The reading instruction of beginning teachers needs to be assessed according to the teacher's use of practices that work. Therefore, a rubric that specifically looks for best practices is presented to be used in both formative and summative evaluations of beginning teachers' reading instruction. The criteria are based on the vision of a highly literate classroom environment in which the study of texts is a central and valuable activity. This vision of the classroom is supported by most, if not all, state standards for reading instruction, as well as by the standards of the International Reading Association.