Indiana is celebrating a significant milestone in education, with third-grade literacy rates seeing an unprecedented increase. According to the latest IREAD assessment, 87.3 percent of third-grade students demonstrated proficient reading skills, a jump of nearly five percentage points over the previous year.
This marks the largest single-year increase since the IREAD assessment was launched in 2013 and is the fourth consecutive year of growth. State leaders are crediting the success to strategic investments in early literacy initiatives aimed at reversing a years-long decline in reading proficiency.
“The number of Indiana students learning to read is growing at an unprecedented pace,” said Governor Mike Braun. “We will continue to raise the bar and set the model for what is possible when we prioritize educational outcomes.”
The data shows positive results across all student populations. Literacy rates for Black students, special education students, and students receiving free or reduced-price meals have increased for four consecutive years. For the 2024-2025 school year, each of these groups saw a jump of more than 6.5 percentage points.
The state’s literacy rates are now back to pre-pandemic levels, with a new goal of having 95 percent of third-grade students reading proficiently by 2027. Tactical solutions like the Indiana Literacy Cadre and a new early assessment for second graders have been credited with helping to identify and support students who need intervention.
