INTERMOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL BLOG
How ICS Compares to State-Wide Reading Trends
For families looking for a private Christian school near Salt Lake City, Intermountain Christian School is known for an intentional culture of literacy across grade levels. From early phonics and fluency to upper-elementary comprehension, writing, and speaking, we help students become confident readers within a Christ-centered environment. At ICS, students are taught to meet—and often exceed—the Utah Core Standards.
Intermountain Christian School Elementary Reading Program
For families looking for a private Christian school near Salt Lake City, Intermountain Christian School is known for an intentional culture of literacy across grade levels. From early phonics and fluency to upper-elementary comprehension, writing, and speaking, we help students become confident readers within a Christ-centered environment. At ICS, students are taught to meet—and often exceed—the Utah Core Standards.
Utah Reading Benchmarks and Trends
Across Utah's public-school system, the reading picture is mixed. In the state's official early literacy reporting, 46.5% of students were reading on grade level, and 68.2% were making typical or better progress. At the same time, the Utah State Board of Education reported that Utah's 2024 eighth-grade NAEP reading score fell four points from 2022, while fourth-grade reading remained unchanged, showing that reading growth remains a statewide challenge.
Utah public education leaders are actively trying to improve these results. The state says it is expanding resources for reading programs, emphasizing evidence-based literacy practices, providing targeted training, and tracking progress more closely through efforts outlined in the USBE release and Utah's P-12 Literacy Framework.
That public-school context matters. Utah's P-12 Literacy Framework says only 46% of Utah's third graders and 42% of eighth graders score proficient in reading, and it calls literacy "the most fundamental skill and the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning."
Recent Deseret News reporting on Utah K-3 literacy adds more public-school context: in 2025, 53.3% of kindergarteners, 48.2% of first graders, 48.7% of second graders, and 50.3% of third graders met grade-level expectations, underscoring why strong early instruction and intervention matter so much.
Against that statewide public-school backdrop, ICS students already meet and often exceed Utah standards while also cultivating a genuine love of reading through strong instruction, intervention, and joyful literacy experiences.
The following article, written by ICS first-grade teacher Darah Doty, comes from our 2026 Lionheart Spring Newsletter.
How ICS Cultivates a Culture of Literacy at ICS
Reading is the bedrock of all other instruction. It has been said that reading is a discipline in search of content. Reading skills and strategies are required across content areas. When students read, the world becomes an open book, and our teachers ensure our students have the skills to discern what it is saying.
We love reading at ICS! Through all of the instruction and state standards, it is important to maintain the joy of reading. We want to impart the joy of reading. That’s something that cannot be taught, but is cultivated after years of instruction, amounting confidence, and community support. You can see the love of reading being imparted every day at ICS. Often, you’ll see students getting reading help in our halls, with their reading buddies, or begging our librarian for a book they heard in their classroom read-aloud. They share their library books when they get back to the classroom after checking them out as a “library celebration.” Reading is not just academic; it is fun!
We recognize the urgency and significance of reading instruction as central to our mission of equipping and inspiring students to thrive in God’s world. While our test scores show we are continually making gains and are well above state standards, we do not “teach the test”. We use the data from standardized testing to drive instruction, but we focus on incorporating best practices and our passion for learning into our instruction.
At ICS, we love literacy. Reading and writing are gifts, and we love to share them with our students. As Dr. Seuss says, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Our prayer is that our students will go all over the world, equipped and inspired to thrive in God’s world.
Progression of Reading Across Elementary Grade Levels
Each upper elementary grade level has an opportunity for an in-depth project where students showcase literacy skills learned over the years, allowing them to read, write, and speak about their topic. (see timeline graphic)
PreK Celebrates literacy with a Little Lions reading hour each week and incorporates hands-on activities to increase comprehension of stories.
Focus: building decoding, fluency, comprehension, and writing skills.
K-2nd graders use multisensory techniques to reinforce skills, and are complemented with targeted instruction, both in the classroom and with our reading interventionist. We enjoy community support with parents regularly practicing fluency with our students.
Focus: phonics and phonemic awareness, and students are expected to write in all content areas
3rd graders research a historical figure, and the class creates a wax museum. They write out the information and then dress up like that person. As the community walks through, students tell museum visitors about their person.
4th graders research a state and then decorate a cookie that displays important landmarks and locations within that state. Students then present their information and answer questions from other grade levels as they walk through the stations, stopping at each one.
5th graders complete several projects throughout the year, including informational writing on the Revolutionary War and a science fair project that requires experimentation, writing, reading, and interpreting graphs, before presenting their findings to the class.
