“Many times, as educators, we don’t realize the perfect gift that God has given us: the ability to understand and comprehend. We can learn something new every day when there is a heart with vocation and passion, ready to teach. Each day, we set a goal to become a means of transformation for our students, a bridge of wisdom and love, and a reflection of true teaching.”

— GLXi-trained teacher Marta Julia Valle

Marta Julia Valle knew she had struck the right chord with her students when they started asking her if they could take tests more often.

“They understood that each day was an opportunity to improve, and as a teacher, it was fantastic for me to hear that,” she recalled.

In particular, two students with speech difficulties were able to reach new heights in their learning thanks to the prep work and consistent follow-ups that accompanied evaluations this past year.

“They included fluency, mental agility, vocabulary, and oral reading comprehension, which allowed me to constantly monitor my students’ performance,” Ms. Valle said. “This in turn helped strengthen their vocabulary, spelling, speed, clarity, and most importantly, their confidence when reading aloud.”

More than a test, the IDEL assessments (“Indicadores Dinámicos del Éxito en la Lectura) have become a warmly received fixture in GLXi’s classrooms in Guatemala.

The beginning and end-of-year assessments provide the Global Learning Exchange Initiative (GLXiⓇ) team with important data for shaping its program and establishing benchmarks and curriculum modifications.

But perhaps an even greater value is in the day-to-day difference they make for each classroom.

“They are my main source of support,” Ms. Valle said. “They keep me informed about the changes I need to make to improve my teaching and assessments. They are my right hand in education.”

And, of course, we enjoy being able to share the assessment results with our supporters, because they speak to how our program continues to positively impact children and classrooms in so many communities across Guatemala.

IDEL Highlights

This year, we are more excited than ever to share the results with you. Because we not only saw improvements across the school year, but also when comparing to prior years. This affirms that what we are doing is working!

The 2025 results show that students are reading better, understanding more, and enjoying reading, while teachers are successfully applying more effective and adaptive instructional strategies.

When comparing the results with those of previous years, there are clear and consistent improvements across all levels, reflecting the positive impact of teacher support and the continued implementation of GLXi’s Open Minds in Action program.

Here are some highlights:

Fewer students reading below the expected level: Since 2022, the percentage of students reading below the expected level has steadily declined, with only 3.5 percent of students falling into this category in 2025. This is the lowest rate since our program began. What an achievement! This shows that fewer children are falling behind in reading, which is exactly what we are trying to accomplish in Guatemala.
More students exceeding their grade level: In 2025, one out of every three students (33.5%) is reading above the expected level, demonstrating progress in comprehension, fluency, and motivation to read. We are so proud of these students!
Strengthening of oral reading fluency: Among all of the reading skills that were tested, students showed the greatest strength in their oral reading fluency. This shows that students are not only recognizing words but also reading with greater confidence, expression, and understanding.
High-performing regions as models: The regions of Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Quetzaltenango serve as strong examples for other areas. GLXi has a strong presence and delivers consistent pedagogical support in these regions. Their high-level results suggest a benefit to a more effective application of GLXi strategies and consistent, high-quality teaching practices.

Overall, the IDEL 2025 results confirm that the GLXi program is effectively strengthening reading skills from the earliest years, promoting inclusive, motivating, and continuously improving teaching practices.

Conducting the IDEL Assessment

The IDEL assessments are administered twice a year, with a beginning-of-year evaluation to determine each student’s starting point (diagnostic evaluation), and an end-of-year evaluation to assess progress.

This makes it possible to observe both individual and group improvement, adjust teaching strategies throughout the year, and verify the impact of the “Open Minds in Action” program as students develop their reading skills.

In total, 5,534 students from 72 schools across 12 departments of the country were evaluated.

Tests were adapted to each grade level, from preschool to third grade, with the goal of assessing progress in different areas of development and literacy.

At the primary level, some testing activities included: identifying letters in a booklet, reading unfamiliar words (to measure basic reading skills), and answering questions about different stories (to demonstrate reading comprehension and fluency). Students were also asked to create sentences using key words, to evaluate their vocabulary and oral expression.

In preschool, the evaluation also looked at overall development in areas such as fine motor skills, gross motor skills, communication, and thinking. Jumping, throwing, crawling, painting, and cutting are just some of the playful and age-appropriate activities that were incorporated to measure progress in these areas.

The testing was conducted both with students participating in the GLXi program (3,971 students in the GLXil group) and those who do not have access to GLXi’s resources (1,563 students in the control group).

A Year of Results

Let us share some of what made 2025 such a stand out year for the IDEL assessments.

First, more than 96% of students showed they are reading at or above the expected level (63 percent were at grade-level, 33.5 percent exceeded their grade level, and only 3.5 percent came in below grade level.)

Second, GLXi students far out-performed students in the control group.

This was even more apparent with the preschool aged children, where only 2 percent of GLXi students fell below the expected level compared to 32 percent of those in the control group.

Across all grades, GLXi students demonstrated greater fluency, comprehension, and reading confidence.

The regions with the best results were Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Quetzaltenango, where strong teaching practices and consistent pedagogical support were evident.

These results show that the different components of GLXi’s program are delivering results to Guatemalan children who, despite social and economic vulnerability, are capable of achieving higher standards.

GLXi has a Confirmed Impact on Student Success

The IDEL 2025 results confirm the positive and sustained impact of the GLXi program on students’ reading development. The scores also reaffirm our commitment to inclusive, motivating, and high-quality education.

The valuable information that we have gleaned from the testing will further strengthen our strategies for the future.

With continuous support, teamwork, and educational innovation, we can continue to improve the lives of the children of Guatemala.

The future we see for them is one filled with academic and personal opportunities, as we continue to foster critical thinking, social interaction, and informed decision-making – and, of course, a love of reading.

Thank you for supporting our work!

Your contributions make GLXi’s work in these schools possible. Donate today.

You can also directly share the link to sponsor: Sponsor Teacher Training — Global Learning Exchange