Reading assessments for Prince William Countyâs youngest students show a dramatic increase in the number of students struggling to read at grade level from last year. According to the stateâs Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), the number of Prince William elementary students not meeting the reading benchmark has risen by over 16% from last fall. In all but three of the 59 county elementary schools for which data was available, the percentage of students identified for PALS intervention is up from last year. Part of the stateâs Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI), the screening is provided to school districts at no charge through a contract with the University of Virginiaâs Curry School of Education Development. The biannual screening is designed to identify K-3 students in need of reading intervention services before grade promotion and will be given again during the spring semester.