INDIANA · IC 20-35.5, HEA 1558 AND SEA 1
Science of reading practice for the Indiana readers IREAD and dyslexia screening flag
Indiana requires K-2 universal screening for characteristics of dyslexia, science of reading aligned reading materials, and grade 3 retention for students who do not pass IREAD. ReadGenie gives K-6 students in Tier 2 and 3 extra daily practice on the skill their teacher is teaching, with corrective feedback and progress data for staff.
AT A GLANCE
Key date
In effect since 2024-2025
Who it’s for
K-6 readers in Tier 2 and 3
Daily practice
10 to 15 minutes per student
Devices
iPad, Chromebook, Android
Typical funding
Title I, IDEA, Title II-A, Title IV-A
THE DEADLINE
Indiana’s IREAD retention rule has applied since 2024-2025
Under IC 20-35.5, schools must screen every kindergarten, first, and second grade student each year with an IDOE-approved screener and start RTI/MTSS support right away for students flagged at risk. HEA 1558 (2023) requires reading curriculum and supplemental materials adopted from 2024-2025 on to align with the science of reading and bars materials based on the three-cueing model. SEA 1 (2024) added IREAD for all grade 2 students and grade 3 retention, starting with evaluations given in 2024-2025, for students who do not pass and do not qualify for a good cause exemption.
Students who do not pass IREAD need science of reading aligned remediation, summer school, and sometimes an individual reading plan. That is a lot of extra practice time for interventionists to cover. ReadGenie was built for that gap. It gives each student 10 to 15 minutes of aligned practice a day without adding staff time.
2023
HEA 1558 defines the science of reading and bars three-cueing reading materials starting in 2024-2025.
2024-2025
SEA 1 (2024) grade 3 retention applies to IREAD evaluations given this school year.
Spring 2025
All Indiana second graders take IREAD for the first time.
July 1, 2027
Current teachers renewing a license must add the early literacy endorsement under SEA 1.
HOW IT WORKS
How it works in an Indiana school
01
Your interventionist teaches the skill from your chosen program.
02
They set ReadGenie to that week’s skills.
03
Students practice 10 to 15 minutes a day, at school or home, with corrective feedback.
04
Each week, review mastery and fluency for MTSS records and parent updates.
FOR YOUR REVIEW COMMITTEE
What Indiana schools get
The short version for your review committee.
Intended use
Supplemental practice inside your MTSS model. Not a standalone program.
Who it’s for
K-6 readers in Tier 2 and 3, including students with dyslexia
Devices
iPad, Chromebook, Android
Statutory fit
Systematic phonics, decoding, encoding, and fluency practice that fits IC 20-35.5 dyslexia programming and HEA 1558 science of reading rules
Progress monitoring
Mastery bands, fluency, and practice summaries in one adult dashboard
Individual reading plan support
Practice and progress records that can inform IREAD remediation and individual reading plans
Parent reports
Activity reports that support Indiana’s parent notice and home reading strategy requirements
Educator reports
Roster access and progress views for staff
Evidence level
ESSA Tier 4 statement (logic model and planned research), plus usage and progress data
STATE ALIGNMENT
Indiana alignment at a glance
Each row pairs a state requirement with what ReadGenie does. Source links go to the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Department of Education.
HEA 1558 (2023): Science of reading materials, no three-cueing
ReadGenie practice is built on phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding. It does not teach students to guess words from pictures or context.
SEA 1 (2024): IREAD remediation aligned with the science of reading
Students who did not pass IREAD get daily practice on the exact skill being remediated, with feedback on each response.
IC 20-32-8.5-2: Supplemental materials and parent strategies before retention
Teachers can assign aligned practice by skill, and family activity reports show what the student practiced at school and at home.
IC 20-35.5: Systematic, sequential, cumulative dyslexia interventions
Practice follows the skill sequence the educator sets each week and reviews earlier skills so students build on what they know.
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Sound and phoneme drills between intervention sessions, matched to the week’s skill.
Decoding and Encoding
Word reading and spelling practice for the same sound-spelling patterns, with corrective feedback.
Fluency With Connected Text
Decodable passages built from taught patterns so students read connected text they can decode.
Progress Monitoring Within RTI/MTSS
Mastery, fluency, and usage data help teams review response to intervention between benchmark screenings.
WHERE IT FITS
Where ReadGenie fits, honestly
ReadGenie is
Supplemental practice for students in Tier 2/3 intervention. Your educator picks the skill, students practice with feedback, and you get evidence before the next session.
ReadGenie is not
A screener, a Tier 1 core curriculum, or a replacement for your interventionists. Indiana schools choose universal screeners and Level I diagnostics from IDOE’s approved list, and IDOE publishes advisory lists of high-quality curricular materials. ReadGenie adds practice capacity next to whatever your district chooses.
FUNDING
How Indiana schools fund ReadGenie
Schools typically use existing federal and state funds. No competitive application needed.
Title I, Part A
Supplemental reading practice for struggling readers in schoolwide and targeted assistance programs.
IDEA Part B and CEIS
Serves students with IEP reading goals. The 15 percent CEIS set-aside can cover Tier 2/3 students not yet identified, and usage data supports CEIS reporting.
IREAD remediation summer school funding
SEA 1 (2024) requires schools to offer summer courses for grade 2 students at risk and grade 3 students who did not pass IREAD, and state law directs the State Board to prioritize summer school funding for grade 2 and 3 reading. Reimbursement levels depend on the state budget, so confirm with IDOE whether supplemental practice tools are allowable costs before pairing them with summer programs.
Title II-A and Title IV-A
Title II-A can fund educator data-use training. Title IV-A can fund licenses under the effective use of technology priority.
Your federal programs office makes the final allowability call. We can send an allowable use memo and our ESSA Tier 4 statement on request.
PROCUREMENT
Indiana procurement checklist
A quick list to share with your review committee.
Fits IC 20-35.5 dyslexia intervention requirements
Science of reading aligned under HEA 1558, no three-cueing
Supports SEA 1 IREAD remediation and summer school
Guided practice with error correction
Progress monitoring dashboard
Parent reports
Educator reports
ESSA Tier 4 evidence statement
COPPA and FERPA-aware workflows
Chromebook, iPad, and Android
12 to 16 week pilot with implementation support
LET’S TALK
See where ReadGenie fits in your intervention plan
Tell us how intervention runs in your schools today. We’ll show you where ReadGenie fits and what a 12 to 16 week pilot would look like.