Rowray, Prescott praise IREAD scores increasing for fifth consecutive year
STATEHOUSE (Aug. 26, 2026) – State Reps. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) and J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) are celebrating Hoosier students' scores on the 2026 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination assessment rising for the fifth consecutive year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Rowray 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.
“A child who can read with confidence has more opportunities to learn, explore and succeed," Rowray said. "Continued improvement in IREAD scores means more Hoosier students are developing that confidence at a critical point in their education.”
Prescott noted that literacy rates for every student population are now higher than before the pandemic.
“Five straight years of reading improvement is a significant accomplishment that's positively impacting our students," Prescott said. "It proves Indiana schools are finding effective ways to help students strengthen their reading skills and that we need to continue supporting these efforts."
Local school corporation pass rates for the most recent IREAD exams include:
- Cowan Community School Corp., 88%;
- Daleville Community Schools, 100%;
- Delaware Community School Corp., 96%;
- Liberty-Perry Community School Corp., 95%;
- Muncie Community Schools, 86%;
- Wes-Del Community Schools, 96%; and
- Yorktown Community Schools, 98%.
A law 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% of students passing IREAD receive additional resources and support.
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.
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. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) represents House District 33,
which includes all of Blackford and Randolph counties,
and portions of Delaware, Henry and Jay counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) represents House District 35,
which includes portions of Delaware and Madison counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
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