January 15, 2026
The California School for the Blind Assessment Center is pleased to announce the launch of a new, self-paced, and ungraded Google Classroom designed to build expertise in administering and interpreting the Johns Basic Reading Inventory (Johns BRI) 12th Edition. This resource is perfect for both Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs) new to the instrument and veteran professionals seeking a comprehensive refresher on the latest edition.
The Johns BRI is a criterion-referenced, informal reading assessment that can be used as one of the evaluation tools when completing a Learning Media Assessment (LMA). The completion of the Johns BRI provides the data and observational information needed to help determine reading speed, efficiency, comprehension and reading levels, and aids in the determination of the primary and secondary learning media. The 12th Edition introduces updated graded word lists and passages, reading and writing rubrics, passages up to Grade 12, and Early Literacy Assessments.
The LMA was first introduced by Dr. Alan Koenig and Dr. Cay Holbrook in the early 1990s. They defined the LMA as "an objective process of systematically selecting learning and literacy media for students with visual impairments" (Koenig & Holbrook, 1995). This assessment is more than best practice, it is a legal requirement rooted in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Federal regulation Sec. 300.324 (a) (2) (iii) mandates that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team must consider and "provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless... an evaluation" (the LMA) determines it is inappropriate (34 C.F.R. § 300.324, 2024). To help TSVIs meet this obligation, the 2023 Delphi study, Components of Valid Learning Media Assessments (McCarthy et al., 2023), established a consensus on the essential components of a valid LMA. The use of the Johns BRI for an LMA satisfies many of the required items identified in the Delphi study.
The self-paced Google Classroom, Using the Johns Basic Reading Inventory 12th Edition in a Learning Media Assessment
, covers the full administration and analysis process, with a focus on its use for students with visual impairments. Topics include Background Information, Getting Started, Develop Rapport, Graded Word Lists, Reading Miscues, Calculating Words per Minute, Comprehension, Writing Analysis, Practice Videos, and Writing the Report. The classroom includes reference documents, sample reports and templates, and videos that enable the user to practice scoring a student's complete Johns BRI.
Use of the Google Classroom is free, and participants are encouraged to share the classroom code with colleagues. The classroom is not monitored and can be viewed in any order. Additional information about the classroom can be found in the FAQ once logged in.
- Classroom Code: rn2hrb5r
- Instructor Contact: Stephanie Herlich, MA, TVI/OMS at sherlich@csb-cde.ca.gov
Reference
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Regulations, 34 C.F.R. § 300.324 (2024).
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Stephanie Herlich, MA, TVI/OMS
Assessment Center Coordinator
California School for the Blind
