STATEHOUSE (Aug. 27, 2026) – Montgomery County lawmakers are celebrating Hoosier students' scores on the 2026 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination assessment rising for the fifth consecutive year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) said more than 88% of Hoosier third graders passed IREAD, a nearly 1.5 percentage point increase from last year. It's the second-largest single-year increase since the test was implemented.
"This is the kind of progress that every Hoosier can be proud of," Baird said. "Our students have overcome significant obstacles to reach these scores, and they show how much can be accomplished when families, educators and communities work together."
State Rep. Matt Commons (R-Williamsport) noted that literacy rates for every student population are now higher than before the pandemic.
"Skills like reading and writing are essential to student success," Commons said. "For the last five years, our state and local educators have prioritized higher literacy standards and additional support, and those efforts are making a difference.
Local school corporation pass rates for the most recent IREAD exams include 81% for Crawfordsville Community Schools, 96% for North Montgomery Community School Corp. and 93% for South Montgomery Community School Corp.
The General Assembly passed a law in 2023 establishing science of reading standards and delivering focused support to Indiana students facing the most significant reading difficulties. Additional legislation bolstered the Indiana Department of Education’s literacy cadre program to ensure schools with fewer than 70% of students passing IREAD receive additional resources and support.
State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in the current state budget, Indiana increased K-12 tuition support by $640 million, a 5% increase over the biennium, to its highest level yet. Nearly half of our state budget goes toward K-12 education (47%). Indiana also expanded its school choice scholarship program, empowering all Hoosier families to choose the school environment that is best for their students.
"These IREAD scores are further proof that recent laws, state funding and the efforts of our teachers, administrators, parents and students are leading to a remarkable rebound in literacy and positioning Indiana as a leading state in education policy," Thompson said. "It shows that when we work together, we can make tremendous progress that helps Hoosiers thrive."
Results from the 2026 IREAD for individual schools and corporations are available on IDOE's website. Click here to learn more about the state's literacy standards.
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State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) represents House District 44,
which includes all of Putnam County and a portion of Montgomery County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Matt Commons (R-Williamsport) represents House District 13,
which includes all of Benton and Warren counties, and portions of
Fountain, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton) represents House District 28,
which includes portions of Boone, Hendricks and Montgomery counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
