Hoosier third graders have shown a remarkable leap in literacy, with a nearly five-percentage-point surge in reading scores according to the latest Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment, reports from the Indiana House Republicans have revealed. The increase, described as historic by state Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle), marks the most significant stride in reading proficiency since the inception of IREAD back in 2013, catapulting the proficiency level to above 87% among third graders, matching pre-pandemic benchmarks.
In a statement shining a light on this educational milestone, Rep. Baird praised the collaboration between educators, families, and state officials which has been integral in fostering this academic upturn, "The improvement in Hoosier students' reading scores is simply astonishing when you consider how far they had fallen after the disruptions caused by the pandemic," he expressed his gratitude for everyone's involvement from teachers to students and their families, to state leaders, underscoring it as an exceptional moment to revel in the fruits of collective efforts that evidently seem to be paying off. Baird also highlighted that the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) rankings placed Indiana sixth in the nation for fourth and eighth grade reading, trailing this most recent accomplishment and signaling a definite rebound in literacy achievements, as detailed by Indiana House Republicans' release.
Backing this educational renaissance is a set of legislative actions, one passed in 2023 cementing the integration of science of reading standards into the curriculum, involving evidence-based instruction that touches on all critical aspects of reading development. A successive law in 2024 emphasized the importance of identifying students on the cusp of reading struggles, enabling a quicker response with interventions, per state regulations legislatures saw the significance in providing resources and a framework for identifying struggling readers early, and provisioning the necessary support to keep them on track.
More detailed school and corporation-level insights from the 2025 IREAD are accessible through the Indiana Department of Education's website, ready for stakeholders to delve into.
