STATEHOUSE (Aug. 26, 2026) – St. Joseph 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. Dale DeVon (R-Granger) 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 great progress from our Hoosier students, and I thank our committed teachers," DeVon said. "We'll continue building on this momentum to ensure that our young Hoosiers are set up for future success."
State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty), a member of the House Education Committee, noted that literacy rates for every student population are now higher than before the pandemic.
"It's so encouraging to see these IREAD scores increase once again as more Hoosier students are not just getting back on track, but excelling," Teshka said. "Deploying data-driven strategies and prioritizing foundational skills in our classrooms is leading to positive results. I'm grateful to our educators and parents for supporting Hoosier students."
Local school corporation pass rates for the most recent IREAD exams include:
Teshka authored 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. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) 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.
"The turnaround in IREAD scores across our state has been tremendous," Wesco said. "Thanks to our teachers and families, more Hoosier students are developing the reading skills to help them in classroom now and in the future."
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. Dale DeVon (R-Granger) represents House District 5,
which includes a portion of St. Joseph County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty) represents House District 7,
which includes portions of LaPorte, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) represents House District 21,
which includes portions of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
