INDIANAPOLIS -- With its 2024 IREAD 3 results, the Indiana Department of Education saw the largest single-year increase in proficiency since the assessment began in 2013.
According to officials with the department, more than 67,000 third-grade students, or 82.5%, demonstrated proficient reading skills in the 2023-24 assessment. This was an improvement of 0.6% percentage points from the 2022-23 IREAD results.
"Ensuring Hoosier students are able to read is key to not only the future of Indiana, but to the individual success of every child," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a news release from the Indiana Department of Education. "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.”
This continues the increased proficiency trend of results coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the proficiency percentages increasing year after year since the 2020-21 school year:
- 81.2% in 2020-21
- 81.6% in 2021-22
- 81.9% in 2022-23
- 82.5% in 2023-24
While the percentages have not reached pre-pandemic levels of proficiency, department officials said that before the pandemic, the state's literacy rates declined in every year, with the exception of 2014-15. The pandemic caused the state to make "historic investments in helping more students learn to read."
“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,” Katie Jenner, the state's secretary of education, said in the release. “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.”
According to the data provided by the department, officials said literacy rates for certain student populations, including Black students, special education students and students receiving free/reduced-price meals have increased for the past three years. The department said that Hispanic students and English learners both saw decreases in literacy rates from the previous year, specifically a decrease of 0.3% and 0.4% respectively.
The department said that 277 elementary schools throughout the state of Indiana recorded an IREAD passage rate of 95% or higher, an increase of 35 elementary schools compared to last year. Other data from this year's exam includes:
- 88.2% of general education students showed proficiency in the exam
- 57.1% of special education students showed proficiency in the exam
- 63.6% of English Language learners showed proficiency in the exam
- 84.7% of non-English Language learners showed proficiency in the exam
- 81.5% of public school students showed proficiency in the exam
- 92.5% of nonpublic school students showed proficiency in the exam
According to the department, more than 1,000 elementary schools in the state of Indiana opted in to administer the IREAD assessment to their second-grade students in the 2023-24 school year. This came before the passage of Senate Bill 1, which was signed into law by Holcomb in March and went into effect in July.
SB 1, or the "Every Child Learns to Read" bill was seen by some as the Indiana State Senate's top priority bill. According to previous reports, Indiana schools will now be required to provide instruction that closely aligns with the science of reading curriculum from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Starting this school year, second-grade students will take the IREAD assessment and passing students will be exempted from having to take it again. The students who did not pass the assessment in second grade will have "specialized support" in the third grade surrounding reading instruction. If the student does not pass the assessment in the third grade, they would have to be held back.
The Indiana Department of Education said that of the second-grade students who participated in IREAD during the 2023-24 school year, 59% either passed the assessment or are on track to pass by the end of the third grade.
Officials said that through giving the assessment in the second grade, teachers are able to identify students who need additional, targeted support as early as possible.