Indiana third grade reading scores surpass pre-pandemic levels on IREAD test

Indiana third grade reading scores have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with the share of students reaching proficiency on the IREAD test increasing to 88.7% this year. This marks the fifth consecutive annual increase, following state support and reforms such as increased test opportunities, mandated literacy training for certain educators, and funding for tutoring and early literacy instruction.

While the proficiency rate of 88.7% is still below the goal of 95% by 2027, it is still above the 2019 rate of 87.3%. The improvements were seen across racial and ethnic groups, as well as for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, those with disabilities, and English language learners. Black students' proficiency rates jumped from 76.1% in 2025 to over 80% in 2026, an 18-percentage-point increase from their 2021 low of 62%.

Hispanic students' proficiency rate increased by nearly 8 percentage points to 76.1%, while the proficiency rate for students receiving free or reduced-price meals rose from 82.6% in 2025 to 84.1% in 2026. Second graders' proficiency rates also increased from 48% in 2025 to 62% in 2026. The IREAD test allows up to five chances for students to pass throughout second and third grade.

Last year, 3,040 third graders repeated the third grade after failing the exam, but it's unclear how many will be retained in the 2026-27 school year. Indiana's improvements in reading scores come after a series of policy changes, including $100 million for phonics-based reading instruction, the launch of the Indiana Literacy Cadre, and the requirement for elementary and special education teachers to earn a literacy endorsement.