Hamilton County’s GOP legislators praise increased IREAD scores for fifth consecutive year

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Hamilton County’s Republican 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.

House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said more than 88 percent 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.

“Indiana students continue to make strong academic gains, including five straight years of reading improvement. These encouraging results show that our focus on high academic standards, targeted support and increased opportunities for students is working,” Huston said. “Thank you to our passionate and dedicated educators and families who work every day to help Hoosier students succeed.”

State Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers) noted that literacy rates for every student population are now higher than before the pandemic.

“Indiana is making record investments in K-12 education while giving families more opportunities to find the right learning environment for their children,” Jeter said. “These continued gains in reading are encouraging and show the results of these investments. We will keep working to ensure every Hoosier student has an opportunity to thrive.”

Local school corporation pass rates for the most recent IREAD exams include:

• Carmel Clay Schools, 96 percent
• Hamilton Heights School Corp., 95 percent
• Hamilton Southeastern Schools, 97 percent
• Noblesville Schools, 92 percent
• Sheridan Community Schools, 94 percent
• Union Bible College & Academy, 70 percent
• Westfield-Washington Schools, 94 percent

State Rep. Danny Lopez (R-Carmel) said a law passed in 2023 established science of reading standards and delivered 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 percent of students passing IREAD receive additional resources and support.

“As the son of a public school librarian, I know just how foundational strong literacy really is, and I’m so grateful to all the teachers and parents who worked so hard to move the needle in this critical area,” Lopez said.

State Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler (R-Noblesville) said in the current state budget, Indiana increased K-12 tuition support by $640 million, a 5 percent increase over the biennium, to its highest level yet. Nearly half of our state budget goes toward K-12 education (47 percent). Indiana also expanded its school choice scholarship program, empowering all Hoosier families to choose the school environment that is best for their students.

“The continued growth in IREAD performance is encouraging because literacy opens the door to every other subject,” Shonkwiler said. “Making sure students can read proficiently gives them a stronger foundation for everything that follows.”

State Rep. Hunter Smith (R-Zionsville) said while this is all good news, the work for legislators won’t stop here.

“Every percentage point represents more students developing the confidence and skills that come from being a strong reader,” said Smith, a member of the House Education Committee. “These gains are worth celebrating, but our work doesn’t stop here.”

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.