Indiana Literacy Rates Increase for Fifth Consecutive Year

For the fifth straight year, Hoosier students improved on Indiana’s IREAD assessment.

After last year’s historic jump, 2026 scores rose again, up 7.5 points since 2021.

Nearly 89% of students now read by the end of third grade, surpassing pre-pandemic literacy levels.

Statewide, 88.7% of third graders showed reading proficiency on IREAD.

That is nearly 1.5 points above 2024-2025, the assessment’s second-largest annual gain.