Amid widespread declines in student achievement, Indiana stands out as a bright spot. The state has made consistent, measurable progress in reading, demonstrating that state leaders have the power to rapidly and meaningfully reverse the trajectory of the literacy crisis.

• According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Indiana now ranks sixth in the nation for reading proficiency in both fourth and eighth grades – up from 19th and 17th, respectively, in 2022.

• Results from IREAD, the state’s statewide reading assessment, show third graders made a record-breaking leap. In 2025, 87.3% of students passed Indiana’s reading assessment, a five-point jump from 82.5% in 2024 – the largest single-year increase since the test began in 2013. All student groups made gains, with Black students and English learners each improving by about 7 percentage points.

This progress follows Indiana’s $111 million investment in literacy coaching, which provides teachers with expert training in evidence-based reading instruction. By the 2025–26 school year, the state aims to place literacy coaches in 60% of elementary schools.

Indiana is also reforming teacher preparation. Beginning in 2025, all applicants for a Professional Educator License must earn an early literacy endorsement –ensuring every new teacher is equipped to support reading development, regardless of subject.

“Indiana’s recent success in literacy reform stands as a compelling example of what evidence-based policy, bold leadership, and a sense of urgency can accomplish,” wrote founder of ExcelinEd and former Flordia Gov. Jeb Bush in a recent op-ed.

• Student achievement is declining overall, but lower-performing students are being hit the hardest, policy expert Chad Aldeman points out in his analysis of 2024 NAEP results. These growing gaps aren’t just about race, income, or parental education – they reflect common teaching practices that neglect foundational reading skills and lack accountability. To turn things around, schools need a two-part strategy: Support all students in catching up, while urgently focusing on those who are the furthest behind.

• The declines in NAEP scores point to a longstanding erosion in foundational skills that predate the pandemic, Christy Hovanetz, senior policy fellow for ExcelinEd, contends in a recent article in Governing. She argues that to reverse these declines, states must adopt rigorous accountability systems with a stricter focus on measurable student outcomes and ensure schools are held responsible for real academic gains.