Focus: In 3rd-5th grade, the focus shifts from learning to read to reading to learn, increasing student vocabulary through grade-level texts, morphology instruction, and focusing on comprehension skills such as point of view, sequencing, theme, and cause and effect, which gives students the tools to interpret information.
Want Your Child to be a Lifelong Reader? Schedule a Tour Today!
If you're looking for a school where literacy is foundational to long-term academic growth, we'd love to show you what that looks like in person. Schedule an in-person or virtual campus tour to meet teachers, see classrooms in action, and learn how ICS helps students grow in reading, writing, and confidence.
What It Means To Earn Platinum AP School Honor Roll Recognition
Intermountain Christian School has earned Platinum AP School Honor Roll recognition from the College Board, highlighting strong college readiness, rigorous AP coursework, and outstanding support for students in the Salt Lake Valley.
What It Means To Earn Platinum AP School Honor Roll Recognition
Intermountain Christian School Earns Platinum AP School Honor Roll Recognition
We are pleased to announce that Intermountain Christian School has earned Platinum Status on the College Board’s AP School Honor Roll, the highest distinction in this national program. The College Board recognizes schools whose Advanced Placement (AP) programs achieve both high student participation and strong AP test results.
This recognition affirms our commitment to college readiness, expanded access to advanced academics, and supporting students in achieving meaningful outcomes through rigorous coursework.
National Recognition for Academic Excellence
Launched in 2023, the AP School Honor Roll includes four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. In the 2024–25 cycle, only 36% of eligible high schools nationwide received recognition at any level, and just 8% achieved Platinum. This places ICS among the nation’s top-performing schools.
For ICS, Platinum Status demonstrates that students have access to diverse advanced coursework, strong participation rates, and the preparation needed to succeed.
Platinum benchmarks require 80% of the Class of 2025 to take at least one AP class, 50% to pass at least one AP course, and 15% to complete five or more AP classes during high school, including at least one in ninth or tenth grade. These measures reflect sustained student engagement, strong instructional support, and a culture that values both access and achievement.
How is this Connected to your Student’s Outcomes?
The College Board’s AP program enables students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school, with opportunities to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both. Through AP coursework, students develop critical thinking, analytical writing, and disciplined study habits that prepare them well for college and beyond.
Research supports these benefits. According to the College Board, students who complete their first AP Exam are three percentage points more likely to graduate from college within four years. Those who score a 3 or higher on one AP Exam are six percentage points more likely, and students who earn a 3 or higher on two AP Exams are eight percentage points more likely. Additional College Board research shows that AP Exam takers have a nine-point higher four-year graduation rate than non-AP students, regardless of AP score.
For ICS, this distinction highlights the long-term value of an academic program designed to prepare students for the next stage of their academic journeys.
Advanced Placement Courses Offered at ICS
Intermountain Christian School’s AP program demonstrates a commitment to rigorous preparation in the humanities, sciences, mathematics, and technology. Students may enroll in the following Advanced Placement courses:
AP English Language & Composition
AP Literature & Composition
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A
AP Human Geography
AP Government
AP World History
AP Biology
AP Pre-Calculus
AP Calculus AB
AP Psychology*
These courses allow students to engage with college-level content and build the academic skills and confidence needed for future success.
Recognizing the Educators and Leaders Behind This Achievement
A strong academic program relies on dedicated educators and leaders. We honor the faculty and administrators who have built the AP program at Intermountain Christian School.
Congratulations to Pamela Smith, Dean of Middle and High School, and Anna Johnson, College and Career Guidance Counselor, for their leadership. We’d also like to recognize and thank Brewster Christiansen in mathematics, Becky Schumacher in English, Michelle Reed in science, Joe Dunbar in Computer Science, and Ryan Wittstock in high school social studies. Each of these educators contributes in meaningful ways to equipping and inspiring students to THRIVE.
Serving Families Across the Salt Lake Valley
For families across the Salt Lake Valley, this achievement reflects the broader educational experience Intermountain Christian School provides. ICS is committed to offering a learning environment that combines academic rigor, strong college and career guidance, and diverse opportunities.
Our mission is to EQUIP and INSPIRE students to THRIVE in God’s world. It's truly satisfying to see an award that reflects this mission in action.
Families looking for a Christian school in the Salt Lake Valley often seek both challenge and support. They want a school where students are known, encouraged, and stretched to reach their potential. They want challenging academics, taught with the grace of Jesus. Recognition from the Platinum AP School Honor Roll is a meaningful indicator that Intermountain Christian School is delivering on that promise.
Learn More About Intermountain Christian School
Families interested in learning how ICS supports students academically, personally, and spiritually are invited to schedule a tour and experience the school community firsthand.
