Indiana's third-grade reading rates are state testing highlight
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Indiana's literacy rates for nearly every student population have surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
Why it matters: The pandemic exacerbated the state's literacy crisis, and it has taken years of hard work and investment to dig out of the crater COVID-19 created in the state's third-grade reading rates.
Driving the news: The Indiana Department of Education released scores Tuesday for this spring's statewide IREAD, ILEARN and SAT testing.
- Scores on IREAD, which measures third-grade literacy rates, increased for the fifth straight year and were the bright spot in the results.
- ILEARN took a new form this year, so this year's results can't be compared to those of previous years, but the percentage of students in grades 3-8 rated "on track" to be ready for college fell below the state's college-going goal.
- The share of high school juniors deemed college-ready on the SAT was also below that goal and stayed flat from last year.
State of play: State leaders have been particularly focused on improving third-grade reading rates for the last three years.
- The state has implemented new science-of-reading standards, invested in specially trained coaches to embed in struggling schools, and started administering exams earlier to allow more opportunity for intervention.
- Last year, leaders celebrated a historic 5-point increase in reading rates as return on that investment.
- IREAD scores rose again this year, to 88.7%.
What they're saying: Secretary of Education Katie Jenner admitted she was anxious about holding onto those gains this year.
- "Often, when you see an increase that much, you might dip down the following year or plateau," Jenner said during Tuesday's release. "So the fact that Indiana has moved another 1.5% … is just not short of remarkable."
Zoom in: This year's scores are above the 2019 results for all subgroups of students, except for those who don't receive financial assistance for meals.
- Since the low point of 2021 — the first IREAD administered post-pandemic — Black and Hispanic students have seen the biggest gains, 18 and 11 points, respectively.
Yes, but: Achievement gaps persist.
- White students scored more than 12 points above both groups.
- Gaps also remain for students who receive free or reduced-price meals, special education students and English language learners.
Reality check: The state has yet to see similar gains on the ILEARN exam, which is administered to students in grades 3-8 to assess English and math skills.
- Third- and fourth-grade math scores were the only English or math results where more than half of students were proficient.
- Math scores dipped each grade after fourth grade, falling to 34.2% proficiency in eighth grade.
- English and language arts scores ranged from 40.7% in third grade to 44% in eighth grade.
Between the lines: This spring's administration was the first time all students participated in the state's new through-year assessment model, which measures streamlined standards and includes interim exams and a shorter summative test at the end of the year.
- While its scores can't be compared to those of previous years, they are supposed to measure the share of students on track to be college-ready upon graduation.
Indiana's college-going rate has stagnated in recent years, and the state has failed to hit its goal of 60%.
- Performance on the SAT, administered to all Hoosier high school juniors, aligns closely with the college-going rate.
- 51.9% of students were college-ready on the English portion — a small drop from last year — and a steady 25.6% on the math portion.
What we're watching: If the students making gains in third-grade reading maintain those increases as they progress through later grades.