to align with the Science of Reading. The second and third purposes include utilizing it for peer review or a formal review.
The components of the Workbook include five critical competencies, which are the
- Foundations of literacy development,
- Knowledge of diverse reading profiles,
- The “how” of structured literacy instruction,
- The “what” of structured literacy instruction, including the five pillars and written expression, and
- Assessment.
Workbook link:
Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?
Please describe any other assessment work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
The Department provided a peer-review opportunity for the preparation programs. In this process, programs that utilized the workbook for self-evaluation had the opportunity to share their curriculum with individuals from other institutions and the Department, allowing them to receive additional feedback and recommendations for curriculum improvement.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to MTSS that incorporates information on the science of reading and/or evidence-based literacy practices?
https://educateiowa.gov/pk-12/learner-supports/multi-tiered-system-supports-mtss: Information is available relating to MTSS, and the page includes resources for evidence-based literacy practices.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to instruction and/or professional development
Yes. Iowa 284.6 – Professional Development Legislation
For educator preparation, an annual Science of Reading Summit will be held for five years, providing a train-the-trainer experience for faculty in literacy, early childhood, and special education.
The summit focuses on advancing literacy instruction through the Science of Reading, providing programs with textbooks and tools to enhance their teacher preparation curricula. Attendees engage in discussions, workshops, and collaborative sessions led by experts in literacy education, helping them refine their syllabi and integrate evidence-based strategies into their programs.
Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading?
Yes. Our state offers LETRS training for our PreK-8 teachers and administrators, as well as instructors of methods courses for those in higher education. Teachers within the State of Iowa also have free access to the Iowa Reading Research Center modules. The Iowa Reading Research Center collaborates with the Iowa Department of Education to distribute this information: https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/
There are eLearning modules based on the Science of Reading. There is also a dedicated module for the Science of Reading on the IRRC Caregivers Hub.
For educator preparation, an annual Science of Reading Summit will be held for five years, providing a train-the-trainer experience for faculty in literacy, early childhood, and special education.
The summit focuses on advancing literacy instruction through the Science of Reading, providing programs with textbooks and tools to enhance their teacher preparation curricula. Attendees engage in discussions, workshops, and collaborative sessions led by experts in literacy education, helping them refine their syllabi and integrate evidence-based strategies into their programs.
Please describe any grant work that names the science of reading and/or evidence-aligned instruction including links, where applicable
An Early Literacy Grant available to schools lists “scientific, research-based reading instruction” and includes a link on the page which provides access to early literacy grants via IowaGrants.
In addition, the federal Comprehensive State Literacy Grant was awarded to the State of Iowa in 2024. This grant will support the implementation of Iowa’s Comprehensive State Literacy Plan over the next five years, including district development of local literacy plans aligned with Iowa’s statewide plan. As a part of the grant, the Iowa Department of Education will support schools in implementing Science of Reading-aligned instruction, including through continued professional learning, school-based literacy leadership teams, high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials, strong community and family partnerships, and high-dose tutoring and targeted interventions informed by student data. The Department will also work closely with institutions of higher education to align accredited teacher preparation programs with the Science of Reading.
Updates and announcements are available on the Department’s CLSD webpage.
Has your state reviewed standards for alignment to the science of reading?
The Iowa Academic Standards in ELA/Literacy include foundational reading skills essential for students as they progress from one grade to the next: print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency.
The Introduction of the Standards includes a definition of the Science of Reading.
Please describe any other standards work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
After adopting the Standards in June 2024, we provided multiple professional learning opportunities for educators across Iowa. During each session, we shared the definition of the Science of Reading, which is available in the Standards document. In the Foundational Skills sessions, we also included Scarborough’s Rope and information for the components of a Structured Literacy lesson.
Does your state have guidance or resources for families related to the science of reading?
We recommend that families review the Caregiver Hub, created by the Iowa Reading Research Center.
Does your state have licensure or program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs are aligned to the science of reading?
In the 2024 legislative session, House File 2545 states, “g. A statewide literacy plan to increase student proficiency using systematic and sequential approaches to teaching phonetic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension. The statewide literacy plan shall address standards for practitioner preparation programs established under section 256.16 that promote evidence-based reading instruction and practical application that are direct, systematic, explicit, responsive, and that consist of phonetic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension. Such standards shall not include instruction or practical application that is designed to teach students using the instructional model commonly known as the three-cueing system.”
The Educator Quality team at the Department and literacy consultants review the higher educator preparation program curricula during the program review process. All educator preparation programs were required to align their preparation with the Science of Reading, and test candidates’ proficiency through the Foundations of Reading Test. Programs are also required to provide evidence of resources provided to the candidates who did not pass the test before recommending them for licensure.
The Educator Quality Team at the Department also collaborated with college and university faculty members, experts in the field, and other Department divisions to build a Workbook that provides resources for higher education institutions to review, and strengthen their curricula. This workbook features a tool that allows the program to do a self study of the literacy preparation; following a self study, programs have the option to participate in a peer-review process through which Department consultants and other educator preparation program experts review the curricula and provide feedback for improvements.
Preparation program faculty members were also provided an opportunity to participate in a training for K-12 instructors and administrators (LETRS).
You may find additional efforts in this area on the Department website under the Practitioner Preparations and Foundation of Reading Test pages.
Do you have a “contact us” website that we can share publicly on TRL Compass?
Please describe and link to any other work you would like to share that relates to the science of reading
In February of 2025, the Iowa Dyslexia Handbook was released. Training has occurred throughout the state for this document.
The Iowa Department of Education is providing all elementary students with free access to Reading Assistant featuring Amira through December 2026, offering a personalized, science-of-reading–aligned tutor.
The Department’s Literacy Instruction webpage includes additional work and resources related to the Science of Reading, including but not limited to the Comprehensive State Literacy Plan, Science of Reading definition, and Scarborough’s Rope.
The Department also provides resources for the educator preparation programs:
Foundation of Reading Test and resources for candidates and programs.
Interactive State Map
Use the interactive state map to find descriptions of state-level policy adoption, guidance, and practices related to the science of reading. State policy may include legislation incorporating training or practices related to the science of reading or state education agency guidance regarding policy, professional development, curricula, instruction, or assessment.
Filter by specific topic area(s) to find state-specific work:
The Reading League expresses gratitude to our collaborators and associates within the state education agencies for sharing their state-specific data. This data will undergo semi-annual updates, contingent upon the availability and resources of the respective state agencies. For any inquiries, clarifications, or updates, please reach out to compass@thereadingleague.org.
