IREAD results

Reports this month noted historic increases in Indiana’s IREAD scores.

Most area school districts followed that trend, with some of the smaller districts seeing their passage rates increase by double digit percentage points.

The passage rate IREAD, which is designed to measure proficiency in reading for third graders, statewide increased by 4.8 percentage points to 87.3% for the 2024-25 school year.

In The Graphic Printing Company’s coverage area, which includes nine school corporations, five came in above the state average.

Randolph Southern topped the list with a 96.6% passage rate, followed by Monroe Central (92.6), Delaware Community (91.7), Liberty-Perry (89.9) and Jay (88.3).

In terms of individual elementary schools, Randolph Southern again topped the list at 96.6%. Bloomfield in northern Jay County was next at 95.8% and Albany in Delaware County came in at 94%.

Randolph Southern reached the top of the list with a massive 18-percentage-point increase in its passage rate after coming in at 78.6% in 2024. All but one (28-of-29) of its students achieved proficiency in 2024-25 after 33 of 42 met the same standard the previous year.

Union also made major gains, though its passage rate remained low overall. Its passage rate increased by 17.8 percentage points to 62% from the mark of 44.2% in 2024. (That number is heavily impacted by Union’s Indiana Digital Academy, which was lowest in the area in 2024-25 at 61.1% while Union Elementary School came in at 77.8%.)

Three area school corporations saw their passage rates decrease — Delaware Community by 0.2 percentage points, Jay County by half a percentage point and Randolph Central by 1.6 percentage points.

Jay Schools

While the school corporation’s passage rate decreased slightly, it remained a percentage point above the state average.

There were some highlights, including Bloomfield Elementary School’s 95.8% passage rate. Forty-six of 48 students showed reading proficiency.

West Jay was next in the corporation with 23 of 25 third graders passing for a rate of 92%.

East Jay followed at 87.4%, and Redkey came in at 77.4%.

The numbers for Jay Schools are up overall since the return from the COVID-19 pandemic. The corporation had a passage rate of 83.3% in 2020-21 after there was no test given during the 2019-20 school year.

Regional comparison

Area schools were a mixed bag when compared to the wider region, including school corporations in adjacent Adams, Wells, Grant, Madison, Henry and Wayne counties.

Randolph Southern’s passage rate of 96.6% came in at fourth overall, trailing South Madison (98.1), Eastbrook (97.8) and Blue River (97.2). It was the only area school corporation to make the top third amongst the 37 school corporations.

Monroe Central, Delaware Community, Liberty-Perry and Jay County were all in the middle third, with Randolph Central, Blackford, Randolph Eastern and Union in the bottom third.

The year-over-year improvements for Randolph Southern and Union were No. 1 and 2 in the region, respectively. Blue River was next at a 17.2-percentage-point increase. Six others in the region saw increases of 10 or more percentage points.

Across the region, Madison-Grant had the largest decrease in its passage rate, dropping 5.4 percentage points to 68%. MSD Bluffton-Harrison (3.4 percentage points) and Northeastern (1.8 percentage points) were next, followed by Randolph Central.

State of Indiana

Indiana Capital Chronicle noted praise from various state officials, including Gov. Mike Braun, for the improvement in reading proficiency.

Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner credited state efforts, including up to $170 million in funding from the state and Lilly Endowment Inc. for more teacher training in the “science of reading,” earlier screening and targeted intervensions for students who are struggling.

State officials have set a goal of 95% of third graders demonstrating reading proficiency by 2027. 

According to State Board of Education data, the highest statewide proficiency percentage in the last decade-plus was 94.1% in 2012-13. Numbers generally declined to 87.3% in 2018-19, then plummeted to 81.2% in 2020-21 following pandemic shutdowns.