INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) presented results from the spring 2025 administration of the Indiana Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN). Results show that math proficiency continues to increase across all grade levels, while English/Language Arts proficiency remained relatively flat year-over-year.
“The literacy and numeracy skills developed in early grades are essential as students begin to explore career options, engage in hands-on learning, and ultimately, make decisions about their next steps after graduation,” said Governor Mike Braun. “While we continue to see students growing in math proficiency, this year’s results remind us all of the need to continue our focus on both early and adolescent literacy.”
Statewide, 40.6% of Indiana’s students are at or above proficiency standards in ELA, and 42.1% of students are at or above proficiency standards in math. This is up 0.1 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, since 2021, which represents the current Indiana baseline. Key takeaways from the data include:
- Since the 2021 baseline, ELA proficiency has increased across most grade levels, although not as significantly as math proficiency.
- Third grade: 1.6 percentage point increase
- Fourth grade: 1.8 percentage point increase
- Fifth grade: 1.3 percentage point increase
- Sixth grade: 0.6 percentage points increase
- Seventh grade: 3.2 percentage point decrease
- Eighth grade: 1.2 percentage point decrease
- Most grade levels remained within one percentage point of their results from last year in ELA.
- The largest year-to-year increase was in grade three (1.7 percentage points). The most significant year-to-year decrease was in grade seven (3.9 percentage points).
- Since the 2021 baseline, math proficiency has increased significantly across all grade levels.
- Third grade: 2.8 percentage point increase
- Fourth grade: 5.5 percentage point increase
- Fifth grade: 2.9 percentage point increase
- Sixth grade: 6.7 percentage point increase
- Seventh grade: 5.4 percentage point increase
- Eighth grade: 6.7 percentage point increase
- Most grade levels increased more than one percentage point in math compared to last year. Only grade three had a decline (0.9 percentage points).
- The most significant change was in grade eight (3.1 percentage point increase).
- Students in grades 5 and 8 experienced year-over-year increases in both ELA and math.
- Specific student populations are seeing improved growth.
- Since the 2021 baseline, math proficiency rates are higher for all student populations in 2025.
- Black students had year-over-year increases in both ELA and math (0.9 and 2.0 percentage points, respectively) and had the highest percentage point increase of all students in ELA.
- Black and Hispanic students experienced the highest year-over-year percentage point increases in math among all students (2 percentage points).
- Students in special education experienced year-over-year increases in both ELA and math (1.3 and 0.4 percentage points, respectively), and their ELA increase was greater than that of their general education peers.
- Students receiving free or reduced-price meals experienced a greater year-over-year increase in math scores than students not receiving free or reduced-price meals (1.4 percentage points).
- English learner students experienced a year-over-year increase in math (0.6 percentage points), but a decline of 1.1 percentage points in ELA after a rise in 2024.
To provide more actionable data throughout the year for students, parents/families, and teachers, Indiana has been working since January 2022 to redesign the ILEARN ELA and Math assessments. These assessments were piloted by approximately 1,350 schools in the 2024-2025 school year. All schools will participate in the through-year assessment model in the 2025-2026 school year.
The redesigned assessment will have three Checkpoints and a shortened summative evaluation at the end of the school year. The Checkpoints will provide improved real-time student data to better support learning throughout the year, rather than waiting until the end of the year for results. Checkpoints are not punitive and are used to guide student learning. If a student does not master a particular standard, they receive additional intervention and instruction before having the option to retake it.
“While we are positively moving and improving in math, there is an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “It is essential that our schools and parents/families continue to work together and stay laser-focused on increasing student learning and success. The new ILEARN Checkpoints, launching statewide in the upcoming school year, will provide a comprehensive look at student performance at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. This will be key to knowing early and often if a student has mastered certain knowledge or skills, or if they may still be struggling, ensuring the student has increased, personalized support.”
ILEARN, which meets state and federal assessment requirements, assesses proficiency in content standards in English/language arts and math in grades three through eight. ILEARN is an Indiana-specific assessment; therefore, ILEARN results cannot be compared to results from other states.
Results of the 2024-2025 administration of the SAT assessment were also released. The SAT serves as the federal accountability high school assessment for 11th-grade students in Indiana. State law requires IDOE to administer a national college entrance exam with the “passing” cut score no lower than the national cut score.
Full ILEARN and SAT results, as well as results from other assessments, are available here.
