STATEHOUSE (Aug. 25, 2025) – Allen County lawmakers 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.
State Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne), a member of the House Education Committee, said third grade reading scores improved by nearly five percentage points, which is the largest 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 help Indiana students achieve these results.
"These results show just how much progress Indiana students have made in a short period of time," Carbaugh said. "We set ambitious goals, and thanks to the hard work of Hoosier teachers, schools and families, our kids are meeting and exceeding expectations."
State Rep. Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne) noted that literacy rates for all student populations also improved.
"This growth is being seen across the board, and that's incredibly encouraging," Heine said. "When more children are reading at their grade level, we're setting them up for long-term success in every subject."
State Rep. Chris Judy (R-Fort Wayne) said these IREAD results follow Indiana placing sixth in the country for fourth and eighth grade reading in the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) rankings.
"By focusing on reading skills and providing earlier interventions for students at risk of falling behind, Indiana is taking meaningful steps to address literacy challenges," Judy said. "We're seeing real returns on those efforts, and I'm grateful to our teachers for implementing and guiding that success."
State Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) said to improve Indiana's literacy rates, the General Assembly passed a law in 2023 implementing science of reading standards, which is evidence-based instruction that increases students' reading competency through phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, oral language skills and comprehension. A law passed in 2024 added screenings for students at risk of falling behind on reading proficiency and providing earlier intervention.
"Indiana's strong showing in both statewide and national assessments demonstrates that Hoosiers are leading the way in early literacy," Morris said. "This momentum must continue so that all students have the opportunity to reach their full academic potential."
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.
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State Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 81, which includes a portion of Allen County.
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State Rep. Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 85, which includes a portion of Allen County.
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State Rep. Chris Judy (R-Fort Wayne) represents House District 83,
which includes portions of Allen and Whitley counties.
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State Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 84, which includes a portion of Allen County
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