The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Tuesday released results from the 2023-2024 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment, which show third graders had the largest single-year increase since the assessment was launched in 2013.

“Ensuring Hoosier students are able to read is key to not only the future of Indiana, but to the individual success of every child,” said Governor Eric Holcomb. “The historic literacy investments we have made over the past several years are beginning to show return on investment, which is a testament to the hard work of teachers, families and students in every corner of our state. Let’s keep this positive momentum going.”

Statewide, results reveal that more than 67,000 Indiana third grade students – or 82.5% – demonstrated proficient reading skills on the assessment. This is an improvement of 0.6 percentage points over results for the 2022-2023 school year, which is the highest year over year increase since the launch of IREAD.

“When it comes to supporting every child to reach their full potential, the single-most important thing we can do is help them learn to read,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Over the past three years, Indiana has made historic investments in ensuring educators and families have the tools and resources they need to best support our students, and today, we are seeing positive results from this all-hands-on-deck approach. Our collective hard work is paying off, yet there is still more to be done. Let’s continue to work together and continue this positive momentum for Indiana and most importantly, our students.”

Key takeaways from the data include:

  • Prior to the pandemic, Indiana’s literacy rates declined every year, with the exception of 2014 to 2015.
  • The pandemic exacerbated this literacy crisis, and in response, Indiana has made historic investments aimed at helping more students learn to read.
  • Literacy rates have now increased for three consecutive years. This year, represents the largest-ever single-year increase since the start of IREAD in 2013.
  • Specific student populations are seeing improved growth.
    • Literacy rates for Black students, students in special education, and students receiving free/reduced price meals have increased for three consecutive years.
    • Black students:
      • 3.2 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024
      • 6.6 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024
    • Students in special education:
      • 2.2 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024
      • 4.7 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024
    • Students receiving free/reduced price meals: 
      • 1.8 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024
      • 3.4 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024
  • Hispanic students and English learners both saw decreases in literacy rates (0.3 and 0.4 percentage points respectively) in 2024. Additional, targeted reading support is still needed.
  • Today, 277 Indiana elementary schools have an IREAD passage rate of 95% or higher, an increase of 35 elementary schools over 2023.

For the third year, schools had an opportunity to proactively administer the IREAD assessment to their second grade students at no cost – a tactic that has already proven successful at providing educators and families with an early On Track indicator to determine if students will master foundational reading skills by the end of grade three. In total, 1,076 elementary schools opted in to administer IREAD to their second grade students in 2024, an increase from 771 in 2023. Beginning with the current school year, all second grade students will participate in IREAD.

Of the second grade students who participated in 2024, 59% either passed the assessment or are on track to pass by the end of third grade. Nearly 97% of second graders who achieved On Track in 2023 passed the assessment in 2024. The ability to identify students who need additional, targeted support as early as possible, is just one benefit of administering IREAD at grade two. With the help of this early indicator, educators were able to identify students needing interventions to master foundational reading skills, allowing 56% of second graders who were identified as at-risk in 2023 to pass IREAD in 2024.

Another tactical solution showing early signs of success is the Indiana Literacy Cadre. The Indiana Literacy Cadre is a partnership between the state of Indiana, the University of Indianapolis Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) and Marian University’s Center for Vibrant Schools, which provides early elementary teachers with embedded instructional coaching and support aligned with science of reading. Science of reading is an evidence-based body of research that uses phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to teach students to read. Schools that opted in to receive this comprehensive support had a 2.5 percentage point increase in students passing IREAD, compared to a 0.2 percentage point increase for schools that did not opt in to the Literacy Cadre.

The Indiana Literacy Cadre is one of several tactical solutions made possible through the state’s largest-ever financial investment in literacy, which was announced in August 2022. Under the leadership of Governor Holcomb, Indiana partnered with Lilly Endowment, Inc. to invest up to $111 million to support early literacy development. This investment was recently expanded by the Indiana General Assembly during the 2023 legislative session, resulting in a combined total investment of $170 million.

Below are examples of how Indiana continues to help more students learn to read –

  • Launched a new data visualization tool allows educators, parents and families, community leaders, and policymakers to view key literacy data.
  • Provided over 180,000 hours of learning support and tutoring services to over 20,000 students through Indiana Learns, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.
  • Procurement of a preferred universal screener provider to best support elementary schools with students in greatest need is underway. A complete list of approved universal screeners, including the preferred universal screener, will be available by February 2025.
  • Grew the Indiana Learning Lab from 6,000 users in 2021 to over 70,000 users, including launching the Parent and Family Support Hub, which provides no-cost, 24/7 access to resources for parents and families to support their student’s learning.
  • Developed online professional development modules supporting Indiana educators with additional science of reading training. Over 5,500 educators have completed the training.
  • Provided $10 million in cash stipends to teachers, instructional coaches, and other school staff at all corporations and charter schools who are responsible for the implementation and delivery of early literacy and reading instruction through the Literacy Achievement Grants.