ARC/IRLA Reading Levels

Looking for more information on the ARC Reading Levels?

The ARC/IRLA Reading Levels have changed very slightly since first published in 2010. The primary focus of this site is on the foundational levels (Yellow and Green). But for clarity, here is a graphic that shows all of the levels:

For more information on how the levels have changed, go to Changes and Updates.

Understanding the Intent of ARC Core Levels and Materials

Here is an excerpt from a document dated from 2020, that explains how you can support your child's reading at home. This image focuses on the first two levels, but the entire document can be viewed here.

There are numerous red flags in this document, including:

Guidance to say "look at the picture"
Guidance to not to worry about word substitutions or "words that don't match the text"
Explicit guidance to not "sound out the word"

How does ARC compare to Fountas & Pinnell?

ARC Core (and the IRLA) are a Leveling System, so it is appropriate to compare it to other leveling systems, such as Reading Recovery and Fountas & Pinnell.

This image is not longer available on their website, but can still be found on the internet archive, from 2020:

Correlations With Other Leveling Systems.

Additional explanation of the early levels.

There are additional materials available to help understand the levels in more detail. This carousel includes two additional sources, including the Training Wheels Series.

The Training Wheels website has since been removed, but some information about the series still persists, including:

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