The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 Assessment Framework and Specifications is intended as a blueprint for IEA's 2006 assessment of reading literacy. Concrete information about how well students can read provides policymakers and researchers in every country with insight on how to improve literacy and reading achievement. To help improve reading teaching and learning around the world, the IEA General Assembly approved reading literacy as an essential component of the IEA's regular cycle of core studies, which also included mathematics and science (known as TIMSS. With PIRLS 2006, IEA's Progress on PIRLS is in its second round of assessing reading achievement for students in their fourth year of school. This document contains the following: (1) Overview of IEA's PIRLS Assessment; (2) PIRLS Reading Purposes and Processes of Reading Comprehension; (3) Context of Learning to Read; and (4) Assessment Design and Specifications. The following are appended: (1) PIRLS National Research Coordinators Contributors to PIRLS Development; (2) Sample Passages, Questions, and Scoring Guides; and (3) Comparison of PIRLS and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).