Lake County legislators are expressing their approval after a significant increase in third-grade literacy rates among Indiana students, as reported by the results of the 2024-2025 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment. According to the Indiana House Republicans' press release, State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron) revealed that there was almost a five-percentage-point improvement in reading scores, this is the most considerable single-year surge since IREAD's inception in 2013, with more than 87% of Hoosier third graders showcasing reading proficiency, effectively matching pre-pandemic levels.
"Helping students who fell behind on learning to read has been a priority for Indiana, it is amazing to see how far we have come in just a few years and I'm grateful to our teachers and families working directly with our students," Aylesworth said, as per the press release. State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) celebrated the improved literacy rates across all student demographics, declaring that the outcomes demonstrate children are rebounding, "Reading is a fundamental skill and we are dedicated to giving students and educators the resources they need to succeed." In a related achievement, State Rep. Hal Slager (R-Schererville) pointed out Indiana's rank as sixth in the nation for fourth and eighth grade reading, as per the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) rankings.
To bolster Indiana's literacy rates, the General Assembly enacted legislation in 2023 to institute science of reading standards, focusing on evidence-backed instruction that enhances reading proficiency through techniques such as phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, and fluency. Following up in 2024, additional measures were passed, adding screenings to identify students at risk of falling behind in reading proficiency and providing earlier interventions; "these efforts have dramatically improved reading scores and strengthened how reading is taught statewide thanks to the great work of our educators," Slager commented, expressing the value of literacy in all aspects of life and the necessity of a solid educational foundation.
Detailed 2025 IREAD scores for individual schools and districts can be found on the Indiana Department of Education's website, for those interested in a deeper dive into the data, the specifics of the state's literacy initiatives can also be explored there.
