STATEHOUSE – State Reps. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) and Chris May (R-Bedford) are commending a historic increase in third-grade literacy rates for Hoosier students following results from the 2024-2025 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment.
Bartels said third-grade reading scores improved by nearly five percentage points, which is the most significant single-year increase since Indiana launched IREAD in 2013. More than 87% of Hoosier third graders demonstrated proficiency in reading, putting Indiana’s literacy rate at this grade level back to pre-pandemic levels.
The lawmakers thanked Indiana’s education leaders, schools, teachers, and families for their dedication to helping Indiana students achieve these results.
“Improving literacy in schools has been a strong focus of the General Assembly for the last few years, and it’s encouraging to see these results from our schools and students,” said Bartels, who noted that literacy rates for all student populations also increased. “Thank you to the students, teachers, parents, and all those who dedicate their time and support to educating the next generation.”
May said these IREAD results follow Indiana, which placed sixth in the country for fourth- and eighth-grade reading in the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) rankings.
“We are seeing a historic increase in literacy rates among our state’s youth, and that is something we should all be excited about,” May said. “Ensuring strong reading skills empowers kids to continue learning and contribute meaningfully to communities and society.”
To improve Indiana’s literacy rates, the General Assembly passed a law in 2023 that implemented the science of reading standards. These standards are evidence-based, focusing on instruction that increases students’ reading competency through phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, oral language skills, and comprehension. A law passed in 2024 introduced screenings for students at risk of falling behind in reading proficiency and provided for earlier intervention.
Results from the 2025 IREAD for individual schools and corporations are available on the Indiana Department of Education’s website. Click here to learn more about the state’s literacy standards.
